50+ Press Release Ideas to Drive Brand Awareness
Press releases are a key tool for public relations (PR) and communications professionals. They’re essential for connecting with journalists and customers, generating earned media, driving traffic to your website and establishing your brand’s credibility and authority. But while you know all about the benefits of press releases, it isn’t always easy to come up with ways to promote your organisation. Every PR professional can get stuck sometimes – that’s why we put together this list of 50+ press release ideas for every occasion.
Press Release Ideas to Demonstrate Growth
Company growth is one of the most popular reasons to send out a press release. Announcing growth makes current investors happy, attracts potential investors and catches the attention of the public. Here are the most popular press release ideas for this category.
1. Anniversary celebrations: Celebrate your company's anniversary with a press release. Better yet, hold a celebratory event and release an announcement.
2. New hires: A press release that showcases well-known talent being added to your team can improve public perception of your company.
3. New locations: Share news about opening new offices or stores to let customers know where they can find you and show stakeholders you’re growing.
4. Mergers and acquisitions: Announce significant business mergers or acquisitions to highlight expansion.
5. Expanding to a new country: Inform your audience about entering a new international market to demonstrate global reach and ambition.
6. New products: Press releases for new products are a classic way to get the word out and help drive sales.
7. Record sales: Announcing a record sales quarter or year makes investors happy while also getting the attention of potential customers.
8. Customer or sales milestones: Announce your one millionth customer or product sold to showcase your success and customer trust.
9. Securing investment: If you’ve secured series funding, angel investment or venture capital, a press release demonstrates your growth and potential.
10. Naming new investors: With their permission, introduce any well-known investors in your company to build credibility and gain further investment.
11. Going public (IPO): Share news about going public to attract investors and highlight company growth.
Press Release Ideas to Earn Positive Recognition
Consider applying for various awards to earn positive media coverage for your company – and give you a reason to release an announcement. Sharing awards and recognition can boost your reputation in the eyes of customers, investors and potential employees. Here are a few press release ideas to get you started.
12. Best place to work awards: Awards that recognise your company as a top employer can help you attract top talent.
13. Marketing awards: Many organisations give awards for marketing and advertising campaigns, like the Digiday Awards and AVA Digital Awards.
14. Creative awards: There are plenty of awards for creativity as well, including the Webby Awards, Killer Content Awards and Cannes Lions.
15. Industry awards: Share news of winning industry-specific awards to reinforce your company’s credibility.
16. Philanthropic honors: Share news about awards and recognition you’ve received for your philanthropic work to showcase your impact on your community and improve public relations.
17. Patents or trademarks: If you’ve been awarded a new patent or trademark, announcing it can highlight your company’s dedication to continued growth.
18. Giving awards and grants: Haven’t won any awards? Create your own awards program or grant program to build connections and promote excellence in your company or industry.
Press Release Ideas to Refresh Your Brand
Do your branding and marketing need an update? Do you want to reach new customers and attract multicultural audiences? These press release ideas can help you earn positive attention from a wider audience.
19. Brand ambassadors: A brand ambassador, like a celebrity or someone known in your industry, can boost your brand recognition and audience reach.
20. Endorsements: If a celebrity or well-known organisation mentions or endorses your product, that’s worth a press release.
21. Proprietary technology: Highlight new technologies or unique processes to demonstrate a commitment to innovation.
22. Collaborations: Share news about collaborations with other companies or influencers to generate excitement.
23. Partnerships: Announce strategic partnerships with news releases that highlight how you’re taking advantage of new opportunities.
24. New use for your product: Showcase innovative or surprising uses of your product to inspire customers and demonstrate versatility.
25. Customer showcase: With permission, highlight a new customer to build credibility and showcase your product’s appeal among a certain audience.
26. Name changes: Announce a company name change to reflect new branding or strategic direction.
27. Company rebrands: Share news about a company rebrand to signal a fresh start or new focus.
Press Release Ideas to Become a Thought Leader
Becoming known as an expert in your industry is an excellent way to get your name out there and build brand awareness. While some of these thought leadership press release ideas are a heavier lift than others, each can earn you positive attention.
28. Association memberships: Join a trade association or consortium to demonstrate commitment to industry standards and collaboration.
29. Proprietary research: Conduct a survey and create a report on the results. A report on employee life can bring in new talent, while customer satisfaction reports can attract customers and investors.
30. Sponsored research: You can also use a third-party organisation to conduct a survey for you and create original content. Well-known third parties can also add clout to your report.
31. Event participation: Participating in an event not only showcases your products and services and allows you to network, but also provides an excellent opportunity for a press release.
32. Event presentations: A speaking engagement is another great press release example for an event. They highlight employees’ expertise and build industry presence.
33. Hosting an event: Using an event press release to announce details of a conference or event your company is sponsoring is a time-tested tactic to create awareness.
34. Free training: Offer free training sessions to provide value and position your company as a helpful resource. If your industry has continuing education requirements, consider getting certified so your training fulfills the credits.
35. Educational resources: Create on-demand educational resources like webinars, white papers and podcasts that will provide value to your key target audience.
Press Release Ideas to Demonstrate Your Values
Brand values matter to customers: In one survey, 63% of respondents agreed they’re more likely to do business with brands whose purpose aligns with their values. Whether through philanthropy or a commitment to environmental, social and governance (ESG), showcase what you care about with these press release ideas.
36. Charitable contributions: Share your company's charitable donations to build goodwill and demonstrate social responsibility.
37. Sponsorships: Announce sponsorships of events or teams to demonstrate involvement and build awareness in a community.
38. Community involvement: Host a benefit, create a volunteer day for your employees, or form a local committee to help improve your community.
39. Eco-friendly practices: Offer news about your eco-friendly practices and efforts to “go green,” like achieving LEED Certification. Press releases on environmental issues show your commitment to sustainability and tend to grab attention.
40. DEI achievements: Share diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) achievements, like setting or reaching goals, to demonstrate your commitment to inclusivity.
41. Pro bono work: Distribute news about your pro bono work, for example working with a nonprofit, to highlight how your company gives back.
42. Employee volunteering: Highlight employee volunteer efforts to build a positive company culture and community involvement.
Press Release Ideas to Drive Engagement
Getting your name out there is only the first step. Ultimately, you want your audience to respond and engage with your brand – whether that’s customers, investors or journalists. Use these press release ideas along with attention-grabbing headlines to drive action and engagement.
43. Facility tours: Announce that you’ll be hosting tours of your facility to engage customers and provide transparency.
44. Contests: Contests are an excellent way to engage customers and encourage them to take action and share your brand, without the commitment of buying something.
45. Ad campaigns: Share details about your latest advertising campaigns to generate interest. Drive traffic to a landing page showcasing the campaign.
46. Promotions and deals: Deals and promotions are a tried-and-true way to drive sales and attract new customers. Offer discounts on your product or service, free shipping or free consultations.
47. Surveys: Everyone has opinions. Setting up a customer survey is a great way to not only drive engagement, but get valuable feedback about how you’re doing.
More Creative Press Release Ideas
If you’re running out of press release ideas, it’s time to think outside the box. Make your brand stand out by writing press releases about these unique and personalised ideas.
48. Unsung heroes: Find an unsung hero in your industry and sing their praises to build connections and highlight industry achievements.
49. Inspirational stories: Share inspirational stories to connect emotionally with your audience and highlight your company's impact.
50. Customer achievements: Celebrate a customer's success story to build strong relationships and demonstrate your product’s impact.
51. Trends: Share your thoughts and opinions on the latest trends – even if they’re not directly related to your industry.
52. Breaking news: Provide insights, commentary or an opinion on breaking news to demonstrate relevance and expertise.
53. Celebrate holidays: Leverage existing holidays to create relevant and timely press releases.
54. Create a holiday: Announce a unique holiday to generate buzz and create a fun, memorable event.
55. Make a prediction: Share an interesting prediction to show that your brand is on the cutting-edge.
56. Debunk myths: Debunk common myths in your industry to educate your audience and build trust.
57. Find a blindspot: Highlight something in your industry that isn’t being reported on to provide a unique point of view. Online forums are a good place to find topics.
Bring Your Press Release Ideas to Life with PR Newswire
Every PR professional runs into a creative block once in a while. But once you do come up with amazing press release ideas, you want to make sure they not only get seen, but drive engagement and results.
With strategic press release distribution to hundreds of thousands of newsrooms, digital media outlets and journalists, PR Newswire can help you amplify your news. And with services that target specific audiences, multiply your social media shares and more, you’ll get the most out of every press release. Start sending press releases with us today..
Creating an eye-catching press release involves more than a good boilerplate. To boost your chances of getting your story covered, use captivating headlines, incorporate multimedia elements, include data points, and craft persuasive calls to action. For more in-depth advice, download our Definitive Guide to Writing an Engaging Press Release.