August 14, 2017

What’s a press release?

A press release is simply a written statement for the media to pull information and facts from when reporting their story. The terms press release, press release and media release all carry the same meaning and purpose: They are created and issued when a business, organization or individual wants to make an announcement to the media.

When is it appropriate to write and issue a press release

Press releases are created and issued when a company or individual wants to make a significant announcement or news. Examples of what might prompt and qualify the need for a press release include: announcing new products and services; a grand opening or scheduled events; sales accomplishments; changes in the personnel; recent awards; growth of an organization; etc.

How to write a press release:

  • Start with your news angle: Ask yourself what makes this announcement news worthy or why should anyone care about this? Is your news the first or largest of its kind? Is it an innovative new way of doing things? Is there something surprising or unexpected in your news? Once you have identified that, you have your headline.
  • State the Facts in the form of the 5 Ws: Within the first paragraph, you will want to state the most important of details – what’s happened, why it happened, who it happened to, when it happened and where it happened. The order of the five Ws would vary based on the news/story.
  • Quote(s): You will want to include at least one quote from a high-profile member of your organization related to the announcement. In the case of a launch announcement, appropriate sources for quotes would be company founders or current notable customers. The first quote should generally be towards the top of the press release with other quotes towards the end.
  • Be a resource: At the end of your release, offer the media more details upon request, such as interviews, images, background materials, etc. Items such as images don’t need to be included in your press release. Simply include a note stating everything is available upon request works well. When sending photos, give clear direction to the media for photo captions and photo credits.

Press Release Structure:

Headline: Header should be in bold font, centered in the middle of the page and concise.

1: Dateline and 5Ws: The city and date are listed before the paragraph begins. Following the dateline will be the most important facts of your news, in the form of the 5 Ws.

Example: Vancouver, BC – (April 25, 2017) – Starting today (WHEN), businesses, organizations and individuals (WHO) can own a .eco domain, the new dedicated environmental domain extension for people and brands committed to positive change for the planet (WHAT). The .eco domain comes to market (WHERE) following a nine-year collaborative effort from more than 50 environmental non-profits, all with a shared vision to bring a trusted symbol of environmental responsibility to the Internet (WHY – “why” is more optional than the other Ws).

2: Quote: Paragraph two is usually a good place for a spokesperson quote. The quote should be reflective of the news and keep in mind that a quote is a good way for the organization to plug in less factual content and more self-promotional content. It’s good to consider how the news makes the quoter feel. i.e. “Consumers will recognize .eco as the new global identity for brands and organizations committed to positive environmental change,” said Trevor Bowden, co-founder of .eco and Big Room Inc., a certified B Corporation located in Vancouver, BC. “Early .eco domain holders have already inspired a positive ripple effect, encouraging other brands to register and promoting transparency and a new level of accountability in how companies broadcast their social, environmental and CSR mandates.”

3& 4: More background: How this came to be, why it’s significant, who it impacts, why readers should care etc. Add background on the news contributor(s) or benefactor(s). In this case, we’ve added more detail about pricing and logistics, on the background of the .eco domain development, and early adopters.

5: Resource and Information Reference: At the end of your release, include a paragraph that offers the media more details upon request, such as interviews, images, background materials, etc.

6: Boilerplate: Include information on the school. This can be a link or a longer paragraph.

End: Media Contact Info: Include your name, title and contact information.

.ECO DOMAIN LAUNCHES WITH SUPPORT OF WWF, CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL, UNITED NATIONS GLOBAL COMPACT, NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL, AMONG OTHERS

A new dedicated environmental domain extension for businesses, organizations, and individuals committed to positive change for the planet

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – (April 25, 2017) – Starting today, businesses, organizations, and individuals can own a .eco domain, the new dedicated environmental domain extension for people and brands committed to positive change for the planet. The .eco domain comes to market following a nine-year collaborative effort from more than 50 environmental non-profits, all with a shared vision to bring a trusted symbol of environmental responsibility to the Internet.

By registering a .eco web address, brands send a powerful message to consumers about their environmental responsibility and transparency. To activate a .eco domain, users must pledge to support positive change for the planet and list their commitments to environmental action on a public-facing .eco profile. Leading global brands like Tesla, Google and LG have bought .eco domain names, taken the .eco pledge and set up .eco profiles.

“Consumers will recognize .eco as the new global identity for brands and organizations committed to positive environmental change,” said Trevor Bowden, co-founder of .eco and Big Room Inc., a certified B Corporation located in Vancouver, BC. “Early .eco domain holders have already inspired a positive ripple effect, encouraging other brands to register and promoting transparency and a new level of accountability in how companies broadcast their social, environmental and CSR mandates.”

.eco domain pricing ranges from US $65-$100 annually and is available at more than 60 global domain retailers. To search for .eco domains, visit www.get.eco. Domains will be available today starting at 9am PST.

Over the course of a nine-year campaign to win the .eco domain, the co-founders built a coalition of support among leading environmental organizations that included Green Cross International, founded by former President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev. Other groups applied for the right to operate the .eco domain, granted by ICANN, the global non-profit that coordinates all domain names on the Internet.

“The approach of building global community support for .eco greatly contributed to Bowden and co-founder Jacob Malthouse beating out several rivals for the domain, including a group endorsed by Former Vice-President Al Gore. The support and encouragement we received from the environmental community throughout our journey was humbling and inspiring. We couldn’t have asked for better company in taking on the ambitious task of securing the .eco domain,” said Malthouse.

Bowden and Malthouse were both staffers of the United Nations Environment Programme before they set out to secure the .eco domain in 2007, after learning many new top-level domains would soon become available.

“We are thrilled to be part of .eco,” said Sid Das, Digital Director at WWF International, one of the organizations that endorsed Bowden and Malthouse’s bid for .eco. “It’s great to see this domain will be maintained by a community that is passionate about the environment.”

Big Room Inc. plans to create an independent foundation that will allocate a portion of the sales of .eco domain names to help fund environmental initiatives. Environmental groups will play a key role in ensuring that .eco funds are responsibly distributed.

Sandra Capponi, co-founder of GoodOnYou.eco, an ethical fashion app that helps users find the ethical rating of clothing brands, remarked on the differentiation gained with a .eco domain, stating it “immediately demonstrates our commitment to environmental sustainability.”

Other early adopters already using .eco domain names ahead of the global launch include:

  • Koala, a natural cleaning products company, rebranded to Koala.eco.
  • Sea Semester, an off-campus environmental studies program, created a landing page for their environmental study initiative at StudyAbroad.eco.
  • Greenpeace Argentina is using Oceanos.eco as a short, memorable URL to drive attention to a petition from social media and advertising.
  • Vancity, Canada’s largest credit union, is using Vancity.eco as a shortcut to their sustainability section of their website.
  • Producers of River Blue, a documentary about the fashion industry’s impact on the environment, are using RiverBlueTheMovie.eco as their home online.

More information on .eco profiles, .eco champions, and how to purchase a domain, can be found at www.get.eco.

About .eco:

.eco is a new web address ending-known as a top-level domain-for those committed to positive change for the planet. Web addresses using the .eco domain are available to any business, government body, non-profit or individual working toward a sustainable future. The .eco domain is backed by more than 50 environmental organizations including WWF, Conservation International, United Nations Global Compact, NRDC and World Business Council for Sustainable Development and is a trusted symbol for the environmental community. Learn more at www.get.eco.

Contact information:

Yulu Public Relations Inc.
Melissa Orozco
604-558-1656 / 778-320-9265
doteco@yulupr.com