Bad Press Releases Feature Boring, Ridiculous Quotes
Why are so many people who are quoted in press releases “excited?” Here’s just a small sampling of what I’ve collected:
- “We’re excited about selling more products with X company.”
- “I’m excited about this new opportunity and the much broader responsibilities I will have.”
- “We are excited about the benefits this relationship will bring to our customers, vendors, and employees.”
- “We are excited to add X company to our European distribution network.”
- “We’re excited about this mixed-use project and delighted to have found this location.”
- “We are excited that our senior management team is now in place.”
- “We’re excited to once again offer our customers the chance to enjoy this delicious bayou delight.”
I could go on and on, but you get the idea.
If writers are making up these quotes, it’s just plain lazy, colorless writing. If people are actually saying them, it’s dull, trite thinking.
Some do try to change the pace, but with equally bland results:
- “X company is pleased to enter into this partnership with Y company.”
- “I am pleased that X company has delivered the perfect satellite to Y company.”
- “We are pleased to offer this unique technology to our colleagues”
Blah, blah, blah…..
Why don’t these writers come up with a quote (or prod their spokesperson for a quote) that actually adds something to the story?
• “Selling more products with X Company will give us much wider distribution in Europe. That allows us to show potential customers just how easily and inexpensively we can solve their technical problems.”
• “This is the perfect place for our mixed-use project. It’s a growing, vibrant part of the city close to the freeway. And residents there have told us they’re looking forward to the new shopping, restaurants and offices we will bring to their neighborhood.”
Even worse are the supposed “quotes” that in reality, no one would ever, or could ever say.
“X company represents the best-in-class customer-focused distribution in the electronics components industry,” said John Doe, Vice President of Sales at Y company. “Their extensive product catalog published every 90 days combined with their intuitive, user-friendly website and online catalog, along with their expansive shipping capacity, will be a great advantage to customers who are looking for up-to-date product information and availability of the X company components available for their next generation of electronic devices.”
Huh?
Is it so difficult to do a real interview with spokespersons? If that’s not possible, then at least put words in their mouth that they might actually say.
Many pundits are saying the traditional press release is, or should be dead, with the more interactive, social press release taking over. I am excited for that day to come.
