Spot the differences
Press Release vs. Article
If you’re an architect or a designer, you might have come across some communications and PR terms that are not part of your everyday professional vocabulary. And that means you might not be completely up to speed on the precise meaning of terms like press release, clippings file, newswire, article, blog post, social media, digital media and more. Even if you grasp the basic meanings and differences, you probably aren’t familiar with all the nuances. And that’s perfectly normal. This is just the kind of thing we’ll clear up with our semi-monthly “Spot the Differences” posts.
The format is a nod to the puzzles found on the hobbies pages of newspapers. Think of it as a fun way to spend a coffee break – learning about what differentiates two related terms in media and communications by examining some great architectural photos.
We’ve heard that architects and designers tend to be astute observers. So now it’s up to your eyes and pens (or Photoshop)! If you can find all seven differences between these two images, you’ll be entitled to 15% off your next release.
Now let’s look at the differences between a press release and an article.
...
What’s the difference between a press release and an article?
A press release is an external communication tool aimed at journalists. It is often written by a communications or media relations professional, and it serves to announce a fact, news item, event, new project, new product, etc. In architecture, design or any other industry, a press release is the single most effective tool for reaching the media. It’s also the tool that journalists appreciate most, according to the latest Cision report (2020) on the state of global media.
An article, on the other hand, is a text written by a journalist, writer or editor, published by a media outlet (whether digital or print), and designed to inform the public or a target audience about a topic or news item. In other words, a press release is source material for an article. It provides facts and other information about a specific topic, making it possible for a journalist to write their article. That’s why the two documents can be very similar, and sometimes even identical.
A press release is a document of journalistic interest. It’s relevant, factual, neutral and objective. We can’t overemphasize the importance of “neutral” and “objective” here. We understand how easy and tempting it is, when describing our own work, to talk about the best project by the best firm. But the reality is that the media only care about the facts.
There’s nothing wrong with blowing your own horn on your social media feeds, competition submissions or website, but there’s no room for subjectivity in a press release. That means it’s essential to avoid superlatives and adjectives like excellent, best and incredible.
There are many creative, clever and effective ways to promote yourself. That’s the true art of press relations! You aren’t addressing the public directly, you’re addressing journalists and editors who will do that. So you have to convince your intermediary – the media – to use its power to get your message out to as many readers as possible.
In short, the press release is an essential communication tool for getting coverage in articles published by the media. Articles are written using the information you provide in your press release. With ever-tighter budgets and overburdened editorial teams, interviews are becoming very rare. That’s why it’s crucial to write solid, content-rich, relevant press releases. We’ll return to this topic in more detail at a later date, when we look into some tips and tricks for writing an effective press release. In the meantime, you can contact us to learn more.
In a nutshell, a company distributes a press release, often using a newswire or PR agency, and a journalist or editor publishes an article in a publication (a broad category including magazines, newspapers, websites, blogs, social media, books, etc.). The journalist is allowed to use some or all of the press release, and has the discretion to add details after doing more research or interviewing members of the firm.
Here’s an example to make the difference crystal clear: a cottage called La Petite Sœur, by ACDF Architecture. Below are the project’s press release and four resulting articles published by Archello, Dezeen, Architectural Digest Russia and NUVO. Each article is based on the same press release, but each takes a distinctly different approach.
Press release:
Here is the ACDF Architecture press kit as distributed to the media.
Read the press release
Article from Archello:
Archello chose to reprint the full text of the press release.
Read article
Article from Dezeen:
Dezeen adapted the press release into a more personalized article.
Read article
Article from Architectural Digest (Russia):
Architectural Digest Russia printed an adaptation of the press release in Russian, since the original was distributed only in English and French.
Read article (if you can read Russian!)
Article from NUVO:
After reading the press release, NUVO decided to prepare a more in-depth article, scheduling an interview with the architects to get more detailed information and some exclusive quotes.
Read article
We’ll be back in a month with another round of “Spot the Differences.” If you have any questions in the meantime, drop us a line: info@v2com-newswire.com.
Cover image:
La Petite Sœur Cottage by ACDF Architecture
Photo: Adrien Williams
By Pénélope Fortin
A design graduate with a passion for communications, Pénélope Fortin has been in charge of media relations for designers and architects for the last seven years. A creative, detail-oriented professional, she is in contact with media around the world and loves developing innovative media strategies for her clients.
