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COMSTRAT 383 - Spring 2016 Syllabus

COMSTRAT 383  – Creative Media Strategies & Techniques (3 CREDITS) Instructor:  Brett Atwood                                Office...

Press Release Writing Exercise

LET'S PRACTICE!

For the following three practice scenarios, please select a lede style and then construct your press release lede for each announcement.

(Disclaimer: These are not necessarily REAL situations and/or announcements! They are only practice scenarios for this assignment...)

SITUATION 1: MERGER ANNOUNCEMENT
  • Client: Amazon.com
  • E-commerce giant Amazon.com is acquiring popular DVD rental kiosk company Redbox.
  • Amazon already has a streaming video service as part of its Amazon Prime service and the new deal is expected to make it more competitive with Netflix.
  • WRITE A PRESS RELEASE LEDE ANNOUNCING THE MERGER

SITUATION 2: EXECUTIVE HIRING
  • Retailer J.C. Penney has hired former Apple senior VP of retail operations Ron Johnson as its new CEO
  • The retailer is launching an ambitious rebranding campaign this month to re-position it as embracing "fair and square" pricing without compromising style. Many experts suggest that the retailer is emulating the popular approach of Target in its new campaign.
  • The outlet has also come under fire by conservative activists who are opposed to the hiring of openly gay comedienne Ellen DeGeneres as its spokesperson. 
  • Johnson has gone on the record to defend their choice to hire Ellen. See video statement at: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7398105n
  • WRITE A PRESS RELEASE LEDE ANNOUNCING THE HIRING OF THE CEO
  • WRITE A PRESS RELEASE LEDE FOR J.C. PENNEY'S RESPONSE TO CRITICISM

SITUATION 3: EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT

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