Writing Sample: Press Release

Press releases are common public relations tools. They're basically brief articles about a product, service or company which are distributed to newspapers and other publishers in the hope of gaining free publicity. Press releases are supposed to read like news stories, and they have to have a "hook"; the hook is the newsworthy tidbit that will attract newspaper reporters, newspaper editors, and the public.


Below is a press release sample I wrote for my copywriting portfolio. I tried out several ideas before I decided to write about Claire's Cakes and Cookies, a fictional bakery I created for a previous writing sample. For this press release, my hook was the free cinnamon rolls, though the 90th anniversary celebration of baking in the Schlitterwhooster family was another big focus in the article.

I really wanted to focus on writing something that was very clear, very clean, and very easy to read. Most press releases I found on-line were nearly impossible to hack through, and I usually found myself losing interest in their "news" during the first or second paragraph. Sometimes I even got bored just reading the title!

This piece is 361 words long and formatted like a traditional press release would be. Please let me know if you have any suggestions for improvement!

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Claire's Cakes and Candies Offers Free Cinnamon Rolls, Celebrates Heritage with New Location

Olathe, KS, October 23 2009--Claire's Cakes and Candies, a bakery and confectionery owned by Olathe native Claire Schlitterwhooster, will celebrate the 90^th anniversary of Schlitterwhooster baking by opening a second location on the Country Club Plaza. Both store locations will celebrate by giving away free cinnamon rolls with any purchase or order from October 26-30.

Why cinnamon rolls? “My great-grandmother Annett Schlitterwhooster was a baker in Germany before she and my great-grandfather moved to America,” says Schlitterwhooster. “She started her bakery in 1919, which specialized in classic German pastries like strudels, cinnamon buns, and berliners.”

Since then, the Schlitterwhooster women have grown up baking classic German treats as well as American favorites like chiffon cakes and cookies.

But Schlitterwhooster was the one to take the family tradition to the next level. She attended culinary school in 2000 before opening the original Claire's location in 2003. She chose to focus on custom cakes for weddings and celebrations because she noticed a dearth of professional cake bakers in southern Johnson county.

“When my friends were getting married, they were driving up to Leawood or Kansas City to get their cakes. I saw an opportunity to add something to the Olathe community that wasn't readily available,” Schlitterwhooster says.

In 2006, Schlitterwhooster added a storefront to the Olathe location to offer same-day sheet cakes, ready-made cupcakes, and gift chocolates. The new Plaza location will focus on wedding cakes and ready-made cupcakes in a variety of traditional (chocolate, white, and red velvet) and adventurous (mango lassi and strawberried rose) flavors.

Schlitterwhooster has been planning the Plaza location's grand opening for several months and is excited for the upcoming celebration. “I'm honored to bring these two great traditions together: my family's long history of baking and the classic elegance of the Country Club Plaza. It's a great match, I think, and I can't wait to see what happens.”

Claire's Cakes and Candies has locations at XXXX Zero Street in Olathe, KS and at YYY Nada Lane in Kansas City, MO. Their staff has over seventy years of combined experience making custom celebration cakes, cupcakes, and candies. Please call 123-456-7890 for more information.

Contact:

Lesley Owens

098-765-4321

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