PR Pros’ Holiday Toolkit: 5 Press Release Examples from Amazon to Starbucks (+ more)
Welcome to our deep dive into holiday PR excellence. Originally shared on our blog, this newsletter presents a collection of top press release examples from leading brands like Amazon and Starbucks, alongside a rich array of holiday PR themes and strategies. Perfect for enriching your festive campaigns!
1.?Five Essential Holiday Press Release Themes
Discover the top themes to highlight your brand this holiday season, including product launches, special promotions and more.
2. Insights from Leading Brands
Learn from the best with a detailed look at how brands like Starbucks, Duke Energy, Adobe, Amazon, and Deloitte successfully navigate holiday PR, from creating nostalgia to leveraging data for impactful storytelling.
Starbucks: The art of creating tradition and nostalgia
For many, the?commencement of the festive holiday season?starts with Starbucks’ announcement?about the return of its holiday drinks and iconic red cups, according to TheStreet.?
Last year, the company reported that the holiday season drove?record revenue of 10% comp growth.?
The following press release captures the warmth, joy and excitement of the holidays.
Click thumbnail image below to view press release
Key Takeaway
Starbucks masterfully creates a sense of tradition and nostalgia. Importantly, this emotional connection is something that any brand can match.?
For your press releases, focus on how your products or services are?part of holiday rituals or create new traditions. As well, encourage social media engagement by?creating shareable moments, just like the first red cup of the season.
Duke Energy: Showcasing the power of community and CSR
Duke Energy’s campaign to fight hunger, particularly their commitment of nearly $400,000 in South Carolina, showcases their?corporate social responsibility (CSR)?efforts.?
Harvard Business Review says that your customers are making?purchases based on corporate purpose commitments?and actions in 2023.
73% of consumers say [that] to win their support, companies must show how they are supporting communities and the environment. (Porter Novelli Purpose Premium Index, PPI)
The following press release?emphasizes community and goodwill, which aligns perfectly with the spirit of the holiday season.
Click thumbnail image below to view press release
Key Takeaway
Like Duke Energy, you can use your holiday press releases to?highlight your company’s efforts in giving back to the community. This not only enhances your brand image but also resonates emotionally with your audience.?
Visuals?of real-world impact, like?community service activities, add a layer of authenticity and relatability to your message.
Adobe: The effectiveness of data-driven press releases
Adobe’s forecast of $221.8 billion in U.S. holiday season online sales provides valuable insights and positions them as an industry thought leader. Further, the company reveals that Cyber Monday sales are projected to top $12 billion.?
Press release examples like the following effectively?use data?to paint a picture of consumer behavior during the holidays.
Click thumbnail image below to view press release
Key Takeaway
Adobe demonstrates the?power of data-driven press releases?and extends this even further to?data messages on social networks, as seen below.
Incorporate industry data or consumer insights into your holiday press releases to add value and authority. This approach not only informs but also positions your brand as a knowledgeable resource in your industry.
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Amazon: Generating buzz with timely sales announcements
Amazon’s announcement of the Prime Big Deal Days is an excellent example of using a press release to?create buzz around a sales event.?
The release highlights special deals, encouraging early holiday shopping.
Click thumbnail image below to view press release
Key Takeaway
Follow Amazon’s lead by using press release examples that?promote special events or sales. Detailing exclusive deals?or?limited-time offers?in your press release can generate excitement and urgency.?
However, the content must remain?clear,?concise,?formal,?newsworthy, and?avoid being overly promotional?or reading like an advertisement.
Additionally, you can?Use social media?to expand your message or?integrate multimedia elements, like promotional videos, to further enhance your engagement and reach.
Deloitte:?Expert analysis and forecasting in retail
Deloitte’s press release offers a detailed forecast of holiday retail sales, emphasizing their market analysis expertise and providing insights into upcoming consumer spending trends.
Overall, the company predicts holiday sales will total?$1.54 to $1.56 trillionduring the November to January timeframe.
In addition, Deloitte forecasts 2023 holiday e-commerce sales to grow between?10.3% and 12.8%?over 2022 levels. Indeed, total e-commerce sales are projected between $278 billion and $284 billion.
Click thumbnail image below to view press release
Key Takeaway
Deloitte’s press release highlights the company’s expertise in market analysis and data-driven forecasting of holiday retail trends. Also, it provides essential insights for businesses planning their holiday strategies.
You can follow Deloitte’s strategy to?become an expert in your field,?use data to predict holiday trends?and?clearly share these insights. This knowledge and analysis can help others.
3. Crafting Engaging Holiday Press Releases
Step-by-step, we guide you through creating press releases that resonate. From choosing a relevant theme and developing a compelling narrative to emphasizing your brand's unique angle and effectively using visuals and multimedia.
Step 1: Choose a Relevant Theme?– Choose a holiday press release theme that fits your brand, like product launches, special editions, holiday sales, CSR efforts, industry insights, or milestones.
Step 2: Develop a Compelling Narrative?– Craft a narrative that captures the holiday spirit and evokes emotions like joy or nostalgia. Support your story with data for added authority, as seen in Adobe and Deloitte’s approach.
Step 3: Emphasize Your Brand’s Unique Angle?– Showcase how your brand enhances or creates holiday traditions. For CSR themes, like Duke Energy, emphasize your community contributions and positive impact.
Step 4: Write the Press Release?– Create a captivating headline and a clear opening paragraph detailing the key aspects of your news. In the body, include detailed quotes and statistics. Conclude with a summary or call-to-action.
Step 5: Incorporate Visuals and Multimedia?– Incorporate high-quality photos, infographics, or videos to enhance your narrative, and include multimedia elements like promotional videos for added impact.
Step 6: Conclusion and Call to Action?– End with a powerful statement and a clear call-to-action engaging readers with your brand.
Step 7: Review and Edit?– Carefully proofread for clarity and accuracy, and seek feedback to refine your press release.
Step 8: Distribute Effectively?– Distribute your press release to specific industry media and time it strategically for maximum impact during the holiday season.
By following this guide, you can create holiday press releases that capture the festive spirit and effectively communicate your brand’s message and values.
4. Templates and Format Examples
Dive into our collection of practical templates and formats, designed to streamline your press release creation process for the holiday season.
As we embrace the festive season, seize the opportunity to craft PR campaigns that truly resonate. We invite you to share your thoughts and experiences in crafting holiday PR campaigns. Let's discuss how these insights and tools can elevate your brand's narrative this season.