Purpose

Press kits are a key component of a press briefing, normally held to inform members of the media about a new project or the status of the project, its environment, or its supporting organization. They are intended to present the project organization (or host organization) in the best possible light.

Application

Press kits are constructed when a project or its impact is sufficiently significant that public information campaigns using mass media are appropriate. They should be developed whenever the project has achieved sufficient recognition that the project organization’s perspective on the effort will be deemed to be of public interest or when the press requests information on the project. Keep in mind that public recognition may be positive or negative in nature, and may be proactive or reactive, depending on the nature of the project and the project organization.

Content

Content for a press kit should be determined well in advance of any press briefing to ensure that the correct information is shared and any information that the organization does not want to share is clearly defined for those hosting the briefing. The press kits will highlight corporate history, general information, past press releases, and any contact persons’ business cards. They may also include small product samples, as appropriate. The press kit should include a press release  (see the following).

Approach

A press kit may be an in-depth package of information or a few sheets of paper detailing future plans and approaches.

Considerations

Press kits are normally prepackaged and easily updated with the latest corporate press releases. Because organizational history does not change overnight, most of the information in a press kit can be retained for long periods of time.