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How detailed does a press release have to get before it ceases to be a press release and becomes an advertisement? That;s something that;s been puzzling me with some of the press releases I've rread recently, and with the press releases I an\m contemplating writing.

I've already had one RPGNow customer angrily tell me to stop sending him my press releases because he wasn;t intersted in my products. This despite the fact that he had signed up for RPGNow's automatic press release list and was recieving every release that was sent out through it.

Personally I'd rather limit sending press releases to the press and find some other way to reach individual customers without annoying them. I really did feel sorry for this man who had obviosuly had no idea what he was signing up for.

Mike,
Keep in mind I don't know your PR content or RPGNow's method.  

Method
If two individual press releases (at different times) announce the same product, they cease to be press releases and become flyers.  That's advertising.  A 'press' release suggests news (of a sort).  It's a one time deal.  You can't 'release' the same thing twice.  The info has already been released, -it's already out there.  

It could be that RPGNow doesn't understand the nuances that separate a press release from the more common advert mailing list.

Content
A press release should contain new information because it's a "press release" and so being newsworthy to the interested group.  Including info from previous releases (again) turns it into an ad.  The furthest I would go (IMO) is to include something like "From the publisher of..." to brand yourself to the recipient.

I hope some of this was helpful.

Quote from: Michael HopcroftHow detailed does a press release have to get before it ceases to be a press release and becomes an advertisement?

Hey:

I don't know that it's about details so much as the information you're releasing, and where. If you have a new sourcebook out, then I'd say sending it to RPGnow is a good idea. If you're partnering with ABC games for some as yet unnamed product, the Joe/Jane consumers who signed up at RPGnow probably don't really care. In that person's case, it's not your problem that he signed up. But if he's not getting product-related info, then he has a worthy gripe.

Some releases I've written in my real-life job don't go anywhere but on our web site. So I'd say it depends what your intentions are. Just to get your name out there, or to inform the consumer of a specific game or game supplement?

There are a number of links to good sites with tips and "How tos" regarding press releases on the GPA's Member Resources page. Definitely worth a look, Mike. (In fact, I'm a little surprised you didn't look there already.) You'll find it at http://www.thegpa.org/members/ (note: it's members only and requires a password).