PR MANUAL PRESS RELEASES & STATEMENTS

Ivana Gusic, Global Vice President Public Rela4ons A,la Yaman, AIESEC Interna4onal’s Representa4ve to the UN

AIESEC Interna,onal Team 2015-2016

- This version was last updated on 31st March 2016 -

Table of Contents

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Intro: Writing Press Releases & Statements03 Introduction 03 Why and When to Distribute a Press Release?01 Why and When to Make Statements?

Considerations

Guidelines, Wording and Examples

Outlines and Formatting

05 Crisis Management and Communication05 The Nature of Being Non-Political

06 Guidelines for Writing a Press Release or Statement07 Wording and Context for Statements07 Statement Examples

08 Press Release Outline10 Formats for Statements10 Statement Outline10 Boilerplate11 How to publish a press release/statements12 Examples

Notes12 Sources12 Special Thanks

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INTRODUCTION

This is a guide for how to write press releases and statements. Although they are related, there are significant differences, so be careful when determining which your entity should use. In general, both are for sharing information about AIESEC with the public. A press release does this by addressing the media and letting them know about news; whereas a statement is more about expressing a view your entity believes in/stands for.

WHY AND WHEN TO DISTRIBUTE A PRESS RELEASE

A press release is a brief written communication that outlines the major facts of a story or company development. They concern facts or information deemed newsworthy and are directed towards targeted media or the broader public.

First, determine whether or not the story you want to write about is “newsworthy”or worthwhile. Here are the questions you can use to check that:

• What is the purpose of the press release? • What is the message you want to convey? Is that message unique? • Who will read this? Is it useful for the audience? What do you want them to think? • Does your news have an impact on people, especially those reading it? Your aim should be to raise coverage and brand awareness among target audiences; if they don’t think it’s newsworthy, then you should not release it, but perhaps craft a blog post or disseminate information among AIESEC network (using internal communication channels).

WHY AND WHEN TO MAKE STATEMENTS

The first thing to do is determine whether or not making a statement adds value to the discussion around an issue.

If the potential statement is in response to an incident related to AIESEC, then it is most probably worthwhile. If the potential statement is regarding an incident unrelated to AIESEC, we should consider whether or not to make it. While we are not an authority or leader such as the president of a country (so our role in providing social commentary is different); it might be valuable to release statements about major global events.

AIESEC follows specific values and therefore releasing a statement could be valuable, as long as we are true to organizational values and show integrity. As a global youth voice, AIESEC reinforces its relevance by speaking up about important matters, through

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addressing peace (always pro-peace messaging, see below) and showcasing actions (see example from Red Cross), in connection to important events. That brings exposure and shows bravery. Making a statement about an issue shows we care and that we are not ignoring it.

However, always ask yourself what the format should be: should it be a press statement or would a picture on social media that’s easily shareable achieve the desired effect? (see example from AIESEC International) Maybe a blog post focusing the issue related to the event? (see example from AIESEC in Belgium).

If you’re trying to mobilize people with a specific call to action, a written statement can help outline what the action is and why we are doing it. At the same time, expressing emotion via a shareable image on social media might be more appropriate for the occasion. (see example of #IStandWithAhmed).

Here are some questions that could help you determine whether to issue a statement and what the format of the statement should be:

• Is this an event of global significance? Does our audience care about it? Who is the audience (the public, AIESECers, other)?

• Are people expecting your organization to speak about it? If you didn’t say anything would people be upset or feel like you have something to answer for?

• Is there a specific call to action? Are you taking action as much as you are speaking? Are you “walking the talk”?

• Think about what form you are making your statement: you could tweet, share a picture, write a blog post, or write a statement - think about what is appropriate for the situation

We look to role model organizations similar to ours, who publish statements when they have a specific action or contribution to the issue/topic being discussed: see example from Red Cross. Similarly, in AIESEC we want to publish statements on our communication channels, when we can contribute to the issue/topic being discussed. We are an organization that acts, and we would like to avoid unnecessary social commentary, especially when it might be “political” (see section below).

The point of Public Relations is to build a brand of the organization in the eyes of the public, related to certain values and stands; therefore, issuing a statement that associates our brand with those values is the ultimate point of making a statement from a PR perspective.

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION

National-level crises are the responsibility of your entity, please refer to the crisis communication manual for guidance. For an emergency consultation you can call the office phone of the AIESEC International office +31 10 443 4383.

In the event of a global crisis (involving 2 or more entities, countries, or territories), please refer the issue to the AIESEC International Vice President of Public Relations and refer from making any statements, as only the Global Office of AIESEC has the right to address global crisis on behalf and in the name of our organization.

THE NATURE OF BEING NON-POLITICAL

Remember that AIESEC is a non-political organization: “AIESEC does not have a pre-defined or officially accepted political tendency or subscription” (“The AIESEC Way” 2015). Non-political is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “not relating to or motivated by politics.” Some other definitions also include "not supporting or having no affiliation to a particular political party", or “not related to or motivated by the politics”.

Politics could be connected to many things. i.e. talking about refugees is political, talking about a conflict is political, talking about education could be political. It is okay to talk about these issues, as long as your statement is not motivated by politics or affiliated to a particular party.

Example: AIESEC in “XY” got called out by the public for doing a project about immigration and being political, and is asked to make a statement:

"We support the actions of X political party to bring in refugees" (this is POLITICAL).

But if you say: "We want to help refugees to settle in and become a part of the community, in an attempt to reduce inequality, protect basic human rights, and allow them a chance to a more peaceful life. We as AIESEC hope to be part of the solution,” it is not affiliated to a political decision and expresses our values and beliefs as an organization.

Our stance as a non-political organization is extremely important today, when the world context is more political than ever. We do not discriminate and want to be accessible to everyone, everywhere, and our vision is universal to people, regardless of their political affiliation.

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Note: The simple act of choosing to release a statement or press release can be interpreted as a political statement about what matters to the organization. Therefore, be careful about circumstances and wording. If you are not sure whether to release a statement, or the statement addresses important and delicate matters, please make sure to contact AIESEC International Vice President of Public Relations for consultation (before publishing), to get advice or supervision in the process. Remember - Context is everything. The ultimate judge of political affiliation is the audience reading your message: in public relations it doesn’t matter if your wording was not meant to be political if your audience interprets it as such. Therefore you should be as careful as possible when crafting your message.

GUIDELINES FOR WRITING A PRESS RELEASE OR STATEMENT

1. All press releases should be written from the perspective of the entity: AIESEC in [XY]

Remember: It is very important that you do not use the generic “AIESEC” name, since we exist in 125+ countries and territories with different contexts. Only the global office can make statements on behalf of AIESEC globally, while you are speaking on behalf of your entity, “AIESEC in XY”.

2. Press releases should be limited to 500 words; 1 page best, 2 pages maximum; the shorter the better.

3. Proofread as many times as needed; simple mistakes can detract from the message you are trying to convey and make the audience judge your organization for simple mistakes .

Remember: No acronyms or AIESEC-related words. The wording should be simple and understandable to everyone. Try to avoid phrases that could be misinterpreted – you want your message to be clear and received by an audience in the best way possible.

4. All releases should follow the format of a press release to organize content; they can then be modified to create a statement. Difference in wording/style or press release and statement:

• Press releases are facts only, simple, third-person summaries of a story (do not use “I,” use “AIESEC in XY”). Press releases should not contain any personal opinions, however you can use quotes from people in leadership positions to reinforce your statement. Make sure you include facts and numbers and focus on Who/What/When/Where/Why (the 5 W’s)

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• Statements should also be simple, factual and written in third-person when providing a summary. However, due to the fact that statements are more personal, a part of them can be written from the perspective of a spokesperson (e.g. President of AIESEC in [XY]). However, you should still stick to saying “we” when referring to AIESEC in “XY.” Statements can be as short as a paragraph, but must have a clear reason for being published.

5. Limit sentences to fewer than 25 words in length. The release gives readers and journalists the essence of the story. They should be factual, short, simple, and concise; avoid repetition, fancy words, sales-pitch language and jargon (no AIESEC acronyms or internal language.)

6. Never “condemn” anyone or anything. ‘Peace and fulfillment of humankind’s potential” is our vision and therefore should not be cited as a reason/excuse for why we disagree with the actions of another person/entity. Additionally, “condemnation” is often interpreted as political (see below).

WORDING AND CONTEXT FOR STATEMENTS

There are many ways to express something and wording is everything. Tread lightly when making a statement and remember to always remain non-political. Focus your messaging on positive statements, such as being “PRO-PEACE” in place of “anti-conflict.”

Many conflicts in the world - between territories, countries, or governments - are of a political nature. Therefore, we should not make statements condemning particular conflicts, nor the actors involved, in order to remain politically neutral.

When making a statement, do not focus on the conflict or the event itself; focus on the outcome and actions taken in response to it. We are not an authority (government or the UN) or commentators; in AIESEC we take action on issues to positively impact society. Therefore, statements should focus on AIESEC’s vision and values, highlighting what AIESEC or it’s partners are doing to address causes/outcomes of a conflict.

AIESEC does not take action to end conflicts/wars (this is not what we stand for). AIESEC stands for global peace and a world in which every single person has the opportunity to fulfil their potential. We believe the way to do this is by facilitating cross-cultural experiences for young people to develop leadership skills that will enable them to create a more peaceful world.

All statements should conclude with an italicized “boilerplate” (see the outlines in the next section) that explains the vision of AIESEC and relevant partners and contain a link

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to learn more about AIESEC in general. The paragraph should be non-promotional; especially for sensitive issues it should not advertise AIESEC programs. This might be seen as taking advantage of the event just to promote AIESEC.

Example 1: This is an example of a statement regarding an attack in [AB], [XY].

BAD

AIESEC condemns the recent attacks in [AB] and expresses deep concern for those affected by them. Organizations that negatively affect world peace and human well-being, as well as the countries/territories who support them should be denounced. We are mobilizing students to bring aid to people affected by the recent attacks in [AB] along with other anti-conflict organizations. AIESEC is an organization that has a vision of peace and fulfillment of humankind’s potential, we believe that terrorism should be extinguished so that such conflicts do not happen again. In order to achieve global peace, we must all invest in cross-cultural understanding. Sign up today to work towards ending terrorism.

GOOD

AIESEC in [XY] is extremely saddened by recent events in [AB] and expresses support for people from [XY] and abroad affected by the attacks. We have mobilized over one hundred young people, AIESEC volunteers and their friends, to bring aid to those in need, in collaboration with numerous organizations. If you would like to contribute, please visit (link), where you can donate or join one of our on-the-ground actions. Our partners in this aid program are [ABC], you can learn about them here (links).

AIESEC in [XY] believes in cross-cultural understanding and youth leadership as a way to build a more peaceful world for all. For more information about AIESEC in [XY], please visit (official website).

Example 2: This is an example of an AIESEC video regarding a cross-border conflict

BAD

AIESEC endorses the recent speech by the Prime Minister of our country favoring a resolution to the border dispute. We have produced a video to our members sharing their opinions about what the government should do to end this terrible conflict. AIESEC exchanged over 200 students between [XY] and [AB] to foster peace and understanding between the two countries so that border disputes like this will no longer happen when young people are in positions of power.

GOOD

AIESEC in [XY] has released a video (link) of youth voices sharing their hopes for world united in a shared desire for better understanding despite all our differences. AIESEC in [XY] is committed to “peace and fulfilment of humankind’s potential;” we do th i s by fac i l i t a t i ng c ross -cu l tu ra l experiences where young people can explore other cultures and develop their leadership ski l ls to create a more harmonious future for all. Last year, AIESEC in [XY] worked with AIESEC in [AB] to send

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AIESEC fully supports the views of these young people and as an organization committed to creat ing peace and developing young leaders, we want governments to pay more attention to the voices of young people in how they should best resolve border disputes and related conflicts. Sign up here today to start join our mission to end conflict worldwide and bring about global peace. We have hundreds of opportunities awaiting you on our website!

134 young people to [AB] and bring 94 young people to [XY] for cross-cultural professional and volunteer experiences. You can learn more about these young people’s experiences (blog link) and how to get involved here (link).

AIESEC is non-political organization and therefore does not endorse any of the views expressed in the video. The opinions expressed in the video are the speakers’ own and do not reflect the view of AIESEC in [XY].

PRESS RELEASE OUTLINE Remove text in [brackets]

PRESS RELEASE: Centered attention-grabbing 1-line summarizing release (action words) Italicized subtitle *if* needed to add extra detail

[Dateline] CITY, COUNTRY, Date - [lead/intro paragraph] Facts of the release: what, why, who, where, when, and how in short sentences. Readers should be able to read only this and know everything they need to know.

[body paragraph] Supporting information, details such as direct quotes, background, statistics

[call to action] How can the target audience get more information? How can they get involved in the work being done?

[boilerplate] short paragraph summarizing AIESEC and links to relevant websites

[end of release] ###

[contact information] Contact name Contact title Contact phone Contact email

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FORMAT FOR STATEMENTS

Statements can come in the format of a short paragraph or two, similar to a press release, or in a longer-form (letter or a blog-style piece). Below you will find an outline for a shorter statement. A longer piece should only be published if a shorter statement cannot effectively convey the intended message. In general, less is more: the shorter the better. A shorter piece makes it more likely that people will read all of it. Keeping things short also forces you to think about the wording. A blog post should be no more than 500-words in length and may be written in the format of a letter or simply a statement. For the longer version letter style, please refer to the “LinkedIn Statement example” here.

STATEMENT OUTLINE Remove text in [brackets]

STATEMENT: Centered one-line summarizing statement

[lead/intro paragraph] Expressing the organization's stance (we support, express concern, etc...) on what happened (when where, to whom) and why we care (non-politically).

[body paragraph] Facts of what we are doing and/or who we are working with and when/where/what they are doing; how target audience can get involved (provide links if possible). Quotes if appropriate.

[boilerplate] Short paragraph summarizing AIESEC in italics, separate boilerplate for external partners if the statement is about them as well. This should be non-promotional and focused on our vision with a link to learn more.

[contact information] Contact name Contact title Contact phone Contact email

BOILERPLATE

A boilerplate is a statement found at the end of a press-release that gives additional information about the authoring organization. It should be in a form of a short paragraph, with links to additional resources. Our boilerplate should focus on the very basics of AIESEC: our mission, what we do, and how. Make sure to make the boilerplate of a statement more focused on the mission and avoid promoting AIESEC products too

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much. The boilerplate of a press-release can be more promotional. You should add an additional boilerplate if the press release or statement makes reference to other organizations or initiatives. See the following example that the global office might use at the end of a statement or press release:

About AIESEC:

AIESEC is the world’s largest youth-led organization creating opportunities for young people to explore and develop their leadership potential. With offices in more than 125 countries and territories, AIESEC is a non-political, independent, not-for-profit organization run by students and recent graduates of institutions of higher education. Around the world, AIESEC partners with more than 2,600 universities and 8000+ organizations to facilitate professional and personal development experiences for young people across the globe. For more information, please visit: www.aiesec.org.

Note: AIESEC refers to the global AIESEC network and/or the global office; national and local level network offices are separate legal entities and are referred to by country or territory.

HOW TO PUBLISH A PRESS RELEASE/STATEMENT

Press Releases:

• Email the release to targeted media contacts who would be interested in writing news articles about the news, or partners who can help distribute the story to other outlets

• Send it out via news monitoring service (also known as “the wire”) these services usually charge a fee per word or per release but help get the release circulated

• Consider when the best time to send out a release is; our U.S.-based PR partner tell us between 7-9am Monday-Thursday is the best time, though Monday sees a lot of traffic

• See this detailed guide for more tips

Statements:

• Publish on your entities webpage, blog, and/or social media accounts • Don’t send to media partners unless it concerns a specific project you are engaged in

EXAMPLES

• Red Cross Press Releases and Statements • Clinton Foundation Press Releases and Statements • Red Cross Statement on Attacks in Paris • AIESEC Press Release on YouthSpeak Survey

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SOURCES

• "American Red Cross Press Releases." American Red Cross. The American National Red Cross, n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2016. <http://www.redcross.org/about-us/media/press-releases>.

• "A Complete Guide to Writing an Effective Press Release." Marketing Donut. Atom Content Marketing, n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2016. <http://www.marketingdonut.co.uk/marketing/pr/writing-a-press-release/a-complete-guide-to-writing-an-effective-press-release>.

• Cutler, Zach. "8 Tips for Writing a Great Press Release." The Huffington Post. TheHuf f i ng tonPos t . com , 13 Nov. 2012 . Web . 29 Mar. 2016 . <h t tp : //www.huffingtonpost.com/zach-cutler/press-release-tips_b_2120630.html>.

• "Definition of Non-political in English." Oxford Dictionaries. Oxford University Press, n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2016. <http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/non-political>.

• Fleishman, Hannah. "How to Write a Press Release [Free Template + Sample]." How to Write a Press Release [Free Template + Sample]. HubSpot, 29 Dec. 2014. Web. 29 Mar. 2016. <http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/press-release-template-ht>.

• "How to Submit a Press Release." WikiHow. WikiHow, n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2016. <http://www.wikihow.com/Submit-a-Press-Release>.

• "How to Write a Press Release." WikiHow. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2016. <http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Press-Release>.

• Murray, Janet. "How to Write an Effective Press Release." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 16 June 2015. Web. 29 Mar. 2016. <http://www.theguardian.com/small-business-network/2014/jul/14/how-to-write-press-release>.

• "Press Release." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Press_release>.

• "Press Releases and Statements." Clinton Foundation Press Releases & Statements. The Clinton Foundation, n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2016. <https://www.clintonfoundation.org/press-releases-and-statements>.

• Roos, Dave. "How Press Releases Work." HowStuffWorks. InfoSpace LLC, 28 Aug. 2007. Web. 29 Mar. 2016. <http://money.howstuffworks.com/business-communications/how-press-releases-work1.htm>.

• Staff. "Press Release." Entrepreneur. Entrepreneur Media, Inc., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2016. <http://www.entrepreneur.com/encyclopedia/press-release>.

• "Statements and Releases." The White House: From the Press Office. The White House, 14 May 2015. Web. 29 Mar. 2016. <https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-and-releases>.

• "What Is Press Release? Definition and Meaning." BusinessDictionary.com. WebFinance, n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2016. <http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/press-release.html>.

• "Writing and Formatting Tips for News Releases." IReach. PR Newswire Association LLC, n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2016. <https://ireach.prnewswire.com/tips.aspx>.

• "Writing and Formatting Tips for News Releases." IReach. PR Newswire Association LLC, n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2016. <https://ireach.prnewswire.com/tips.aspx>.

• “The AIESEC Way” (2015)

SPECIAL THANKS

We would like to give special thanks to the PVBLIC Foundation, Karolina Piotrowska (AI VP PR 14-15), and Cassandra Ruggiero (AI VP PR 13-14) for their help and feedback!