I don't know about you, but I *love* Google's writing style and tone of voice when it launches new products via blog posts. The most recent example of this is overnight, when Gmail launched a new service out of its Labs team called Multiple Inboxes.
Out with the intro line of a press release that starts: "Today, Acme inc, the world's leading bleurgh launches...". Gmail begins it's announcement of multiple inboxes with the line: "I'm seriously into filters and labels."
So I'm wondering how quickly this trend of first person, casual but emphatically written blog post announcement style will catch on outside of the web allstars? We see it quite a lot with dot coms, it's nothing new there. But you won't see too much of it elsewhere. When will PR training courses in the UK, for example, teach press release writing and blog post writing in equal doses? And when will the traditional "five W's" style of a press release die out altogether, if ever, I wonder.
I think the secret the google posts is that they don't even bother following any PR rules in the first place.
Posted by: Krupo | February 06, 2009 at 07:05 AM
Hello, first of all, i should confess that i'm French... meaning that i might not write everything in proper English... but well, i'll do my best to be understable.
I really think there's a big difference in writings between a press release and a blog post. They are 2 very different communication tools, not aimed at the same public and at the same goal.
Even though I appreciate the blog tone of voice in general (intimate, personnal, funny...), it wouldn't be appropriate for a press release which is supposed to be professionnal, informative in a journalistic way and as neutral as possible. And if i were a journalist, I wouldn't like reading press release in such an informal ton.
Sorry for sounding so traditionnal... but here, traditionnal also means efficient (at least for me!)
Posted by: Hervie | February 06, 2009 at 09:23 AM
I think there will always be a time and a place for the 5ws. With all the information we have to consumer nowadays it's important to get to the point when it matters.
Posted by: Toby | February 06, 2009 at 09:26 AM
I agree with Toby in part. I think there is certainly a place for the 5 ws but I do take your point about writing style. Its a great way for Google to consolidate its 'personality' and brand identity. Maybe the way forward, at least for the moment, is a compromise situation...
Posted by: Danny Whatmough | February 06, 2009 at 10:11 AM
The press release as it has been known for the last 50 years or so is dead. We are a generation raised on press releases, marketing, and flashy commercials. As a result, right or wrong we associate that way of communicating with the current mess the world is in.
Posted by: Lazerfingers | February 06, 2009 at 03:55 PM