There’s a Twitter account called @DearPR dedicated entirely to publicly shaming terrible press releases and pitches. It has plenty of material to work with.
Bad press releases do more than fail to get coverage. They damage relationships with journalists, signal organizational problems, and create lasting reputational harm. The worst part? Most of these disasters are completely avoidable.
Here are five real examples of press releases that went spectacularly wrong, what made them fail, and how to make sure yours don’t end up as cautionary tales.
1. Ricoh’s “Printers Enable Innovation” Press Release
Ricoh issued a press release claiming their printers were “a key enabler of agility and innovation.”
Nobody believed it. The headline was so disconnected from reality that it became notorious in PR circles as a teaching example of what not to do.
The body of the release didn’t help. It failed to support the grandiose claim, threw in a mention of 3D printing without any context, and buried whatever actual news existed under layers of corporate fluff. The whole thing was too wordy to read and too vague to use.
The reputation damage: When you make unbelievable claims, journalists stop trusting future announcements. Even when something legitimately newsworthy happens, they’ve already learned to ignore emails from your organization.
How to avoid it: Make specific, factual headlines about what actually happened. Remove words like “revolutionary,” “groundbreaking,” and “game-changing” unless you can prove them. Test every headline with this question: Would a journalist actually believe this?
2. The White House “Columbia” Press Release
In January 2025, the White House issued a press release about sanctions on Colombia. The release misspelled the country’s name as “Columbia” throughout.
The error made news because it came from an official government source. A country’s name matters. Getting it wrong in formal diplomatic communications suggests lack of attention and review. The White House deleted the release after the mistake gained attention.
The reputation damage: Even high-profile organizations make basic spelling mistakes. When they do, it undermines credibility. If the White House can’t get a country’s name right in a press release about that country, what else did they get wrong? The deletion only confirmed the problem existed.
How to avoid it: Build in multiple proofreading steps. Run spell check. Have a teammate review it. Read the entire thing out loud to catch errors. For critical releases, hire a professional proofreader. And always verify proper names, especially for countries, people, and organizations.
3. The Airline Pitch to a PR Software Publication
Prowly Magazine covers the PR industry. They received a pitch about airlines, models, actors, and celebrity influencers.
The pitch demonstrated zero research on who they were sending to. The topics had nothing to do with what Prowly covers. The sender used more space bragging about their own achievements than explaining why a PR trade publication should care about entertainment-industry gossip.
The reputation damage: Journalists remember people who waste their time. Send enough irrelevant pitches and you get mentally filtered out. When you finally have something newsworthy, your emails go straight to trash based on pattern recognition alone. Journalists also talk to each other about repeat offenders.
How to avoid it: Research each journalist’s beat before sending anything. Read what they actually write about. Personalize pitches to explain why your news matters to their specific audience. Build quality media lists instead of blasting to everyone with an email address.
4. Words That Make Journalists Hit Delete
A survey of over 3,000 journalists identified specific phrases that trigger immediate deletion. Top offenders include “breaking,” “urgent,” “exclusive,” “we’re thrilled to announce,” and “revolutionary.”
These words signal that the sender doesn’t understand journalism. Press releases aren’t advertisements. Journalists want facts, not promotional language about how excited a company is.
The data gets worse. 57% of journalists block contacts who send overly promotional press releases. And 77% say less than a quarter of the pitches they receive are actually relevant to what they cover.
The reputation damage: Getting blocked means losing access permanently. When something genuinely newsworthy happens later, or when a crisis hits and fair coverage is needed, those bridges are already burned.
How to avoid it: Write objectively. Use the same tone a journalist would use to report the story. Remove promotional adjectives. Lead with what happened, not how anyone feels about it. If a sentence wouldn’t work in a news article, rewrite it.
5. The Off-Target Pitch to a Financial Crime Journalist
David Byers covers extortion, tax fraud, and financial crime. He received a press release so inappropriate for his beat that he shared it publicly on Twitter. His followers piled on in the comments.
The pitch showed zero understanding of what Byers actually writes about. Someone just added him to a mass distribution list and hit send.
The reputation damage: Public mockery on social media. Lost access to that journalist and probably others who saw the tweet. The company became another example other PR professionals share when teaching what not to do.
How to avoid it: Verify that each person on your media list actually covers your topic. Read their recent articles. Make sure the connection between your news and their beat is obvious. Quality matters more than quantity.
How to Write Press Releases That Actually Get Coverage
After 20 years working in network television news, the pattern is clear. Journalists need specific things, and they need them fast.
The five-second test: Can someone understand your news in five seconds? Open with the most important information. If a journalist has to hunt for what actually happened, they move on to the next email.
What every press release needs:
- Clear, specific headline that states actual news. Not buzzwords. Not hype. Just what happened.
- First paragraph that answers who, what, when, where, and why. Journalists should be able to write their opening from yours.
- Objective tone throughout. Third person. Factual. No promotional language or marketing speak.
- Quotes that add insight rather than just enthusiasm. “We’re excited” adds nothing. “This changes our production capacity by 40%” gives journalists something to work with.
- Complete contact information. Name, email, and phone number for follow-up questions.
- Supporting materials linked. High-resolution images, fact sheets, and additional background.
- Zero grammatical errors. One typo might slide. Multiple errors signal deeper problems.
- Relevant distribution at appropriate times. Midweek mornings work best. Research which journalists actually cover your industry.
The bigger picture: Every press release either builds or damages credibility with journalists. Consistent professionalism means journalists trust your information and respond when something genuinely newsworthy happens. Organizations with strong media relationships navigate crises better because they’ve already established that trust.
Need a complete guide with templates? Read How to Write a Press Release Statement for step-by-step instructions.
Why This Matters for Your Reputation
Bad press releases damage more than media coverage. They signal problems with organizational communication, attention to detail, and professional judgment.
Organizations that struggle with press releases during normal times face even bigger challenges during crises. Journalists who’ve seen sloppy work before won’t suddenly trust you when stakes are high.
Solv Communications helps organizations build strong media relationships and crisis-ready communication strategies. We develop public relations strategies, create crisis communication plans, and provide media training that prepares spokespeople for high-pressure situations.
Strong press releases build credibility that matters when you actually need coverage.
Ready to strengthen your media relationships? Let’s talk.
