Over the past 10 years, I’ve observed a troubling trend in how some NGOs and advocacy groups craft their press statements. Many begin with confrontational language, often laced with insults, followed by commands that are mistaken for demands. This approach may feel bold, but it often defeats the very purpose of a press release.
When a press release opens with attacks or accusatory language, it immediately turns off the very audience it seeks to engage: government officials, policymakers, and power brokers.
Instead of prompting reflection or dialogue, it provokes defensiveness and retaliation. The typical response? “Let them do their worst.” And that’s the end of the conversation.
I’ve written press releases for organizations that were never approved or published, simply because they were not confrontational. Sadly, confrontation has come to be seen by some as a measure of effectiveness.
But let’s be clear: abuse, aggression, and emotional outbursts are not communication, they are breakdowns of it.
A proper press release should:
Clearly articulate the issue with evidence and clarity
Present the position of the organization from an informed perspective
Offer practical alternatives or solutions
Recommend actions, not command or threaten
On the flip side, governments and institutions also misuse press releases, turning them into tools of denial and misinformation, even when the facts are plain. That too is a disservice to public communication.
Ultimately, a press release is not a weapon. It is a tool, a tool to enlighten, engage, and influence. When it becomes confrontational, abusive, or deceitful, it fails before it even leaves the computer on which it was typed.
Let’s return to the essence of public communication: structured, rational, evidence-based messaging that offers insight, proposes solutions, and advances constructive engagement, not propaganda or provocation.