The Social Media Release Is Still A Work In Progress

•  
  Andrew Arnold03/05/08 Report as spam
  1

  Agreed...

  but the benefit of the SMR for me is the way that it enables distribution of the elements of the story rather than a story "block".
  
  A traditional press release is split up into its elements according to the editorial decisions of a journalist. A SMR is presented in its componenet parts in a way that makes it easier to redistribute by machine (and bloggers).
  
  I use one or the other and sometimes both depending on what or who I'm targeting.
  
  To be honest I don't think names are important. A journalist doesn't care whether he gets sent a press release, a media advisory, a called-in tip, or a few lines written on the back of an envelope. The content is the important factor, we are presenting it in different ways to maximise the use of the content. When form takes over content we end up with the empty-sounding press releases filled with 'best of breed' and 'standards driven' and 'world-class'.

•  
  travisvan03/06/08 Report as spam
  2

  PR 2.0 Vaporware

  I also agree with your take on the "Social Media" release. Aside from the fancy name - what's really that game-changing about the approach? During all that Web 2.0 fervor, I think a lot of marketing folks were non-participants in social networking ... and has this sense that they were missing some big opportunities. The Social Media release was the magic hair growth tonic that targeted those insecurities. Nice name, nice label, but nothing truly magical.