PR Manual Description

1. 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 -

2. Table of Contents
2
Intro: Writing Press Releases & Statements
03 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 Communication
05 The Nature of Being Non-Political
06 Guidelines for Writing a Press Release or Statement
07 Wording and Context for Statements
07 Statement Examples
08 Press Release Outline
10 Formats for Statements
10 Statement Outline
10 Boilerplate
11 How to publish a press release/statements
12 Examples
Notes
12 Sources
12 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

4. 4
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

8. 8
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
this by facilitating cross-cultural
experiences where young people can
explore other cultures and develop their
leadership skills 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 creating 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
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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.
TheHuffingtonPost.com, 13 Nov. 2012. Web. 29 Mar. 2016. <http://
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
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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!