What to include in a Digital Brand Press Kit

Not that long ago, brands produced printed look books and press kits for every new collection launch or announcement, and mailed them to all relevant media outlets.

While some brands still produce printed press materials, it’s becoming increasingly rare. More often, press materials exist in a digital format and are shared via email, a download link or publicly on a company website. Even though the format of press materials might evolve, the information that editors and journalists need about your clients and brands remains the same.

Company Information to Include in a Press Kit

Depending on the news you’re announcing, other key pieces of your press kit could include:

• A media alert with event details. This document includes the who, what, where, when and why for the event your client is hosting. It’s used when trying to secure media to attend and cover an event.
• A company history with key dates and background information about your client or brand.
• Biographies for key executives at your client’s company.
• Press releases announcing new collections and/or other important news from your client.
• Multimedia materials including videos and high resolution images. If any of these materials require a photo or creator credit, make sure to clearly note it.

Photography in a Press Kit

For new product launches or seasonal fashion collection launches, a look book is a key part of a press kit. The look book should include images and style names of the key items you want to showcase to the press. Images of the collection can be shot on models or still life on a white background. All images in the look book should be available in a high resolution format, since many publications can use a brand’s product images for certain still life stories. Before you shoot a look book, consider the publications on the brand’s radar, and whether or not your concept would look at home within their pages.

Should you create an online press kit?

If your brand or client has the budget, consider building a dedicated press site that can be the destination for all of your latest press information including look books, press releases and high resolution images. Another option is to upload your press kit to a site like Issuu, or to use a file sharing service like Google Drive or Dropbox to host all of your client’s press information. What you don’t want to do is crowd your pitch with a host of attachments; make it easy for an editor to scan the information – all in one place – when she needs it.

Overall, when putting together a press kit, it’s always important to keep the media’s needs top of mind. Editors and journalists are very busy and they receive a huge volume of PR pitches every day, so anything you can do to make their lives easier will help increase your chances of coverage.