How You Write a Press Release Is as Important as What You Write
11/06/2023
Global firms’ press releases are often written in English, the lingua franca of business. But the choice of words and phrasing, which depends largely on the culture of the firm’s home country, makes a significant difference in how the message is perceived by stakeholders such as potential investors.
Based on an interview with Chavi Chi-Yun FLETCHER-CHEN on her article, “What’s in a word? Adopting a linguistic-style analysis of western MNCs’ global press releases” (Journal of World Business, 2023), co-written with Kristof COUSSEMENT (IÉSEG School of Management), Michael ANTIOCO (EDHEC Business School), and Christiane PRANGE (Tongji University).
Professor Chavi Chi-Yun FLETCHER-CHEN and her co-authors looked specifically at Business English as a lingua franca (BELF) used in press releases because this is a vital tool used by multinational companies (MNCs). A good press release can engage, persuade, and facilitate quality communication with different stakeholders to demonstrate the business’s success and boost investment.