Google’s Chrome Browser Begins with Press Release

On September 2 Google revealed Chrome, its new browser. While most of the buzz about Chrome’s public relations is around the comic book Google mailed to bloggers, the idea that the project started on day one with the team writing a press release caught my attention.

To hear how the team was challenged to write about how they would announce Google Chrome to the world, fast forward 48 minutes into Google Chrome’s announcement video, embedded here.

This kind of forward-thinking impressed me. What if every project began with how you wanted to announce it and then you built it to match your expectations?

For Google, this approach worked and while it would be interesting to compare the original release to the final, today we’ll take a look at the campaign’s components – from a graphic perspective, which means you’ll see screen shots that link to the sites mentioned.

Google Chrome PR Integrates Multiple Components

Comic Books?

Comic books aren’t just for super heroes anymore. Wanting to capture attention and stand out, Google commissioned a novel graphic approach in the form of a comic book by Scott McCloud.

Takeaway: think about how you can use illustrations, graphics and cartoons to tell your story to your community and the media.

Instruction and Informational Videos

Google has its own YouTube channel that houses over 800 videos. Two Chrome videos, a short that tells the story  and a longer 52-minute announcement video [shown here], work well together as instructive and informational tools. Each video features a variety of speakers.

Takeaway

Produce a quick, light overview that gets the message across and a second in-depth presentation with a range of voices.

Dedicated Media Center

Google Chrome Media Center welcomes exploration with a clean layout and larger type. Bullet points outline key messages in a copy panel of less than 250 words. Can you say I get it?

Takeaway

Organize information for the media, keeping in mind that media is everyone, not just journalists. Put the contact information in the upper left hand corner. And, pare down, pare down, pare down.

Online Press Kit

Repeating the simpler is better theme, here the page presents a list of links.

Takeaway

Outline your online press kit first, then develop the pages you want to link to.

Online Press Release

In less than 700 words, Chrome’s  press release delivers the message while a sidebar stands by with extra resources.

Takeaway

Repeat the refrain. Use headlines to tell the story and bullets to break up the text and link along the sidelines.

Live Launch Webcast Press Event

Why hold a press conference when you can host a Webcast Press Event for all the world to see?

Takeaway

Host a live online press event and invite the media and your clients to attend and ask questions with a service that also provides live chat.

What do you think about . . .

beginning a project by writing a press release?