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What is a Media Kit?

A Kaminsky
A Kaminsky

Any business that wants to get noticed by the media makes up a media kit. Depending on the business, the kit may be anything from a basic press release about the company all the way to an elaborate package that includes a CD/DVD about the company, slides and free samples.

A basic media kit usually comes as a folder of information about the company. The public relations person at the business will generally include a card with contact information also. The basic kit usually has an information sheet about the company, along with a press release describing anything new or innovative the business is doing, a short form of the annual report, and perhaps a sheet of testimonials from people who have used the business's services or products. These releases are placed in an attractive, conservative folder, possibly with the company logo on the front, and mailed to media outlets. Financial firms and similar businesses often send a media kit that is so designed.

A basic media kit usually comes with a short form of the company’s annual report.
A basic media kit usually comes with a short form of the company’s annual report.

Some companies, such as fashion houses or entertainment companies, will send elaborate kits. They may include a CD or DVD about the newest fall fashions, complete with interviews with the designers! Some kits may even send along small fabric swatches, perfume samples or music CDs featuring the new artists in a record label's stable. Food companies often send samples. A cookie company may send a package of the newest product along with the press releases, for instance. A media kit may contain products as diverse as birdseed or aluminum foil! One air-conditioning company sends out sugarless mints with the slogan "Be cool!" on the package.

A media kit may be assembled to inform the news media about a new company, or to promote a new product by an established company. How the kit is assembled and what it contains depends largely on which purpose it is intended to serve.

Media kits are often prepared by a company or organization in advance of a news conference or other press-related gathering.
Media kits are often prepared by a company or organization in advance of a news conference or other press-related gathering.

A kit for an established company may contain only basic background information, but will focus on a new product and its development. A kit for a new company will be heavy on information about the company's history, usually with an eye toward showing how innovative the company is, thereby making it more newsworthy. The whole aim of the media kit, whether for a new company or an established one, is to catch the media's attention. If it does this, it has fulfilled its purpose.

Discussion Comments

anon86468

The whole point of these media kits is to control the information your potential client receives. If you are supplying the majority of the information that your client receives about your service, not only will you seem transparent, you will also be able to hide any misgivings without being outright dishonest. It's pure business, folks.

cayenne

and of course pharmaceutical companies send out pens and sticky notes along with samples of drugs to doctors. Which leaves one to wonder if doctors can be unbiased when it comes to prescribing drugs or not.

nobreather

it seems that lots of companies these days put media kits on their website. in this sense, they aren't even "kits" at all... they are just a few pages of info (sometimes via pdf files so they can be printed) that can be viewed by anyone with access to the web.

sometimes accessing these online media kits require a password. i presume that this is an attempt to keep competitors from accessing confidential information.

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    • A basic media kit usually comes with a short form of the company’s annual report.
      By: thinglass
      A basic media kit usually comes with a short form of the company’s annual report.
    • Media kits are often prepared by a company or organization in advance of a news conference or other press-related gathering.
      By: wellphoto
      Media kits are often prepared by a company or organization in advance of a news conference or other press-related gathering.
    • A media kit from a beauty company might include free samples of new products.
      By: design56
      A media kit from a beauty company might include free samples of new products.
    • Samples of cosmetic products might be in a media kit for a fashion show.
      By: aviemil
      Samples of cosmetic products might be in a media kit for a fashion show.