A company acquisition or merger announcement will almost always result in a request for a press release. As a PR professional, it’s up to you to determine which story angle will attract the most media attention.
We’ll walk you through the process of creating the best acquisition press release for media distribution. Plus - you’ll get your hands on a free business merger and acquisition template!
Looking to create an acquisition press release?
Use Prowly's AI press release generator or templates that you can use for free to easily create your own in a format that journalists expect to receive.
Prowly also lets you find relevant journalists and send out your press release to them directly from the platform.
What is an acquisition press release
An acquisition press release is a formal announcement issued by a company to the media and other stakeholders providing official information about a recent acquisition.
This type of press release aims to highlight the details of the deal including the companies involved, the terms of the agreement, the underlying strategic rationale, and the anticipated benefits.
What is a merger press release?
A merger press release is a formal statement disseminated to the media and other relevant parties, detailing the merger of two or more companies.
It delineates key aspects of the merger, including the names of the merging entities, the terms of the agreement, the strategic objectives underpinning the merger, and the expected advantages.
Why write an acquisition press release
Unless you are writing about one of the world's biggest global companies (such as the acquisition of Twitter), the announcement of an acquisition is unlikely to get press coverage without a powerful angle.
So why write one at all? Because like with all press releases, you can gain valuable media attention if you turn the news into an interesting story - even if you're a small business!
Instead of writing about the recent acquisition or the merger of two companies as a concluded event, think of your press release as telling a story about what lies ahead while adding the pivotal details.
Throughout the writing process, think about how to communicate a merger to customers from an angle that benefits them. Take this same perspective for the companies’ employees as well.
When to write an acquisition press release?
Write a press release when the acquisition will result in exciting changes, whether that be job force increases, an evolving product line, or a new direction for the acquiring company.
When you announce mergers, you should also follow these general rules.
🖋 Something to note: an acquisition press release is commonly written from the point of view of the acquirer.
What are the 3 main goals of an acquisition press release?
- Communicating to customers that the merger or acquisition will lead to more benefits for them.
- Getting the company employees excited about this next phase of growth.
- Earning press coverage that presents the companies in a positive light.
Prowly can help you gain more media attention by pitching the right journalists.
How to write a press release for an acquisition
Merger and acquisition announcements lead to press releases that look similar to other press releases in terms of format and structure.
Let’s look more closely at the elements of a press release announcing a merger or an acquisition that will really make it stand out.
To get more details on each element, read How to Write a Press Release (With Tips From PR Pros).
#1 An attention-grabbing headline
A catchy headline in a perfect press release grabs attention and entices readers to continue reading. It should be concise, informative, and captivating to generate interest and make the press release stand out.
For example: "Company XYZ Expands its Reach with Strategic Acquisition of ABC Corp"
#2 Start with key details
A gripping lead sentence sets the tone for the rest of the announcement. It should succinctly summarize the key information and generate interest in the acquisition.
Give the target audience some background and identify the companies involved in the acquisition. Then, specify the time frame for completion.
All of these details should also be included:
- any changes to the company’s name
- the effective date
- the immediate impact of the merger or acquisition to its employees
- the location of the new HQ
- any leadership shifts within the company
Prowly's press release templates suggest what key information to put in each section, so you don't have to worry about missing any important detail.
#3 Adding relevant quotes from stakeholders
Get 1 or 2 quotes from the involved parties, preferably the CEOs, and avoid anything too formal-sounding. Instead, create concise quotes that offer an insider perspective of the industry’s trends.
Think about quotes that could be used for social media or as stand alone quotes in the middle of an article.
Protip: CEO quotes around future market predictions will stand out to journalists who cover your industry.
#4 Adding good quality photos and visual assets
Adding visuals and assets, such as new logos or branding post-merger or acquisition, can compellingly depict transformative visual changes, reinforcing the significance of the strategic move and providing a tangible representation of the forthcoming evolution.
Like any good media kit, include high-quality photos of the key people involved in the acquisition/merger.
Protip: Add a video if you have one! You can embed a video from your brand's YouTube channel straight into your press release with a few clicks - just choose the right block in Prowly's Press Release Creator tool.
#5 Boilerplate and logo
Finally, don’t forget to point out and include any updated branding information, like a new company website or logo - such changes might be key for journalists writing about the organization.
Also, make sure you're using the right boilerplate with up-to-date contact information.
In Prowly, you can create spokespeople cards and add them with one click once you know who the contact person should be.
Highlight the strategic meaning
Here is what makes your official announcement important to business writers and readers: the main reasons behind the decision-makers making the deal.
Clearly explain how the merger or acquisition is a strategic step for the business to survive or grow. Detail how it will bring a desired increase in products, services, markets, and technology resources. Point out exactly how it lowers business risk for the acquiring business and list the synergies that are beneficial to both companies.
Explain why the acquisition matters in the wider industry scope. This is where you fully demonstrate why what you announce should be covered in the news.
Protip: Take into account the interests of stakeholders when writing your publications.
A company acquisition press release template is now available with a Prowly 7-day free trial.
Create an acquisition press release with AI
AI-powered tools for PR can help you create high-quality press release drafts, provide advanced editing suggestions, and even recommend who to send your press release to.
While it's worth knowing how to create an effective press release from scratch, using tools can help speed up the process and ensure you've ticked all the boxes regarding the format and content that journalists expect to receive.
Read more: Mastering AI Press Releases: Comprehensive Guide to Writing and Sending + Practical Examples
Here’s how to create (and send) an acquisition press release using a tool like Prowly’s AI-powered Press Release Generator.
Step 1: Enter basic details about your press release
- Start the process by entering the type of your press release.
- Once you select the type, Prowly's AI will ask you to pick your target audience. There are predefined options, such as industry players, customers, or local communities, but you can also add your own.
- Choose the language of your press release draft.
Step 2: Enter key messages of your acquisition press release
Here, you'll want to be as specific as possible and ensure that whatever you choose is the most relevant information about your acquisition announcement.
You can use the list of questions provided in the "How to write" section of this guide to help you get started.
Here are three examples of key messages that you can provide for your acquisition press release:
- Synergy and Strategic Fit: Clearly articulate how the acquisition aligns with the strategic goals of both companies and the complementary strengths that will drive mutual success.
- Expanded Market Reach and Growth Opportunities: Emphasize the increased market share, geographic expansion, or new product offerings that the acquisition will enable.
- Financial Benefits and Value Creation: Highlight the financial benefits of the acquisition, such as increased revenue, cost savings, or enhanced profitability. This can help reassure investors and other stakeholders.
Step 3: Answer the follow-up questions
Once you’ve entered the basic information about your acquisition press release, Prowly’s AI will ask you more in-depth questions designed to mirror a natural conversation with the journalists you’re targeting.
You’ll receive ten questions tailored specifically to the content you shared earlier. This will complete your press release draft and reduce the need to answer many follow-up questions from the person you're pitching to.
Step 4: Customize and edit the press release draft
Whether you've generated a press release draft or written it yourself, you can adjust header font styles, fine-tune the content just like you would in a regular text editor, adjust your press release length, and cater it into a format you're happy with.
An AI Assistant trained in PR writing best practices reviews the draft and suggests improvements based on 11 key criteria, indicating exactly where to edit.
Step 5: Get contact recommendations for your press release
Prowly’s AI will start suggesting journalists you can pitch to based on the keywords found in your press release.
As long as you have contact information for the people you want to pitch to, you can always do deeper work and find out about what kind of acquisitions they've covered before, or what they're writing about at the moment.
Acquisition press release example
Merger and acquisition announcement examples can be found easily through an online search, but we thought we’d share one with you from our own files that we’re really proud of.
This company acquisition press release example was released when Prowly was acquired by Semrush.
What we like best about this press release:
- It’s brief but full of details about all the parties involved.
- It explains why Semrush felt it was time to bring Prowly into its digital ecosystem.
- It shares what comes next in terms of leadership and company control.
And if you're looking for more press release models to get inspired when writing about any future events, check out this article covering not just one example, but over twenty!
Acquisition press release template
Here’s what you’ve been waiting for: you can get your hands on a free acquisition press release template in the Prowly Press Release Creator tool!
These easy-to-use templates include pre-structured blocks of text to guide your writing and ensure you don’t miss any important information whenever you need to announce an important business event.
Distribute your business acquisition press release
Once you’ve shaped that acquisition press release template into a PR work of art, you’re ready for media distribution!
Here are the options expected to help get your publications featured in relevant news outlets.
Buying a media contact list
With this option, you’d find a company that sells media contact lists based on industries and journalist types and reach out to each media contact through your standard company email account.
It may sound like a quick solution, but we’ve heard time and time again from businesses that these lists are unreliable, resulting in a disappointing amount of email bounce-back.
Distribution via newswire
Using a media newswire may also feel like a simple way to distribute your press release, but this mass distribution tactic (versus individual email pitches) takes a lot of control out of your hands and is likely to get your press release lost in the crowd.
Using a pitching tool
Instead of cluttering your business or personal email, you can use an all-in-one tool (like Prowly) that offers a large media database and a dynamic email pitching tool.
It also allows you to answer and follow up on journalists' emails thanks to IMAP and personalization features.
For example, the Prowly media database consists of over 1 million contacts, including 100+ journalists who write exclusively about mergers and acquisitions, 3000+ media outlets that would publish a company acquisition press release or business merger announcements, and 5000+ who talk about business in general (and those are the numbers just for the United States!).
Protip: Don’t forget to add a press release to your online newsroom to help your press release reach a good position in SERPs.
💡If you're seeking more exposure for your press release, explore these 10 ideas on how to effectively promote a press release.
Conclusion
Writing an acquisition or merger press release has plenty of potential to garner media coverage if you include the right information.
Offering insider insights, market predictions, relevant information and behind-the-scenes decisions around the merger or acquisition will catch the attention of industry and general business journalists.
If you’re feeling unsure of how best to write one or you’re looking for a tool that will guide you, from press release writing and media database creation to media pitching, we encourage you to try out one of the latest press release creators and distribution tools out there.
