By Lylla Aslam | April 9, 2025
We all know the truth and let’s not sugarcoat it anymore, the traditional press release model is broken. For years companies have been writing for journalists, hoping for coverage, praying for a few backlinks, and maybe a spike in traffic. But in 2025, that model feels tired and used enough. It’s not that press releases are dead in fact it’s that the way we “use” them has to change that too quickly.
There’s a shift happening, quietly but powerfully, and it’s flipping the entire idea of press outreach on its head. Brands are cutting out the middlemen which means no more waiting for newsroom approval and no more praying a reporter finds your announcement exciting enough to write about. Instead, companies are speaking directly to the people they actually care about which are their customers, their investors, their communities and their followers.
It’s called the Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) press release strategy. And it’s not just a trend. It’s a complete rewiring of how brands communicate. If you ask me i’d say that the idea is simple. Instead of crafting a release and sending it into the media void, you publish your news where your audience already lives meaning on your website, your social channels, your newsletter, your blog. You design the message for them, you speak in a tone they understand and even better you release it when you want, not when some editor finds a slot for it.
Your question must be why is this shift happening now? Because attention is the new currency, and we’re all broke. Attention span has reduced over time due to which people scroll fast, they filter harder and they trust less. So, if your announcement doesn’t speak directly to them, it feels cold and corporate then I’ve a news for you, it will get lost. DTC press releases cut through the noise because they’re human and they can connect with your customers. They don’t try to impress journalists but they aim to “connect” with real people.
There’s also a control factor in the previous approach. While relying on media coverage, it’s established to give control. Maybe the story gets picked up, maybe it doesn’t. Maybe they twist the angle, maybe they get your name wrong. But when going direct? You own the story and the message. Which gives the power to decide how it’s told, how it looks, and how it feels. And in a world where brands are building their own mini media empires, that control is everything.
But let’s be clear going direct doesn’t mean going sloppy. DTC releases still require strategy, structure, clarity and a point. Firstly, the tone changes ditching the robotic “We’re thrilled to announce…” intro and talk like an actual human being. It’s recommended to use visuals, embed videos. Make the release look like something worth sharing, not something to skim and forget.
We’re seeing startups drop product news on Twitter threads that go viral. Ecommerce brands are announcing new drops in Instagram captions, with all the hype and none of the fluff. SaaS companies are turning blog updates into powerful mini-press releases that speak to their users, not the media. This is the new wave and it’s effective because it’s real.
That doesn’t mean traditional media outreach is obsolete. Big wins still come from earned media but smart brands are blending both approaches. They create a DTC-friendly release and distribute it widely through PR platforms, social feeds, email blasts, and even text messages. They meet their audience where they are and that’s what makes the difference.
Here’s the bottom line, a press release is no longer just about announcing something. It’s about starting something and if your release isn’t doing that, it’s just noise.
The brands that win today are the ones that talk to people, not at them. So, ask yourself are you still writing press releases for reporters? Or are you finally writing for your real audience? Because they’re listening and they’re waiting for something worth reading.