The 20 Most Popular Press Releases of 2023

A roundup of the press releases sent via PR Newswire that received the most attention this year.

NEW YORK, Dec. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As another year at the wire comes to an end, the PR Newswire team is recapping some of the major stories from 2023 that caught readers' attention. Hundreds of thousands of press releases were distributed this year and the team has been keeping tabs on the top stories each week.

The press releases sent via PR Newswire – and how they perform – say a lot about what news audiences want to know about and the subjects they gravitate toward.

The following releases were some of the most-read on prnewswire.com over the past 12 months, and the topics vary widely – from health and science research to firearm product launches, food and beverage promotions, and obituaries.

Click on the press release headlines to access the full story and accompanying multimedia assets that are available for download.

1. MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH IN MAPLE SYRUP RESEARCH - Study Shows Pure Maple Syrup Better than Refined Sugars for Cardiometabolic Health (July 24)
2. American Battery Technology Company Confirms Presence of Lithium at Depths Greater than 1,400 Feet at Tonopah Flats Lithium Project (Aug. 29)
3. Introducing the Henry Homesteader 9mm: A Semi-Auto Carbine Delivering American Heritage and Ingenuity (Feb. 14)
4. Pop-Tarts^® and Crocs Launch Limited-Edition 'Croc-Tarts' Collab Featuring First-Ever Candy Jibbitz™ Charms (Aug. 8)
5. Samuel Adams Introduces the 'I CAN't' Can to Help Drinkers Scratch the Itch to Ditch (June 7)
6. Biggie Deal Alert: Wendy's and Doordash Team Up for 'Biggie' Power Hour Plays (March 29)
7. Bath & Body Works Brings Back Annual Candle Day with All-Day Loyalty Early Access (Nov. 30)
8. Sony Electronics Announces Official Partnership with SQUARE ENIX^® on Highly Anticipated Gaming Series, FINAL FANTASY^® XVI (June 6)
9. Realtor.com^® 2023 Hottest ZIP Codes in America Reveal Demand for Closer Commutes is Back (Aug. 24)
10. Nomad Internet Unveils Nomad Prime Store: An Exclusive Members-Only Hub Offering the Most Advanced Internet Products and Rewarding Experiences (Aug. 14)
11. The Wingstop Hot Box Takes 4/20 Munchies to New Highs (April 19)
12. Greenworks Revolutionizes the World of Chainsaws with the First Ever H.O.G. Saw (Oct. 18)
13. New Gut Microbiome Research Points to Positive Impact on Memory and Mood from Peanut Consumption (Sept. 26)
14. ALDI to Acquire Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket to Continue Growth in the Southeast (Aug. 16)
15. Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and Executive of King County, Dow Constantine, declare Saturday, September 16 "Open Science Day" in honor of Allen Institute's 20th Anniversary (Sept. 15)
16. City of Hope scientists develop targeted chemotherapy able to kill all solid tumors in preclinical research (Aug. 1)
17. The Legendary "Everyone Wins" Nominee Gift Bags Continue Legacy of Celebrating Hollywood's Biggest Night with Fabulous Gifts (Feb. 27)
18. The Home Depot Enters into Agreement to Acquire Construction Resources Parent Company, International Designs Group (Nov. 20)
19. Dr. Henry Kissinger Dies at Age 100 (Nov. 29)
20. Splenda^® CEO Responds to the World Health Organization (WHO) Guidance on Non-Sugar Sweeteners (May 23)

Read more of the latest releases from PR Newswire and stay caught up on the top press releases in 2024 by following @PRNalert on Twitter.

The Takeaways

Despite the varying topics, we noticed a few recurring trends pop up across the most-read releases:

• Multimedia wins: Of the top 20 releases, 90% included some form of multimedia, whether it be a photo, logo, video, or a combination. It's a practice we've been stressing to PR and comms teams for years, and one that continues to prove its value.
• Answer the "So what?" up front: Despite some longer headlines in the top 20, they don't leave any question as to what the news is about. Readers get a clear idea of what they're clicking into and how it may impact them.
• Strong formatting is key: Many of the releases utilize bullets, bolding, pull quotes, and clear calls-to-action to help readers and journalists pick out key details and know where to go next. For especially technical releases (like medical research, for example), this kind of formatting is vital to keeping readers on the page.
• "Newsworthiness" can mean many things: Wondering if a company update warrants a press release? This top 20 list should leave no doubt that good reasons to send a press release run the gamut. From the more traditional press releases, like acquisition announcements, to quirky product collaborations and survey/poll data, there's an argument to be made for sending each one over the wire.

To learn more about press release best practices and how you can implement them in 2024, download PR Newswire's Definitive Guide to Crafting an Engaging Press Release.

Helping Journalists Stay Up to Date on Industry News

These are just a few of the year's big press releases that consumers and the media should know about. To be notified of releases relevant to their coverage area, journalists can set up a custom newsfeed with PR Newswire for Journalists.

Once they're signed up, reporters, bloggers, and freelancers have access to the following free features:

• Customization: Users can create customized newsfeeds that will deliver relevant news right to their inbox. Newsfeed results can be targeted by keywords, industry, subject, geography, and more.
• Photos and Videos: Thousands of multimedia assets are available to download and include in a journalist or blogger's next story.
• Subject Matter Experts: Journalists will have access to ProfNet, a database of industry experts to connect with as sources or for quotes in their articles.
• Related Resources: Our journalist- and blogger-focused blog, Beyond Bylines, features regular media news roundups, writing tips, upcoming events, and more.

About PR Newswire

PR Newswire is the industry's leading press release distribution partner with an unparalleled global reach of more than 440,000 newsrooms, websites, direct feeds, journalists and influencers and is available in more than 170 countries and 40 languages. From our award-winning Content Services offerings, integrated media newsroom and microsite products, Investor Relations suite of services, paid placement and social sharing tools, PR Newswire has a comprehensive catalog of solutions to solve the modern-day challenges PR and communications teams face. For 70 years, PR Newswire has been the preferred destination for brands to share their most important news stories across the world.

For questions, contact the team at [email protected].

SOURCE PR Newswire