From a Google search...

Hype

noun

extravagant or intensive publicity or promotion.
"she relied on hype and headlines to stoke up interest in her music"
synonyms:publicity, advertising, promotion, marketing, exposure; Mor

verb

promote or publicize (a product or idea) intensively, often exaggerating its importance or benefits.
"an industry quick to hype its products"
synonyms:publicize, advertise, promote, push, boost, merchandise, build up;
informal plug
"a stunt to hype a new product"

I just received a professionally written press release that contained these words and phrases:

· talented

· an ability to find musical common ground that lies beyond the boundaries of traditional genres.

· unique

· unique way of including idioms from countless genres to create his own special blend of…

· …talents…make him in constant demand…

From another press release I received today

· superstars

· award winning

· great

· well-respected

· outstanding

What do those words and phrases mean, if anything? Are they clichés or hype that don’t genuinely reflect the true grit and attractive qualities of these musicians and humans? Everyone is unique, but how exactly are they “unique?”

I like this press release excerpt below from Julia Casey at Universal Music and Crossover Media. It uses some of the same words, but in a more compelling and richer context. (And the recording it talks about is gripping, utterly convincing and enjoyable, bringing credibility to the press release as a whole.)

Avi Avital and Omer Avital share no blood relation, though their musical careers have intersected and ultimately were rooted in the same place. Both musicians have parents of Moroccan descent who immigrated to Israel in the 1960s and both went to conservatory, one for jazz, one for classical. This shared heritage, and their divergent musical paths in the conservatory is the story of Avital Meets Avital.

Avi Avital says, "the basic idea behind this album was the collaboration of two artists, one who focuses mainly on classical music while the other is primarily at home in jazz." This album is full of exciting contradictions that Avi and Omer blend into a spellbinding unity. Avital Meets Avital covers a musical spectrum as varied and exciting as the culture of Israeli itself. Lively dance-floor tunes bursting with joie de vivre alternate with slow, melancholy ballads; classically sculpted motifs merge with free improvisation, western jazz harmony, standard compositional technique, Moroccan beats, cantabile melodies and lilting rhythms. It's a musical journey reaching far back to their roots, preserving the legacy of their shared culture while giving it a wholly new and modern guise.

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What do you think about that story?

Raise your hand if you thought about going to Amazon, ArkivMusic, iTunes or Pandora to hear that story.

Or, maybe Julia will send you a copy.

No One Reads Press Releases Anymore Part 3