When do you need a press release in English?
Whenever your announcement targets journalists, investors, or clients outside of France: such as expanding into the U.S. or U.K., raising funds from foreign investors, or forming an international partnership. Even in continental Europe, many pan-European tech media outlets operate in English.
Conversely, a foreign company targeting the French press must send a press release in French. A text in English sent to a French journalist requires an extra effort that few newsrooms are willing to make.
What changes compared to a French press release?
The basic structure remains the same: headline, lead, body, quote, and boilerplate. However, the presentation standards differ in several ways.
| Element |
English-language release |
French release |
| Place and date |
Dateline opening the first paragraph |
Date at the top of the page, often without a city |
| Header line |
“FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” or embargo line |
Rare |
| Headline |
Title Case common in US releases |
Sentence case, capital on the first word only |
| Quotes |
Short, one message per quote |
Often longer |
| About section |
“About [company]” (boilerplate) |
“À propos de [entreprise]” |
| End of text |
“###” before media contacts |
No end mark |
| Language |
US or UK English depending on the target |
French, written for French readers |
Why not just translate it?
Because English-speaking journalists read the text through the lens of their own market. A translated press release often retains French-specific references (like Bpifrance, La French Tech, or clients unknown abroad) without explaining them. The transcreation rewrite the angle for the target country and select evidence that resonates there.
You must also choose a variant of English. A press release for the American media follows U.S. spelling and conventions (date formats, "percent"). For the British press, the spelling and date formats change. Sending the same text to both markets is easily spotted.
How do you distribute a press release in English?
A newswire ensures the text appears in English-language feeds, but it does not replace direct outreach to a curated list of journalists. Just as in France, relevance is key: 72% of journalists believe that less than a quarter of the pitches they receive are relevant (Cision, State of the Media 2026).
Learn more
The fundamentals remain those of a press release : see how to write a press release and the method for building your press list. For an announcement in France and Europe: our public relations support.
Last updated: October 2026
