From the Editor’s Desk: March 2021 Press Release Highlights

PR Newswire distributes numerous press releases on a multitude of industries across APAC daily. From the high volume of press releases, our editors glean key press release trends, buzzy topics and note-worthy press releases in this new monthly column, From The Editor’s Desk.

In Q1 of 2021, companies in APAC demonstrated strong potential for business recovery from COVID-19 challenges. In March 2021, the overall press release distribution volume showed a 36% year-on-year increase. The month’s trending topics were “Earnings”, “AI”, “Carbon Neutrality” and “Holidays”.

Top Press Release Topics 

1. Earnings: During the first earnings season of the year, 168 earnings releases on fourth quarter and fiscal year 2020 financial results were distributed in March. The most popular topic of the month was still Finance/Investment. March saw a big increase (33%) with 208 releases distributed, compared to February (140 releases).

Examples: Acquisition/merger announcements by Sina, Alibaba Group and Yum China; China Distance Education, China Customer Relations Centers, Ruhnn announced going-private transactions

2. AI & New Apps: Topics related to new tech were popular, with 39% increase in such press releases compared to February.

Examples: Huawei launched Top 10 trends of data center facilities; Cambridge Quantum announced largest ever natural language processing implementation on a quantum computer

3. Carbon Neutrality: A burgeoning topic in March. Carbon neutrality has become an important goal for enterprises, which is an integral part of their sustainability plans.

Examples: ST Telemedia Global Data Centres pledges to become carbon-neutral by 2030, as part of its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy;  Baidu Receives Green Light to Demonstrate Commercialized Autonomous Driving

4. Holidays: March saw events such as International Women’s Day, World Consumer Rights Day, and World Sleep Day. These releases were focused on corporate social responsibility initiatives by companies.

Read More: 2021 Planning: How COVID-19 Changed Press Release Trends?

3 Note-worthy Press Releases of the Month

• Clé de Peau Beauté’s release on its philanthropic award was picked up by The Taiwan Times, which also used photos from the release. The release had 690 media pick-ups globally.

• Leading global travel services provider Trip.com launched new train booking features and seat selection services in South Korea to enhance safer travel around the world. A few days after the release of this news (and 101 syndicated media pick-ups in APAC later), travel trade media TTG Asia reported on the news and carried quotes from Trip.com’s South Korea General Manager that were in the press release, among other details.

• Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund’s press release on the results of its JUMPSTARTER 2021 Global Pitch Competition earned 113 syndicated pick-ups across media outlets in APAC. Key media coverage included an article on Futureiot.tech, which reported the news and carried quotes from the press release.