Press kit vs media kit: what each one is, with examples

Press kit vs media kit comes down to who's reading. A press kit is for journalists and editors: the facts, photos, logos and contact details they need to write about you accurately. A media kit is usually for advertisers, sponsors and partners: who your audience is, how big it is, and what it costs to reach them. Plenty of people use the two words for the same thing, and that's fine, as long as the kit in front of the reader answers their questions.

Here's what each one is, what goes in it, an example of each, and the other kinds of kit you might need.

What is a press kit?

A press kit is a ready-made bundle of information about your business for anyone covering it: a journalist writing a story, an editor adding you to a gift guide, a blogger doing a roundup. Its job is to make writing about you easy and getting the details right even easier.

A good press kit includes:

• About: a few paragraphs on who you are, what you do and why it matters.
• Boilerplate: the standard "About us" paragraph from the end of your press releases. (Here's how to write one.)
• Key facts: founded when, where, by whom, and any numbers you're happy to share.
• Spokespeople: names, roles, short bios and headshots.
• Logos: every version, as PNG and SVG.
• Photos: high-resolution product, place and people shots, with credits.
• Press coverage: headlines and links to stories already written about you.
• Press releases: your recent announcements.
• Press contact: a real person's name, email and phone number.

Press kit example: Fern & Field

Fern & Field is a small flower studio that gets featured in wedding magazines and local guides. Its press kit opens with the tagline "Flowers for slow, joyful days," a short story of the studio, and its boilerplate. Then come a photo of the founder, Maya Ortiz, with a two-line bio; the logo in Moss and in white; twelve photos of seasonal arrangements, each credited; three past features with links; and a press contact, press@fernandfield.example. An editor on deadline can grab a photo, a quote and the right spelling of "Fern & Field" without sending a single email.

What is a media kit?

The term "media kit" is used in two ways.

1. The advertising sense. Publishers, podcasts, newsletters, creators and events use a media kit to sell sponsorships and ads. It shows the audience (who they are and how many), the channels, past partners and the packages on offer, often with prices.
2. The general sense. Many businesses say "media kit" when they mean a press kit, or a broader kit for anyone: press, partners, event organizers, new hires.

So when someone asks for your media kit, it's worth a quick check: are they writing about you, or thinking about paying you?

An advertising-style media kit usually includes:

• About: what you make and who it's for.
• Audience: who follows you, in big, clear figures: location, age range, interests.
• Reach: followers, subscribers, downloads or attendance, by channel.
• Past partners: logos of brands you've worked with.
• Case studies or testimonials: what happened when other brands partnered with you.
• Packages and rates: what a sponsor gets, and what it costs (or "rates on request").
• Contact: who to talk to about a partnership.

Media kit example: Studio Afterglow

Studio Afterglow photographs musicians and makers, and works with camera and film brands on sponsored shoots. Its media kit opens with a full-bleed sunset photo and the line "Photography for the golden hour of everything." Then: an audience section with a few big figures, the studio's social channels with follower counts, a wall of past partners' logos, two short case studies, three packages (a single post, a shoot and a series, a short film), and a booking contact. A brand manager can see in a minute whether the studio's audience is a fit and roughly what it costs. For more, see our media kit examples.

Press kit vs media kit at a glance

What they share: your logo, photos, a short bio and a real contact. Write those once and use them in both.

Other kits you might need

Press and advertising aren't the only audiences who ask for "your kit". Each of these is a variation on the same pieces:

• Podcast guest kit (or one-sheet): a short bio the host can read aloud, talking points and sample questions. See how to make a podcast guest one-sheet.
• Speaker kit: talk titles and descriptions, a reel, past events and testimonials, for event organizers. See speaker kits.
• Sponsorship kit: for your show, event or community, with packages and reach. See sponsorship kits.
• Partnership kit: for brands you'd like to collaborate with.
• Investor overview: traction, team and your deck, for investors and advisors.

Musicians often call theirs an EPK, an electronic press kit: music, videos, bio, photos and tour dates on one page.

PDF or a link?

A PDF is easy to attach and looks polished, but it starts going out of date the moment you send it, and big PDFs bounce off inboxes. A web page link is always current, works on a phone, and lets people download just the photo they need. Many brands keep a link as the main kit and export a PDF for the people who ask for one.

How to make a press kit or media kit in an afternoon

1. Decide who it's for. Press, sponsors, hosts or organizers. Each needs a slightly different kit.
2. Gather the pieces you already have: logo files, your best photos, bios, any coverage.
3. Write your boilerplate and short bio if you don't have them yet.
4. Add the audience-specific parts: coverage for press, audience and packages for sponsors, talks for organizers.
5. Put a real person's contact details at the end, with an email that's actually checked.
6. Share it as a link, and keep a PDF for anyone who asks.

Making kits without starting over each time

Most of these kits use the same ingredients in a different order: your about text, logos, photos, people and contact details. That's how BrandTab builds them. Save a brand's details once, then make any of seven kits from them: a press kit, podcast guest kit, speaker kit, partnership kit, sponsorship kit, investor overview or general media kit. Each starts with the sections that audience expects (a press kit gets coverage and press releases; a sponsorship kit gets packages and past sponsors), and you can add any other section.

Pick from 13 layouts, from a compact one-pager to a magazine-style cover, then share the kit as a live link or download it as a PDF. When your bio or logo changes, every kit picks up the change. Kits come with the Creative and Studio plans; see pricing.

Questions people ask

Is a press kit the same as a media kit?

Often, yes: many people use the terms interchangeably. Strictly, a press kit is for journalists writing about you, and a media kit is for advertisers and partners deciding whether to pay to reach your audience.

What should a press kit include?

An about section, your boilerplate, key facts, spokespeople with bios and headshots, logos, high-resolution photos, past coverage, recent press releases and a press contact.

Does a small business need a press kit?

If you'd like to be featured anywhere, yes. Even a one-page kit with your story, logo, photos and contact details makes you easier to write about than a business without one.

What is an EPK?

An electronic press kit, mostly used by musicians and bands. It's a press kit on a web page, with music, videos, bio, photos, press quotes and booking contacts.

How long should a media kit be?

As short as it can be while answering the reader's questions. One to three pages, or one scrolling page, is plenty for most small brands.