Strong sound bites are critical to quotation in the press. A sound bite is the key point taken from a longer interview, and it’s what journalists look for in including a quote. When interviewing, it’s important to keep points clear and concise – but the best sound bites are often opinionated and creative. And these days, sound bites can be emailed directly to journalists who are trying to obtain quotes on a tight schedule. No interviewing necessary.
We are routinely charged with helping our clients develop media-worthy sound bites. As an agency representing law firms and other professionals, sometimes we’re called upon to develop concise statements on behalf of our clients in response to a lawsuit filing. We often must use words like meritless, frivolous and unfounded.
We typically avoid humor or sarcasm, but CBS used it – and used it well – in response to the trademark infringement lawsuit filed against them by the Naked Cowboy.
“We choose to respond with the bare minimum to the plaintiff’s naked allegations.” – Classic!
Check out the full story here and let us know your thoughts on sound bite in the comments section.
– Melinda Hepp