Best Practices for Partner Co-Announcements

Partner co-announcements represent one of the most complex yet rewarding challenges in public relations. When two companies join forces to announce a strategic partnership, the stakes are high—both organizations need to maintain their brand identity while presenting a unified message that resonates with media, customers, and stakeholders. The difference between a successful co-announcement and a confusing one often comes down to three critical factors: shared approvals that keep both companies aligned, a dual brand voice that gives equal prominence to each organization, and coordinated outreach that maximizes media impact. Getting these elements right requires careful planning, clear communication, and a structured approach that prevents the common pitfalls that derail joint announcements.

Establishing a Structured Approval Workflow

The approval process for partner co-announcements can quickly become a bottleneck if both companies don’t establish clear protocols from the start. Legal teams, PR departments, and executive leadership from each organization all need to review and sign off on the announcement, which means multiple layers of feedback and revision. The key to managing this complexity is creating a single source of truth that both companies can access simultaneously.

Start by setting up a shared approval document in a collaborative platform where all stakeholders can view the latest version in real-time. This prevents the version control nightmare that occurs when teams email drafts back and forth, creating confusion about which version is current. Designate one person from each company as the primary point of contact for approvals. These individuals should have the authority to consolidate feedback from their respective teams and communicate decisions quickly.

Before circulating the press release for final approval, both companies should verify several critical elements. Check that both company names appear with equal prominence throughout the announcement. Confirm that the partnership’s strategic rationale is explained from both perspectives, not just one company’s viewpoint. Verify that mutual benefits are highlighted rather than one-sided advantages that make the partnership appear unbalanced. Review executive quotes to ensure they reflect each company’s voice and priorities authentically. Double-check that boilerplates accurately represent both organizations with equal word counts and similar levels of detail.

When disagreements arise during the approval process, having a clear escalation path prevents delays. Define exactly who has final approval authority at each company and establish firm deadlines for feedback at each stage. If legal teams disagree on specific language, identify a senior leader from each company who can mediate and make binding decisions. The most successful co-announcements come from partnerships where expectations and roles are crystal-clear from the beginning, preventing last-minute scrambles that compromise the quality of the announcement.

Balancing Dual Brand Voices Without Dilution

Maintaining a dual brand voice in a co-announcement requires deliberate attention to how each company is represented in the messaging, structure, and visual elements of the release. The goal is to create an announcement that feels unified while preserving the distinct identity of each brand. This balance prevents one company from overshadowing the other and ensures both audiences feel the partnership is relevant to them.

Assign one primary writer from one company and one editor from the other to create a balanced review process. The writer should draft the announcement using neutral, inclusive language that reflects both companies’ values without favoring one brand’s tone over the other. The editor then reviews for brand consistency and suggests adjustments that preserve both voices. This collaborative approach ensures neither company’s identity gets lost in an attempt to create generic, watered-down messaging.

Visual and verbal integration should receive equal attention. Place both logos with identical sizing and spacing at the top of the press release. Alternate executive quotes throughout the announcement so neither CEO dominates the narrative. Use “we” language that includes both organizations equally, such as “Together, we’re creating solutions that…” rather than “Company A is partnering with Company B to…” which subtly positions one company as the lead. Ensure boilerplate sections for each company receive equal word count and similar levels of detail about achievements and expertise.

The structure of the announcement itself should prevent brand dilution. Avoid listing one company’s benefits before the other’s in a way that creates hierarchy. Instead, frame the partnership as complementary strengths that create mutual advantage. If one company is larger or more established, resist the urge to lead with their name or achievements. Present information in ways that benefit both parties and show how the partnership helps each company prove joint value to their shared customers. All partner communications should demonstrate that you understand both partners’ businesses and what they need, not just what one company brings to the table.

Coordinating Media Outreach for Maximum Impact

Coordinated outreach separates successful co-announcements from those that generate minimal coverage. Both companies need to align on media targets, timing, and messaging to ensure journalists receive consistent information and both organizations benefit from the coverage. This coordination begins with creating a unified media list that reflects both companies’ priorities and relationships.

Compile a shared media list that includes tier-one industry-specific journalists covering both sectors, tier-two general business and technology reporters, tier-three trade publications and niche outlets relevant to the partnership, and tier-four analyst firms and thought leadership platforms. Each company likely has existing relationships with different journalists, so combining these contacts expands the potential reach of the announcement. Assign specific reporters to each company’s PR team based on existing relationships, but ensure both teams know who is pitching which journalists to avoid duplicate outreach that annoys reporters.

Embargo management requires careful coordination to prevent one partner from releasing the announcement early and catching the other off-guard. Establish a shared embargo date that both companies agree on in advance and communicate this date clearly to all spokespeople, executives, and PR team members. Coordinate exclusive media briefings so both companies’ executives are available for interviews simultaneously. If one company offers an exclusive to a major publication, the other company needs to be aware and prepared to support that exclusive with coordinated messaging and spokesperson availability.

Create a detailed outreach calendar that maps every activity from final approval through post-launch follow-up. This calendar should specify which company is responsible for each task, when it needs to be completed, and how progress will be tracked. For example, final approval from both legal teams might occur ten days before launch, media list finalization eight days before, embargo lift and press release distribution on launch day, exclusive interview windows opening immediately after launch, follow-up pitches to non-responsive journalists two days after launch, and media coverage tracking and analysis one week after launch.

Tracking coverage and follow-up should be a joint effort between both companies. Assign one team member from each company to monitor media mentions daily and create a shared spreadsheet that tracks which outlets covered the announcement, the sentiment of coverage, whether quotes were used accurately, and any follow-up opportunities. Schedule a joint debrief call one week after launch to discuss results, identify missed opportunities for secondary coverage, and document lessons learned for future co-announcements.

Crafting a Press Release That Drives Coverage

The press release itself needs to grab attention, communicate key details clearly, and highlight why this partnership matters to journalists and their audiences. A well-structured release should include a snappy headline under 100 characters that mentions both companies and conveys the significance of their collaboration. The opening paragraph should answer who, what, where, when, and why in a way that immediately communicates the news value of the partnership.

The value proposition section should explain benefits for both companies and their customers in specific, measurable terms. Journalists gravitate toward announcements with quantifiable benefits, so include data or metrics that demonstrate the partnership’s impact. For example, “This partnership expands service offerings to 50,000+ new customers” or “Combined expertise reduces implementation time by 40%” gives reporters concrete information they can use in their coverage.

Executive quotes should include insights from key leaders at both organizations, with each quote adding new information rather than repeating what’s already in the body of the release. These quotes should reflect each executive’s authentic voice and perspective on the partnership, not generic statements that could come from anyone. Partnership details should specify the timeline, scope, and specific deliverables so readers understand exactly what the collaboration will produce and when.

Boilerplates deserve special attention in co-announcements. Each company should have a separate, equal-length description that highlights their expertise, achievements, and market position. These sections should receive similar levels of detail and enthusiasm, avoiding the common mistake of giving one company a robust boilerplate while the other gets a bare-bones description. Include media contact information from both organizations so journalists can easily reach the right person for follow-up questions.

Make the release shareable across multiple channels by structuring it to work for different audiences. Extract a punchy one-sentence summary for social media that highlights mutual benefit. Emphasize how the partnership strengthens each company’s market position for internal communication. Focus on improved products, services, or access for customer outreach. Highlight strategic rationale and competitive positioning for analyst briefings. This multi-channel approach ensures the announcement reaches all relevant audiences with messaging tailored to their interests.

Managing Spokesperson Availability and Interview Coordination

Spokesperson coordination can make or break media coverage of a co-announcement. Journalists want access to executives who can speak knowledgeably about the partnership, but scheduling interviews across two companies requires careful planning and communication. Identify two to three spokespeople from each company before the announcement launches and prepare them with key talking points, background information, and answers to likely journalist questions.

Create a shared scheduling document that shows each spokesperson’s availability for the first two weeks after launch. This calendar should be accessible to both companies’ PR teams so they can coordinate interview requests without constant back-and-forth communication. When journalists request interviews, check the shared calendar immediately to confirm availability and respond quickly before the reporter moves on to other stories.

Dual-spokesperson interviews present a powerful opportunity to show both companies working together. Arrange calls where both companies’ executives participate together, presenting a unified front and demonstrating the collaborative nature of the partnership. These joint interviews work particularly well for major media outlets and analyst briefings where both perspectives add depth to the coverage. For separate interviews, allow journalists to interview each company’s spokesperson individually, but provide talking points that ensure message consistency across all conversations.

Embargo compliance becomes especially important when multiple spokespeople are involved. Confirm all spokespeople understand the embargo date and won’t discuss the announcement before it lifts, even in casual conversations or social media posts. Brief spokespeople on off-limits topics and provide guidance on how to redirect questions that stray from approved messaging without appearing evasive or unhelpful.

After each interview, send a thank-you note from both companies to reinforce the partnership message. Share the published article with both teams and flag any inaccuracies or misquotes for correction in future coverage. Document which talking points resonated with journalists so you can refine messaging for subsequent interviews. This post-interview analysis helps both companies improve their approach throughout the announcement cycle and provides valuable insights for future co-announcements.

Conclusion

Successful partner co-announcements require meticulous planning, clear communication, and a commitment to equal representation that serves both companies’ interests. The three foundational elements—structured approval workflows, balanced brand representation, and synchronized outreach—work together to create announcements that strengthen both brands, satisfy internal stakeholders, and generate meaningful media coverage. By implementing shared approval documents with clear escalation paths, maintaining dual brand voices through careful attention to messaging and visual elements, and coordinating outreach with unified media lists and shared calendars, PR managers can execute co-announcements that deliver results for both organizations.

The next steps for planning your partner co-announcement should begin with establishing clear roles and responsibilities between both companies. Schedule a kickoff meeting with your partner’s PR team to discuss approval workflows, messaging priorities, and media targets. Create shared documents and calendars that both teams can access throughout the process. Identify potential points of friction early and establish protocols for resolving disagreements quickly. Prepare your spokespeople with consistent talking points and coordinate their availability before media outreach begins. Most importantly, maintain open communication with your partner throughout the process, treating the co-announcement as a true collaboration rather than a transaction. When both companies approach the announcement with equal investment and attention to detail, the result is coverage that benefits both brands and sets the foundation for a successful long-term partnership.