A media kit is a package of information about a product, service, or company that is made available to the media. Companies create these kits for the same reason they do press releases — to help them generate publicity.

A media kit, also known as a press kit, can be distributed in a variety of ways. It can be mailed, handed out at trade shows and similar events, distributed at press conferences and product launches, or even downloaded from a company Web site.

What's inside a media kit? This can vary dramatically, but you'll usually find press releases and promotional materials such as product brochures, case studies, testimonials, and copies of ads. Even product samples, demos, photos, or artist renderings are sometimes thrown in on a CD. Below are two other information pieces that you are likely to find in a media kit.

Fact Sheets

In Dragnet, the popular detective television show of the 1950s, Sgt. Joe Friday famously says, “The facts, ma'am. Just the facts.” That's what a fact sheet is all about. It provides editors and journalists with a summary of the most important facts about the product, service, or company. It is often in the form of a bullet list or Q&A. Rarely is it longer than two pages.

Companies include fact sheets in media kits for two reasons. First, they want to make sure the publications get the facts accurate. Second, by suggesting which facts are the most important, a company gains some influence over what the media might say in a news item or article. At least that's the theory.

When writing a fact sheet, stick to the facts. If the copy seems too promotional, editors and journalists won't take it seriously.

Backgrounders

While a fact sheet is a quick summary of a product, a backgrounder goes into much more detail. It often tells a broader story of the product — what prompted its development, what problems or issues it solves, or what new technology, research, or ideas were part of the development. A back-grounder may also include biographies of the product development team, sales forecasts, and even lofty predictions on how it may change the way people think or behave.

If you were a reporter writing about Apple's iPod — a device that really did change the way people listened to and purchased music — you would want details about its development. Who came up with the idea? How long did it take to develop? Did the company predict it was going to be such a hit? That's what a backgrounder is for.

These documents are usually five to seven pages long. In the case of technical products, they may be longer as they are appealing to engineering and scientific publications that prefer a lot more detail.