The Cringe-O-Meter Strikes Back: Q2’s Most Painful Press Releases
Author
Kevin Dulaney
Leadership
08.25.2025
What were the most cringe press releases in Q2 2025? According to the Cringe-O-Meter — our ChatGPT powered scoring tool for PR writing — the worst offenders came from Financial Services and Consumer Electronics. After analyzing more than 6,800 press releases from April to June 2025, the data shows brands are still struggling with clarity, brevity, and tone.
The Cringe-O-Meter rates releases on a 1 to 10 scale, then offers editorial recommendations to fix the issues. In Q2 alone, communications professionals ran more than 1,200+ releases through the tool in an effort to dodge public embarrassment. But as the results show, cringe is alive and well in corporate communications.
Which sector had the highest cringe score in Q2 2025?
🏆 Financial Services led the quarter with an average Cringe Score of 8.4. These releases were overly long, heavy on corporate speak, and light on substance. Between “market leading” and “pioneering innovation,” the core message often got lost.
Which industry was the most jargon heavy?
📱 Consumer Electronics landed an average score of 7.3. Product announcements were packed with technical specifications and marketing clichés that buried the actual news. Writing for humans is always more effective than writing for algorithms.
Who overhyped their news the most?
🏗 Real Estate and Property earned the “Most Hyperbole” title. Every building seemed “iconic,” “transformative,” or “reimagining the skyline.” Adjectives cannot replace facts.
💼 Financial Services also swept the “Word Vomit” category with releases that read like novellas. If your press release could double as bedtime reading, it is too long.
Which industries missed the basics?
🖊 Consumer Electronics picked up the “Grammar Trainwreck” award for Q2. Typos, inconsistent punctuation, and stray capitalization made already dense content even harder to read.
⚙ Industrial Manufacturing claimed “Most Unreadable Content,” with copy so complex it felt like translating an instruction manual.
💼 Financial Services rounded out their trifecta by taking “Worst Tone.” These releases often sounded like legal contracts instead of news announcements.
How to avoid cringe press releases in Q3
If you want to improve your press releases and avoid cringe:
- Write for people, not just shareholders
- Cut unnecessary filler and stick to the point
- Proofread twice and use spellcheck
- Let your news, not hyperbole, be the focus
Run your next press release through the Cringe-O-Meter before sending it. You will get a score and actionable tips to make sure your news is worth reading.
FAQ: Cringe Press Releases
What is a cringe press release?
A cringe press release is one that is overly long, filled with jargon, stuffed with buzzwords, or written in a way that feels unnatural and unengaging. Instead of clearly delivering news, it overwhelms readers with fluff or poor tone.
What are the most common press release mistakes?
The biggest mistakes include using too much corporate jargon, making exaggerated claims without facts, failing to proofread for grammar, writing overly long copy, and using a tone that feels robotic or disconnected.
How do I fix a bad press release?
Start by cutting unnecessary words and replacing jargon with clear language. Organize information so the most important news is at the top. Add direct quotes that sound like something a real person would say. Proofread for grammar and clarity.
How can I avoid cringe in my press releases?
Write like you are speaking to your target audience. Keep sentences short and clear. Focus on the facts. Avoid overhyping minor updates. Always have someone else review your release before you send it.What is the Cringe-O-Meter?
The Cringe-O-Meter is a free AI powered tool from SourceCode Communications that scores press releases on a scale of 1 to 10 and gives editorial recommendations to improve clarity, tone, and readability.