diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 178608d8ff0..b70e56c59b3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ development and testing.
 
 Tools | Description
  :---: | --
+[`krel`](/cmd/krel)                     | Kubernetes Release Toolbox<br/>This is the new golang based tool for managing releases
 [`gcbmgr`](/gcbmgr)                     | Google Cloud Builder Manager:<br/>This is the main entry point for release managers for producing releases. All release types can be staged and later released using this method.
 [`anago`](/anago)                       | Release Tool:<br/>The main driver for creating staged builds and releases. This is what runs inside GCB after a job is submitted using `gcbmgr`.
 [`branchff`](/branchff)                 | Fast-forward branching helper:<br/>A tool used to pull new patches onto the release branch.
diff --git a/cmd/krel/cmd/changelog.go b/cmd/krel/cmd/changelog.go
index a662f86f540..d629564a7f7 100644
--- a/cmd/krel/cmd/changelog.go
+++ b/cmd/krel/cmd/changelog.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ import (
 // changelogCmd represents the subcommand for `krel changelog`
 var changelogCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "changelog",
-	Short: "changelog maintains the lifecycle of CHANGELOG-x.y.{md,html} files",
+	Short: "Automate the lifecycle of CHANGELOG-x.y.{md,html} files in a k/k repository",
 	Long: fmt.Sprintf(`krel changelog
 
 To let this tool work, please point '--repo' to a local copy of the target k/k
diff --git a/cmd/krel/cmd/ff.go b/cmd/krel/cmd/ff.go
index 8a6913389dd..8ac36487603 100644
--- a/cmd/krel/cmd/ff.go
+++ b/cmd/krel/cmd/ff.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ var ffOpts = &ffOptions{}
 // ffCmd represents the base command when called without any subcommands
 var ffCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "ff --branch <release-branch> [--ref <master-ref>] [--nomock] [--cleanup]",
-	Short: "ff fast forwards a Kubernetes release branch",
+	Short: "Fast forward a Kubernetes release branch",
 	Long: fmt.Sprintf(`ff fast forwards a branch to a specified git object (defaults to %s).
 
 krel ff pre-checks that the local branch to be forwarded is an actual
diff --git a/cmd/krel/cmd/push.go b/cmd/krel/cmd/push.go
index e28cfa04863..8bee5677ac6 100644
--- a/cmd/krel/cmd/push.go
+++ b/cmd/krel/cmd/push.go
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ var pushBuildOpts = &pushBuildOptions{}
 
 var pushBuildCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:           "push [--noupdatelatest] [--ci] [--bucket=<GS bucket>] [--private-bucket]",
-	Short:         "push kubernetes release artifacts to GCS",
+	Short:         "Push Kubernetes release artifacts to Google Cloud Storage (GCS)",
 	Example:       description,
 	SilenceUsage:  true,
 	SilenceErrors: true,
diff --git a/cmd/krel/cmd/release_notes.go b/cmd/krel/cmd/release_notes.go
index d9c4eaacdd3..240fff1cc10 100644
--- a/cmd/krel/cmd/release_notes.go
+++ b/cmd/krel/cmd/release_notes.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ const (
 // releaseNotesCmd represents the subcommand for `krel release-notes`
 var releaseNotesCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "release-notes",
-	Short: "release-notes is the tool of choice for the Release Notes subteam of SIG Release",
+	Short: "The subcommand of choice for the Release Notes subteam of SIG Release",
 	Long: fmt.Sprintf(`krel release-notes
 
 The 'release-notes' subcommand of krel has been developed to:
diff --git a/cmd/krel/cmd/root.go b/cmd/krel/cmd/root.go
index 1598bd509e2..2f314079370 100644
--- a/cmd/krel/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/krel/cmd/root.go
@@ -28,8 +28,17 @@ import (
 
 // rootCmd represents the base command when called without any subcommands
 var rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:               "krel",
-	Short:             "krel",
+	Use: "krel",
+	Long: `krel - The Kubernetes Release toolbox
+
+krel is the new golang based tool for managing releases. Target of krel is to
+provide a toolkit for managing the different steps needed for creating
+Kubernetes Releases. This includes manually executed tasks, like the generation
+of the release notes during the release cycle, as well as automated tasks like
+pushing the Kubernetes release artifacts to the Google Cloud Storage.
+
+Each subcommand should contain its own self describing help output which
+clarifies its purpose.`,
 	PersistentPreRunE: initLogging,
 }