The World of Plus-Size PR: Meet Emma Medeiros

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With 70% of the nation being plus-size, you would think PR agencies would be lining up to sell to the masses.

Think again.

Emma Medeiros loved fashion PR. And she wanted to work with an agency that specializes in bodies like hers. The problem? There weren’t any. Not a single one!

Medeiros set out to change that by creating her own entrepreneurial footprint based on a very real truth — there’s power in the plus purse. Consequently, Medeiros Fashion PR, the nation’s first plus-size public relations agency, was born.

Medeiros’ goal is to place plus-size fashion on an equal footing with straight-size fashion.“There’s absolutely no reason for them to be separate, and once I accomplish that, I can die a happy woman!” says Medeiros.

Medeiros Fashion PR offers a range of services including: fashion event assistance, social media management, brand partnership development, market research assistance, connections to brands/agencies for modeling jobs and celebrity collaborations. In addition, she offers a variety of à la carte options such as: social media audits, press release creation and distribution, blog writing and media kit development.

The Woman Behind the Brand

Medeiros is no stranger to the media. A 2012 graduate of Boston’s renowned Emerson College, she majored in Integrated Marketing Communications. Her first plus-size endeavor was a blog called Curves, Cats and Creams. Through this experience, she developed her well-known expertise in pitching the media.

In 2015, she pivoted to found Medeiros Fashion Public Relations. She brings statistics to the table in an effort to call attention to the often neglected curvy market.

“I can talk about body positivity and equal fashion opportunity until I’m blue in the face, but what is finally making brands pay attention to plus sizes is one ‘little’ number: 23 billion. That’s how many dollars the plus-size fashion industry was worth in 2019. Who wouldn’t want a piece of that pie?” she says.

With her genuine nature, gregarious personality and infectious confidence, Medeiros has become a beloved figure in the plus-size industry. And if you ask her what body love means to her, she’ll give it to you straight.

“Body love (to me) means working with your body instead of always wishing it were different. Just like in ‘What Not to Wear’ when Stacy and Clinton always told the contributors to dress the body they have, not the body they want.”

Plus-Size PR
Plus-Size PR
L to R: Emma Medeiros, Designer Daniel Wingate, and plus-size model Sabina Michel.
Plus-Size PR

From Anti-Fashion to Fashionista

Some are surprised to learn that Medeiros was once an anti-fashionista. As she found her wings, she learned that she loved to feel sexy in her own skin and the clothes she wears. She also learned that fashion can bring about confidence.

The thought of her time as an anti-fashionista makes her chuckle.

“Oh, my gosh, I can’t believe I’m actually admitting to this publicly! It’s strange to think that, on average, it takes me about two hours simply to get ready to go grocery shopping now because, in high school, I was the girl who woke up five minutes before she had to leave for school and it was a good day if I even washed my face.”

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Medeiros’ Philosophy

Medeiros sees the media two-fold, as both a blogger and publicist. She knows what’s newsworthy, and she knows how to create pitches that get noticed. She finds what makes her clients special and uses that to make them stand out and shine. Her strategy is to work to get her clients third party credibility, which is media attention that is not paid for. “Third party credibility is the understanding that since a member of the media is not paid to write about or feature a particular client and does (so) regardless, the client must truly have an excellent product instead of just having the money for a paid advertisement, whether or not the product is any good. After all, which would you trust more, a paid commercial for a new restaurant or the recommendation from a friend who swears by their food and service?” She approaches each client in a unique manner. “Since Medeiros Fashion PR specializes in the plus-size fashion industry, clients can be assured that each and every relationship made will benefit them; no wasted time, money or effort!” Medeiros is steadfast in the relationship building aspect of her business. “Relationships are the cornerstone of public relations … I remind potential clients that while they’re taking a risk working with someone they’ve never worked with before, I’m also taking a risk working with them because I’m vouching for them to journalists, designers, etc. whom I’ve spent years developing and nurturing relationships with. If the client turns out to be unprofessional or untrustworthy, they won’t want to work with me again.”

Medeiros’ Ideal Client

You might be wondering if you are a good fit for Medeiros Fashion PR. If you specialize in the plus-size or size-inclusive industry, the answer is most likely yes. “My ideal client is a plus-size or size-inclusive designer, retailer, stylist, etc., who brings something truly different to the industry and is seeking to increase their media exposure, online presence and sales.” She approaches each client in a unique manner. “My process varies for each client, of course, but the one constant is making sure they have a point of difference. With the industry exploding the way it is, competition has accelerated, and, as Coco Chanel said ‘in order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.’ ” But what about her system? In short, it all comes down to what a client wants to accomplish. “The potential client tells me their point of difference and the passion behind the brand. If it’s a good match, we set up a call to talk about their goals, budget and how Medeiros Fashion PR can make their dreams come true.” Are you interested in working with Medeiros Fashion PR? For more information, email Emma@Medeirosfashionpr.com or visit her website.

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