One for the Books: How Not to Do Public Relations
In the Gulf of America, we understand something many corporate event organizers often forget: business is built on relationships, hospitality, and helping people succeed. Whether it’s music, retail, tourism, or fashion, if you invite people in, you make it easy for them to connect, collaborate, and grow. That’s why the recent experience surrounding MAGIC by Informa Nashville feels so disappointing.
A trade show should be a launching pad for designers. It should create opportunity for brands to meet buyers, gain press attention, build partnerships, and leave with real momentum. Exhibitors invest serious money to be there, (as do authentic press), often with hopes of reaching new markets and expanding their customer base. But from a media standpoint, MAGIC by Informa Nashville seemed to make that process harder than it needed to be.
A photograph that was furnished to us by the press office of MAGIC by Informa: we have no idea when it was taken, what it portrays, or who to credit. This photograph supports this story: a classic example of how not to do public relations.
For journalists and publications looking to spotlight the event and the brands participating, the basics appeared missing. No media kit. Limited information on exhibitors. Sparse photography. Delayed post-event materials (if they come at all). Requests for brand contacts reportedly met with privacy concerns rather than practical solutions. Even post-event support sluggish at best, adding to an already fragmented communications experience. Notably, correspondence received from MAGIC’s customer service and press office lacked basic professional identifiers, with emails consistently unsigned and without a named point of contact. In an industry built on relationships and accountability, the absence of clear attribution only deepened the sense of distance between organizers and the media professionals seeking to cover the event accurately and in real time. In today’s world, where every article, social post, and digital mention can drive sales, that kind of bottleneck doesn’t help designers—it hurts them.
The so-called “MAGIC app,” positioned as the primary tool intended to connect buyers, media, and exhibitors, failed to deliver on its stated purpose. Despite being promoted as a central hub for engagement before, during, and after the event, it was reportedly non-functional throughout key stages of the experience. Similarly, access issues with the MAGIC website login further compounded frustration, limiting the ability of press and industry stakeholders to obtain essential exhibitor information or navigate event resources. The result was a breakdown in connectivity at precisely the moment when seamless access and communication should have been most critical. The result was a breakdown in connectivity at precisely the moment when seamless access and communication should have been most critical. What did MAGIC by Informa’s press office have to say? Nothing. Silence where there should have been infrastructure, and friction where there should have been flow. When we requested a basic press office contact list for exhibitors—solely to do what the system itself is designed to facilitate: gather media kits, request press releases and collection information, and coordinate interviews directly with participating designers—the response from MAGIC’s press office was simply, “Can you clarify what you mean by a designer press contact list? Due to privacy, we do not share any contact information.” And just like that, this editorial feature was written.
The additional two photographs that were furnished to us by the press office of MAGIC by Informa: we have no idea when it was taken, what it portrays, or who to credit. These photographs support this story: a classic example of how not to do public relations.
Let’s be honest: emerging brands need exposure. They need buyers to know their names and consumers to discover their stories. They need editors to have access to photos, biographies, product details, and public relations contacts. When those tools aren’t available, valuable coverage opportunities are lost, and smaller brands are usually the ones who pay the price.
That’s what makes this especially frustrating for a city like Nashville. Much like communities across the Gulf Coast, Nashville thrives on creativity, entrepreneurship, and welcoming new ideas. It’s a place where music, culture, style, and business naturally intersect. In vast contract, a fashion convention, such as MAGIC by Informa, needs to be better, do better, to reflect the values of hosted city: there should feel energetic, open, and collaborative—not closed off and difficult to navigate.
In the Gulf region, we know promotion matters. Festivals, markets, and live events from Houston to New Orleans to Mobile to Tampa succeed because they understand the value of press, storytelling, and making people feel welcome. The best events don’t gatekeep opportunity—they create it. Designers showing at events like MAGIC deserve more than a booth and a badge. They deserve real support, real visibility, and organizers who understand that media coverage is not a burden—it’s part of the value proposition.
If MAGIC by Informa is going to continue growing in Nashville as a style destination, Las Vegas, and New York; they need to raise professional standards. Because when talented brands show up ready to shine, the last thing they need is the lights turned down on them.
A note from the Editor:
“Our internal policy has always been to focus on supportive, positive storytelling—amplifying the work of artists, musicians, designers, and communities in a way that reflects their ambition and creativity. However, there are moments when the responsibility to authentic journalism must take precedence over tone or convenience. When access is restricted, information is withheld, and transparency is compromised, the obligation to report accurately and honestly becomes unavoidable. In those instances, it is not about preference or positioning—it is about integrity, accountability, and the fundamental expectation that media should be allowed to do its job.”