Meghan Markle’s Branding Backfire: How She Accidentally Made Someone Else Successful
Meghan Markle’s latest business move has turned into an unexpected marketing win—for someone else. In what can only be described as a spectacular branding blunder, her rebranded lifestyle venture, *As Ever*, has done the unthinkable: it boosted another business while her own remains in limbo.
Initially launched as *American Riviera Orchard*, Meghan’s lifestyle brand underwent a name change to *As Ever*. The only problem? The name was already in use.
Enter Mark Ketsky, the owner of *As Ever*, a small, family-run New York-based clothing brand that has been selling under that name since 2017. Unlike Meghan’s vague lifestyle venture, Ketsky’s company actually sells products—real ones, not just the promise of them.
When Meghan’s rebrand was announced, confusion followed. Customers flooded Ketsky’s Instagram, prompting him to clarify that his brand had no connection to the Duchess. However, instead of hurting his business, Meghan’s blunder had the opposite effect—it skyrocketed his brand’s popularity overnight.
Before the controversy, *As Ever* had around 7,000 Instagram followers. After Meghan’s rebrand? That number jumped to nearly 18,000. To top it off, Ketsky’s entire shop sold out—without him lifting a finger.
For once, the infamous *Markle Effect* worked, but in reverse. Instead of launching her own products or successfully marketing her brand, Meghan inadvertently made someone else’s business thrive. Meanwhile, her own lifestyle empire remains nothing more than trademark filings and whispered speculation.
A quick glance at the trademark filings for *As Ever* suggests a scattered approach, covering an assortment of lifestyle products: candles, tea, and home décor. At this rate, she might as well add motivational tote bags and *Live, Laugh, Love* wall decals to the list.
But while Meghan’s brand remains a mystery, one thing is clear—her attempt at a lifestyle empire stumbled before it even got off the ground.
What Happens Next?
There are a few possible ways this could play out:
1. **Meghan Accepts Defeat** – Highly unlikely.
2. **She Takes Credit for *As Ever’s* Success** – A classic Markle PR move.
3. **Legal Drama Ensues** – The most probable option. Given her legal history, it wouldn’t be surprising if Meghan’s team attempts to claim ownership over the name or even demands a cut of Ketsky’s newfound success.
However, there’s one problem—she didn’t trademark *As Ever* before Ketsky, meaning she may be out of luck this time.
With Meghan’s PR team likely scrambling, we can expect a new narrative soon. Perhaps she’ll claim this was all a misunderstanding, or maybe she’ll spin it as her effort to highlight small businesses. Who knows, we might even see a Netflix documentary about the struggles of a misunderstood Duchess-turned-lifestyle-guru.
At the end of the day, *As Ever* is thriving—just not Meghan’s version of it. Instead, a small business owner who had nothing to do with the drama is reaping the benefits. All he had to do was sit back and watch as Meghan’s misstep handed him a career boost that money can’t buy.
Now, Meghan, what’s next? A luxury candle line called *Goop As Ever*? We can’t wait.
