Is Meghan Markle in trouble?
The Duchess of Sussex announced the launch of her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, in March, but more than four months later there's still no word on when the brand's products will be available in stores.
Markle, 42, shared a snazzy Instagram video on March 14 announcing the luxury brand, which reportedly makes premium jams and dog biscuits.
However, fans haven't heard anything since then, but brand experts believe there's a “strategic” reason why the royals are waiting to launch the products.
Markle unveiled American Riviera Orchard over four months ago, but there have been few updates since then. AFP via Getty Images
Veteran PR and marketing consultant Warren Johnson said Markle will likely wait until her Netflix cooking show is available to stream in order to maximize sales of her American Riviera Orchard products.
“The ultimate goal is to create an entire lifestyle ecosystem,” he told The Daily Beast. “Look at what Gordon Ramsay and Martha Stewart have done: create a symbiotic relationship between the cookbook, the TV show, and the product, so that they all complement each other. Using a well-funded TV show that someone is paying to promote a product seems like a brilliant commercial strategy to me.”
Markle may be aiming to become the next Martha Stewart, a lifestyle queen who regularly launches new products alongside new TV shows. Getty Images
Markle finished filming her own cooking show last month, but a release date has yet to be announced.
The Washington Post has reached out to a representative for the duchess for comment on when American Riviera Orchard products are expected to hit store shelves.
While Markle hasn't spoken directly about her lifestyle brand, she has sent samples of the jam to celebrities like Kris Jenner and Mindy Kaling.
The announcement of American Riviera Orchard came just days before Markle's estranged sister-in-law, Princess Kate, announced her shock cancer diagnosis, sparking speculation that the duchess might delay the unveiling until the future queen received the clear medical test.
However, a second brand expert believes it's more likely that Markle will launch American Riviera Orchard to coincide with the launch of her Netflix show.
“Everyone has to follow a Netflix schedule these days,” asserts brand expert Nora Lawler. “They're definitely the biggest player in town.”
While Markle hasn't spoken directly about her lifestyle brand, she has sent samples of the jam to celebrities like Kris Jenner and Mindy Kaling. Kris Jenner/Instagram
But experts on both brands believe launching a brand could still be risky for the Duchess.
“From a strategy and brand perspective, if you propose to launch something and then four months later nothing happens, the world moves on,” Lawler said, arguing that interest in the initial product may have already waned.
“I'm not opposed to the anticipation strategy, particularly as it gives them a chance to test their credibility as jam makers and see if they'll be laughed at before they take any risks,” Johnson added. “Personally I'm not sure that the world needs more jam, but I could be wrong.”
