Meghan Markle’s Brand Makeover: From ‘Word Salad’ to ‘As Ever’—But the Drama Isn’t Over

Meghan Markle’s latest attempt to rebrand her lifestyle business is making headlines again, but not for the reasons she’d probably hoped.

Earlier this year, Meghan announced that her lifestyle venture, American Riviera Orchard, would transform into the newly named As Ever. On her podcast, "Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan," she explained the name change by calling the old moniker a "word salad"—which, to be fair, does sound like something you’d find on a brunch menu in Santa Barbara.

What Meghan didn’t mention was the rather public series of trademark missteps that led to the rebrand. Experts in branding weren’t shy about pointing out the holes in her explanation, with Doug Eldridge of Achilles PR calling her reasoning “more excuse than clear explanation.” He argued that Meghan keeps opting for the “easy thing” over the “right thing,” and so far, it’s been a bumpy ride.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office had previously rejected American Riviera Orchard because you can’t trademark a nickname for Santa Barbara, which feels like the kind of thing someone’s legal team should’ve caught. Adding “Orchard” didn’t help, and to make matters trickier, retailer Harry & David protested because of the similarity to their own "Royal Riviera" product line.

After a string of delays and more paperwork than anyone dreams of, Meghan’s team eventually requested an extension to fix the trademark issues. When she finally landed on As Ever—a name she claims to have secured in 2022—she hoped to leave the brand drama behind. But the universe had other plans.

Just when things seemed to settle, the mayor of Porreres in Mallorca, Spain, pointed out that Meghan’s new As Ever logo looked a little too much like their historic coat of arms. Luckily, the town decided not to sue, chalking it up to coincidence, but did ask for a bit more cultural respect. Even a New York City-based clothing brand called As Ever had to clarify they weren’t connected to Meghan’s operation.

Branding experts say the real issue is less about coincidence and more about a lack of research and authenticity. British royal commentator Hilary Fordwich noted that even Meghan’s loyal fans are starting to get weary of the repeated stumbles. Fordwich warns that if Meghan wants to avoid being seen as just another celebrity entrepreneur, she needs to bring more consistency and sincerity to the table.

Despite the hiccups, Meghan remains optimistic. On her podcast and in interviews, she’s admitted to making mistakes and learning as she goes. She describes As Ever as a return to her roots—think gardening, crafting, and cooking, a la her old blog The Tig. She even thanked followers for their patience as she figured things out in “real time.”

Starting a business is never smooth sailing, and Meghan’s journey has been more rollercoaster than red carpet. With trademark woes, logo drama, and more than a dash of public scrutiny, it’s safe to say this rebrand has kept everyone guessing what’s next.