PR disasters (IYKYK) thread 5

[AtIusvue]

For Meghan and Harry, As ever and Archewell posts.

I think it was unclear who her target buyer was? The early shipments were snapped up by influencers and journalists to review which gave her the big launch. But who did she see as her repeat buyers? It was an odd mix of products - expensive honey, jam and tea along with high UPF packet mixes.

Even with Netflix backing her she didn't get her products into major supermarkets to sell big quantities. They weren't really cheap enough to appeal to weekly shoppers for everyday foodstuffs or even to do a cheap and cheerful guest-collaboration like the Bridgerton range did with Primark

But they weren't exclusive products of small batch, organic products to appeal as to the LA wealthy or as gift purchases like King Charles selling his Highgrove organic products in gift shops and Fortnums etc

I think this lack of clarity undermined AS - it was sold as a premium product with keepsake packaging but done very cheaply. She also clearly didn't have her supply chain properly organised - everything needed to be ready to coordinate with the WLM show but it doesn't appear - now she has a load of products and a cookbook but no WLM to showcase them and drive sales.

The marketing seemed a bit off as well - perhaps the goods weren't ready. She did an advert last week for candles, tea and honey with a sort of "hunker down by the fire" vibe which looked Christmassy but it's spring in LA.

Surely if Netflix had really been behind it there would have been a wider, more appealing product range, eg things like china/tea sets/table cloths or other lifestyle stuff to accompany her series, and most importantly a book coming out at the same time. Didn't need to be an amazing book - something like Pippa Middleton"s (hilariously short on content) book, lot's of pretty pictures, a few recipes, lifestyle stuff. I mean it's not the sort of book I'd buy but there are plenty of the genre out there and she absolutely should have had that ready to go when the series aired. If Netflix were so supportive why wasn't there anything more on offer than overpriced jam spread and some flower sprinkles etc?

now she has a load of products and a cookbook but no WLM to showcase them and drive sales.

Does she have a book out yet? I think I remember reading there was one coming....not sure it has come to fruition yet?

That photo isn't doing Harry any favours!

Theres so many outlets reporting on this. Not just the tabloids. This alone has to be bad for business….the world knowing you’ve been dropped by a partner. How can the business possibly survive?

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/03/06/entertainment/meghan-sussex-netflix-as-ever-split

https://variety.com/2026/film/news/meghan-markle-netflix-as-ever-netflix-divests-1236681185/

https://www.thewrap.com/culture-lifestyle/culture/meghan-markle-as-ever-brand-cuts-ties-with-netflix/

🤣🤣🤣

Yeah right

I think she likes the planning and the "big media launch" but I think actually running the company in terms of admin, financials, stock control and distribution bores her and she loses interest and moves on to the next thing.

So many initiatives have had a huge press launch but then fizzle out.

From the Variety article:

I think Meghan is underestimated in terms of her influence on culture. When we dropped the trailer for the “Harry & Meghan” doc series [in 2022], everything on-screen was dissected in the press for days<” Sarandos said at the time. “The shoes she was wearing sold out all over the world. The Hermès blanket that was on the chair behind her sold out everywhere in the world. People are fascinated with Meghan Markle. She and Harry are overly dismissed.

Has he not grasped that the only things that grabbed attention was gossip about the royals? Everything else gets a couple of articles in The Mail and The Mirror, Page Six and People then sinks without a trace.

I actually thought As Ever might work, on a modest scale at least but Meghan didn't seem to have a well thought out launch plan and doesn't promote it nearly enough in a crowded market

If Netflix were so supportive why wasn't there anything more on offer than overpriced jam spread and some flower sprinkles etc?

Even Netflix can only do so much if there's no real talent and ability, @ShamedBySiri, and after latching onto the initial flurry of interest they clearly don't want to know any more

I'm not even sure why it keeps being called Meghan's "business", when like practically everything else she's done it's really just a vanity project with no thought, plan or organisation, and certainly no hope

It was announced back in January that she was doing a cookbook.

TBH - I don't think it occurred to her that WLM would not be renewed or that Netflix would withdraw

The business is definitely in bad shape, even just looking from the outside:

• very limited product range even though 12 months in
• various bundles sold at a discount
• Meg isn’t updating her insta accounts very often. When she does, it’s undatable, generic content.
• Last social media style video was 4th July last year. Will there be another St Pats waffle this year?
• zero engagement with comments switched off
• Hasn’t secured shelf space in any stores . Which is mad when you think of the press coverage this brand has had and the fact that she had a tv show to promote her brand.
• NF has walked away.

There’s no way she will be able to cover the costs of this business to keep it going. I can’t imagine for one minute, she would put forward her own cash to save it.

“As it was always intended, Meghan will continue growing the brand and take it into its next chapter independently"

Was this "always intended"?

Because I don't recall anything ever being said along these lines, and the claim reminds me of similar ones around initiatives being taken forward by others, as code for "It's failed so we're not interested any more"

Just think of Victoria Beckham and how many years and how many millions David had to pour into her business before she started to make any money. I’m sure it was 15 years. Even then, it’s only her make up range that’s earned her money.

Harry doesn't have 100s of millions to keep Megs vanity projects alive.

I work in beauty PR, and one of my clients is major green beauty distributor. They have been waiting for almost a year for the UE green light to sell a very well known green beauty american brand in several european countries.

With food the regulations are even tighter. There is no way Meghan is going to be able to pull it off from her Montecito kitchen

Exactly

Why would you announce a big partner, knowing that it would be for a very limited period? You know it would always look bad in the press when it came to an end.

So you’d either not publicly announce it- or make clear it’s a temp arrangement from the get go.

She did neither, because she thought it would be a runaway success and NF would be desperate to hang on.

Also, Meg saying she now has more control. Well in the Bloomberg interview….she made very clear that NF let her run the show and NF were happy in the background….so how were they then holding her back? She can’t keep up with her own lies.

I am thinking of whatever money Harry stilll has, Atlusvue - specifically Diana's bequest which he said himself that he wants to keep for the children

For all anyone knows it may already be too late, but I really hope he isn't stupid enough to fall for any lines like "If you could just fund such-and-such it can be instantly turned around"

Netflix, how can you be walking away from a start up that has $25million sales of fruit spread....

I thought she said that Netflix came on after ARO, so it wasn't always in the plan to have Netflix? She did intend to go it alone, that didn't work, now a partner hasn't either.

In a way, she's back to plan A, but it hasn't worked previously.

Now the Hollywood Reporter

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/netflix-exits-meghan-markle-as-ever-home-goods-brand-1236523868/

I am skeptical of that claim, I think it was made to ellicit sympathies from the memory of Diana...

Probably Harry's money is already tied up to the house and maintaining their expensive lifestyle. I bet Harry's money is family money and Meghan 's is her money.

I do wonder how they are bringing in sufficient money to maintain their lifestyle .
I know H had inheritances and they made millions from deals back when they flounced off but they have a very expensive lifestyle.

Meghan will continue growing the brand and take it into its next chapter independently, and we look forward to celebrating how she continues to bring joy to households around the world,” the statement added.

Yes, you’re right, @Serenster, in fact it pretty much says so now that I look at it through your professional lens. She never, ever stops grifting away, and meanwhile Harry fades away like a miffed sugar mouse caught in the rain. Fascinating stuff.

Slightly off topic but re Victoria Beckhaam’s make up brand - I went into Space NK looking for some eyeshadow. A blusher/bronzer compact caught my eye, I picked it up to look closer. Lovely weighty solid feeling compact. Closed it and saw Victoria Beckham on the top. Now I never buy anything celebrity branded and also it was very expensive. I have to say it was lovely though.

Couture is notoriously difficult to make money out of, and has been for years. None of the major houses make any or meaningful money from it, they're branding/and advertising line item. The money comes from make-up, bags, perfume, shoes etc - whatever you see influencers pushing as luxury goods. Also, given As ever is now just Meghan and her phone + ring light taking photos of her "products" in her home and two pop-up stores, with a single professional photoshoot (mates rates, her buddy from Canada, Jake) from around a year ago being released in dribs and drabs on her Instagram page plus the latest advertising push on FB and wherever else, her overheads are extremely low. I don't think she has any staff. It's literally her, the contact at the white label good manufacturer/vineyard, and whoever works for them in whichever other capacity doing support and secretarial work, making out like this is a global enterprise. She doesn't even have anyone to tell her which way up to hold her pot-sterilising-tongs.

She remains as she's always been: all style and no substance, a lot of hot air about not very much.