A publicity expert has weighed in on Meghan Markle‘s new lifestyle product rebrand – and has revealed that not only does the new name raise questions, but it looks ‘messy’ and ‘far from professional.’ 

Markle, who used to have a successful, Goop-style blog called The Tig, announced the new venture last year, as she began sending her A-list friends like Kris Jenner and Chrissy Teigen jars of her American Riviera Orchard-branded jam.

However, on Monday, Markle took to Instagram to share that she was taking her lifestyle brand in a different direction, rebranding from American Riviera Orchard to As Ever.

‘I’m thrilled to introduce you to As Ever — a brand that I created and have poured my heart into,’ Markle wrote in the caption, which was accompanied by a video announcement.

‘”As ever” means “as it’s always been” or some even say “in the same way as always.” If you’ve followed along since my days of creating The Tig, you’ll know this couldn’t be truer for me,’ she continued.

She also shared that launch will coincide with the release of her new cooking show on Netflix, which will premiere on March 4.

‘This new chapter is an extension of what has always been my love language, beautifully weaving together everything I cherish — food, gardening, entertaining, thoughtful living, and finding joy in the everyday,’ Markle wrote, as she promised to keep fans in the loop. 

But was this rebrand a smart decision as the launch date looms? 

According to Natalie Trice, founder of Natalie Trice Publicity, it can cause some complication.

‘Launching recently using one name, to then change it before gaining any real traction, raises questions about the initial strategy and research but also the long games,’ Trice told DailyMail.com exclusively. 

‘To me, it suggests a lack of clarity about the brand’s identity, but also, is it attention-seeking before launch because these changes keep coming and it’s becoming a little bit of a habit?’ she questioned. 

However, Trice noted that creating a brand isn’t necessarily all about the name, rather, the ability to build trust with consumers and have a strong foundation. 

Trice said that the change is yet ‘another sign that the path isn’t clear.’

‘If that transparent foundation isn’t solid, a name change won’t fix the underlying issues that maybe this isn’t really a serious project and no one is really sure what the vision or mission is,’ the expert shared. 

‘The whole line, “the cat’s out of the bag” feels a little false to me because we all know that you carry out due diligence before creating a business and name, and a quick search would have shown that maybe American Riviera Orchard wouldn’t work from the start,’ she continued.

‘This statement makes it sound like they changed the name when it was forced upon them, so why not just be honest? It looks messy and far from professional, which is really what they need to be at this point in the game.’

Trice also offered a scenario in which a rebrand would work – and it doesn’t appear to coincide with Markle’s timeline. 

‘Rebrands can work when they’re part of a long-term strategy, but doing so before the brand even properly launched adds to all the other blips along the way,’ she shared.

Logo of Meghan Markle’s new brand As Ever may be a subtle nod to Prince Harry

‘You need to explore all possibilities before going to market, especially when trademarks and public perception are involved,’ Trice stressed, as she questioned who has been advising Markle to make these changes. 

And, when all is said and done, it’s still unclear exactly where her launch will go and how successful it will be. 

The public relations expert admitted that much of its fruition relies on whether or not the public is still interested in the brand. 

‘Can Meghan and her team can keep to this new identity and ensure the products live up to the hype? Or is it just that, hype?’ Trice wondered.

Markle’s products are set to be released soon, as DailyMail.com exclusively reported that her wares will first pop up in two American mega-malls on the outskirts of Dallas and Philadelphia.

The first of the stands will open in two of America’s biggest retail centers, the King of Prussia Mall in Philadelphia and the giant Dallas Galleria. 

Besides jam, her full product range has not been revealed – although tea, coffee, wallpaper, pet shampoo, olive oil and much else besides have been rumored. 

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