‘Bonehead’ Meghan Markle branded ‘borderline illiterate’ after ‘reckless’ move in scathing takedown

Meghan Markle is once again being called out (when is she not) for what some have labeled a “bonehead set of business moves” after her latest re-brand landed her in hot water.

Earlier this month, Markle proudly announced the new and improved America Riviera Orchard 2.0, except it wouldn’t be going by that name any more as she felt it limited the scope of her business. So, instead, the lifestyle brand would be undergoing a change and henceforth be known as As Ever. Honestly? I like it, it’s short, sweet, and a lot more memorable, but there’s just one problem.

The name is already taken

As Ever is a small clothing company based in New York and, unfortunately for Meghan, they’ve been around a lot longer. However, perhaps more fortunate for Meghan — they don’t own the trademark. According to an article from The Mirror, the owner of the company, Mark Kolski, is “exploring all possibilities,” which could certainly be bad news for Meghan and her budding brand. Maybe it would have been wiser for the Duchess of Sussex to have properly researched her desired name to avoid the nightmare, but what do I know? I’m no PR expert.

Luckily, there are tons of actual PR experts who have already commented on Meghan’s re-brand. Some of them have been kind, others not so much. One such expert, Eric Schiffer, has claimed that this latest development shows Meghan’s “inexperience” as an entrepreneur.

Schiffer said that Meghan’s re-brand “was a bonehead set of business moves that show her inexperience as an entrepreneur,” claiming that she lacks judgment. He went on to say, “This is part of her being out of touch celebrity elite. But you know, either way, it’s borderline illiterate entrepreneurism.” Who’s going to tell Mr. Schiffer that “entrepreneurism” isn’t a word and that the correct form is actually “entrepreneurialism,” or “entrepreneurship” even? Meghan might not be a great businesswoman, but it looks like her critics are illiterate in other ways.

This isn’t the only mistake Meghan has made

Schiffer points to Markle’s history of misfires with her brand and shows. When she initially announced the launch of America Riviera Orchard she struggled to obtain the trademark for the name according to The Standard. There were also no products available to buy for almost a year as it became apparent that Meghan had rushed the announcement before she was ready.

And now the As Ever brand looks like it could be in trouble too. Not only does it share a name with the NYC clothing company, but Meghan has also been accused of plagiarism with her choice for the logo. It looks eerily similar to the historic coat of arms belonging to a small town in Mallorca and now the mayor of said town is demanding she change it.

Whether either of these threats are enough to destroy the As Ever brand remains to be seen. But one thing is for certain, it’s bad publicity. Despite Meghan hoping this would be a new start for her, she simply can’t catch a break. It truly is a PR nightmare for the duchess. What’s Schiffer’s advice? “Resign and put in professionals.” Ouch.