Experts Reveal the Real Problem With Meghan Markle’s New Lifestyle Brand
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When you learned that Meghan Markle is launching a lifestyle brand called American Riviera Orchard, did you think, as we did, What in the fresh word salad is this?
The enterprise itself makes sense. Markle was a self-appointed lifestyle guru before the royal wedding with her popular blog, The Tig. The new brand's name, on the other hand? "It's a mouthful," says brand development and public relations consultant Sarah Boyd of Sarah Boyd Co, who has worked with recognizable, and pithily named, companies such as Field + Supply and Waterworks. She muses that Markle probably liked all the associations: "American is down-to-earth. Riviera is glamorous, aspirational. And Orchard is homey." But it's too much together, and, says Boyd, "now we're just confused."
How and why could a person as smart and media savvy as Markle come up with such a swing-and-a-miss of a name—and then double down on it? We have a few theories.
Is It Branding by Bot?
American Riviera Orchard. (Read: Bandanas. swimsuits. Beehives.) The jumble of a phrase sounds, to our ears, a touch non-human. It's the brand-name equivalent of those AI-written celebrity biography articles that are meant to keep you clicking—until they become so hard to follow that you throw your phone down in frustration. To test our hypothesis, we engaged in some reverse engineering. We typed "give me brand names for a celebrity home decor brand with American and European roots" into our friendly neighborhood AI generator. It returned gems including Glamour Maison, Luxe Elegance Interiors, and Prestige Palazzo.
Those all sounded a little snooty, lacking the homey contribution of "orchard." Leading the AI witness, we typed in, "Make it more autumnal." And our cyber assistant came back with Harvest Haven Designs, Maple Manor Couture, and Rustic Rhapsody Interiors. Close, but no American Riviera Orchard. AI's involvement seemed possible but not a given. So we asked the experts.
"I say this with love: As someone who has named brands and products, there is no way OpenAI wasn't involved in this process before the United States Patent and Trade Office check," says brand strategist Grace Clarke of GGC Consulting, who has worked with Madewell and Jones Road, among others. "I'm not saying generative AI is a creative partner or decision maker, but ignoring AI is irresponsible. For example, when I'm strategizing for a brand in a crowded space, I use AI to analyze competitor reviews, sentiment from Reddit and Facebook groups, and reveal whitespace or opportunities for my client."
Veronica Shelton, cofounder of the women-of-color-led design agency Oak Theory, also thinks AI might have played a role. "It's totally possible that AI, like ChatGPT, could have thrown this name into the mix; AI tools are getting pretty slick at whipping up creative content, including cool brand names, by sifting through heaps of language data and trends," she says. "But whether AI had a hand in this particular name would depend on if the team behind it decided to tap into that tech. Often, picking a brand name is a combo move—AI might spark some ideas, but it's the human touch that really nails the vibe and vision of the brand."
Boyd agrees that AI may have been involved in "an inspiration brainstorm session they leaned in on a little bit." But she insists that the final decision had to have been made by living, breathing creatives, arguing that Markle is "too smart and she has too many people working with her" to rely on AI for a brand name.
Clearly, Markle put a great deal of thinking into the monikers of prior business endeavors. The Tig was inspired by an "aha moment" she had while sipping a glass of Tignanello wine. And the Sussexes' nonprofit Archewell Foundation not only comes from an ancient Greek word meaning a source of action but is also a nod to the couple's firstborn, Archie.
We can't help but wonder if their daughter, Lilibet, will grow up to feel left out that she didn't inspire a more meaningful alternative to American Riviera Orchard, but her name may be too associated with the late Queen to belong to a brand. That said, we can't wait for her to become a teenage influencer and start a Youtube channel called "Lili's Bets," where she showcases her favorite items. But we digress….
Is It the Riviera That's the Problem?
Right under the triple-barreled name American Riviera Orchard (calligraphed by the Duchess herself!), the word Montecito is printed. It's referring to the oceanfront billionaire's playground where celebrities including the Sussexes, Oprah, and Ellen deGeneres live in pastoral-ish mansions complete with the ultimate status symbol: a chicken coop. (See? American. Glamorous. Homey.)
A quick Google search reveals that the town, along with the rest of Santa Barbara County, is referred to by some people, somewhere, as the American Riviera. It's just that no one's quite sure who those people are. "I did ask somebody who goes to Montecito a lot, 'Have you ever referred to it as a Riviera?'" Boyd reports. "And she's like, 'A hundred percent no. That's just not done.'"
An Italian word meaning coastline, riviera is most often associated with the South of France seashore popularized by literary royals including the Fitzgeralds and the Hemingways during the Jazz Age. But the term has been claimed by any oceanfront spot looking to upgrade its image. There's a Bulgarian Riviera along the Black Sea, a Bengali Riviera along the coast of Bangladesh, and the inappropriately named Redneck Riviera stretching from Pensacola to Panama City Beach, Florida.
The word has become so overused it's lost a bit of its meaning. And, in the case of Montecito, it may never have had much in the first place. "Nobody actually calls it that," Boyd reiterates. "But I think Markle probably used this Toronto branding agent that she used in the past, and if they're not American, they may not even know that." So, perhaps, it's not the Riviera who's to blame but the Canadians.
Is It Not Such a Bad Name After All?
American Riviera Orchard sounds like a flavor of organic dish soap from Grove (an orchard synonym, after all). And while Markle's business doesn't sell dish soap as far as we know, body soap was included in the trademark application. So maybe it's giving the right energy after all?
"I'm a big believer in this theory: When there's a hint of weirdness, an uncanny valley feel, or even something incorrect, it isn't by accident—it provokes conversation and engagement and raises awareness," says Clarke. "Presenting slightly 'off' or weird information leads to people debating their way to an answer themselves, all with your brand, idea, or product at the center."
Bearing this theory out, we did just spend a fair amount of time, some ChatGPT juice, and actual human brain energy on this as-yet-unlaunched brand. But American Riviera Orchard isn't necessarily off in a good way. "A name that feels like a mashup of leisurely, bucolic terms is just dull and unspecific, not risky. In fact, the only thing risked here is being unmemorable," says Clarke. Still, that might not even matter. In the end, Clarke opines, "it's Meghan Markle. I'd imagine her association and network will carry the weight." Much as the brand name is meant to, Markle already embodies American glamour with a side of celebrity-chicken-coop homeyness.
Shelton agrees that coming to the name with Markle in mind makes one view it in a different way. "The addition of 'Orchard' likely suggests a focus on natural growth and abundance, perhaps hinting at products related to fresh, organic produce or natural ingredients," she says. "With Meghan Markle behind it, the name might also hint at sustainability, health, and wellness, aligning with her known interests in these areas."
As for Boyd, she has some free advice for the Duchess of the American Riviera: "If I had any kind of microphone to Meghan, I would say, 'Go with The Orchard; it’s so much more simple and declarative.'"
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