American Riviera Orchard and Meghan Markle

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: they like their community

Their community doesn’t like them, sadly.

Probably prejudiced against their precious babies in such a homogenous community 😢

Nope, that's not it.

Well ma’am you must be confused; those crazy, industrious, beloved by all former bosses young parents H & M have only been unpopular with the deeply prejudiced. If only Harper Lee were still alive to do their story justice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is amazing. MM is brilliant. This is exactly what has been needed for so long. A new luxury brand that sells table napkins and small bottles of expensive marmalade. And to call it "American Riviera Orchard" when there is no such thing as the Riviera in America, and the reason the founder is known to anyone is that she is the Duchess of Sussex (I mean, we kicked British nobles out, and with a war no less) even though she is American. So creative!

I for one can't wait to order. I'm going to add my name to the "waitlist" (this is very exclusive ... I'm sure we will have to wait a long time to be allowed to buy this marmalade) on the website that has nothing but a cheap and basic looking logo that seems to play more into the Duchess stuff than the American stuff. Yeah. Definitely giving them my email address. I want ALL of that marketing coming at me.

So exciting. Nothing like this has happened since the Sister Wives opened their online boutique "My Sister Wife's Closet."

I would shop My Sister Wife’s Closet because I watched Big Love for a season.

[Anonymous]

I would maybe hesitate to join the waitlist of this incredible enterprise even if you really like soft-focus jam making videos — what if data mining is their secret sauce, not whatever’s in Harry’s recipe for Orange You Glad It’s Not Banana marmalade?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think most of DCUM is going to like this. Millennials are the focus of this brand.

Of course they are, especially the ones who shop at Walmart. Also, Millennials don't cook. WTF do they need any of this? Another flop is on the horizon.

Millennials are 27-42 years, what does their children eat?

What does they eat?

It's what do they eat. IF She were appealing to moms and children she should have gone the Jennifer Garner and Jessica Alba route, it's a saturated market, but she has her fan base- she seems to want to be the next Joanna Gaines, but she hasn't really sold herself as a lifestyle person, but again she's got a fanbase.

I’m sure she is relying in her fans but they are more of a Kohl’s or JcPenney crowd, not Sur la Table.

I think she'll get enough initial interest to get a small profit to start with her fans will want to support her and have something made by her, heck even non-fans might grab something just because. She may even have a few items that become super popular are go viral ala Stanley cup. However I don't think the interest will be sustained or ever catapult her into a million dollar + business. She has not really generated that sort of interest. I think she may have been more profitable if she had done this out the gate instead of her other ventures. They /she had an incredible amount of interest and support at the start, interest has waned a bit in recent years, and it's a saturated market full of proven celebrity brands.

People are interested in what a Duchess wears, eats, uses for beauty products, etc. because it makes them feel exclusive. But that only works when you aren't hawking the products, or if you are going to hawk products it's infrequent b/c it's special or something you developed over time like Jessica Alba, Jennifer Garner, and Joanna Gaines (who notably are not Duchesses).

Although neutral on Meghan Markle, I have to admit that this move looks desperate - for attention or money, or both. They are receiving very bad advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would maybe hesitate to join the waitlist of this incredible enterprise even if you really like soft-focus jam making videos — what if data mining is their secret sauce, not whatever’s in Harry’s recipe for Orange You Glad It’s Not Banana marmalade?

Well yeah, with any site like this, the real money is collecting and selling the information of those who register. Do not give your name. Do not give your email (even a fake one). It's not about nut butter and tablecloths, people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Theory:

It appears hastily thrown together and random because it is.

Why?

Someone like Oprah or Tyler Perry is bankrolling them to launch a product that will bd successful…even if it means anonymous purchases of the inventory…to demonstrate they have a viable brand that consumers will buy.

If everything quickly sells out when it is properly launched, then they can claim success (even if there’s a plan for anonymous bulk purchases).

Why go to this trouble?

Because their Netflix venture was a flop and nobody is interested in investing in their brand. They desperately need to demonstrate success in order to get their next paid gig.

There’s no way ARO will be as commercially successful as Goop.

She can’t build a brand on motherhood and homemaking on her own. Heck, Tori Spelling is better positioned to do that since her kids are more in the public eye. Ditto for the Kardashians. Nobody thinks of Meghan as a mother or homemaker.

Plus, her style doesn’t have mass market appeal. Martha Stewart exuded WASP old money vibes and shrewdly opened her home to underscore the brand: East Coast traditional kitchen, home, and yard.

Meghan dresses sorta waspy. She could easily put a fresh spin on that aesthetic: thin; high quality, tailored clothes in understated colors; expensive but not flashy jewelry; clean face/sleek hair). But her house is very bland: it looks like a RH catalogue. It’s not inspiring or relatable.

Yep, it's not going to work. They keep failing. I think she's a self-destructive loser, sad to say. She isn't sure of what her image is and wants/does not want the royal connection. Her girl power stuff/podcast was cringy; even tye names, Archetypes, was bad. It's a good word if you're a Jungian therapist but I don't think she even understoodthe meaning. She's not that smart and seems boringly self-centered. Agree that Goop may be annoying, but it's a clear vision of exclusive clothes/items plus all the new age wellness stuff, and it's not like anyone else. Same with Reese Witherspoon's Draper James. Both fit with their personalities. What's Meghan known for? She's not British, she's only sort of Hollywood, she's not known for domesticity or decorating. She's no India Hicks. There's no there there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is amazing. MM is brilliant. This is exactly what has been needed for so long. A new luxury brand that sells table napkins and small bottles of expensive marmalade. And to call it "American Riviera Orchard" when there is no such thing as the Riviera in America, and the reason the founder is known to anyone is that she is the Duchess of Sussex (I mean, we kicked British nobles out, and with a war no less) even though she is American. So creative!

I for one can't wait to order. I'm going to add my name to the "waitlist" (this is very exclusive ... I'm sure we will have to wait a long time to be allowed to buy this marmalade) on the website that has nothing but a cheap and basic looking logo that seems to play more into the Duchess stuff than the American stuff. Yeah. Definitely giving them my email address. I want ALL of that marketing coming at me.

So exciting. Nothing like this has happened since the Sister Wives opened their online boutique "My Sister Wife's Closet."

I would shop My Sister Wife’s Closet because I watched Big Love for a season.

It was all pretty ugly, don't you think?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think most of DCUM is going to like this. Millennials are the focus of this brand.

Of course they are, especially the ones who shop at Walmart. Also, Millennials don't cook. WTF do they need any of this? Another flop is on the horizon.

Millennials are 27-42 years, what does their children eat?

What does they eat?

It's what do they eat. IF She were appealing to moms and children she should have gone the Jennifer Garner and Jessica Alba route, it's a saturated market, but she has her fan base- she seems to want to be the next Joanna Gaines, but she hasn't really sold herself as a lifestyle person, but again she's got a fanbase.

I’m sure she is relying in her fans but they are more of a Kohl’s or JcPenney crowd, not Sur la Table.

I think she'll get enough initial interest to get a small profit to start with her fans will want to support her and have something made by her, heck even non-fans might grab something just because. She may even have a few items that become super popular are go viral ala Stanley cup. However I don't think the interest will be sustained or ever catapult her into a million dollar + business. She has not really generated that sort of interest. I think she may have been more profitable if she had done this out the gate instead of her other ventures. They /she had an incredible amount of interest and support at the start, interest has waned a bit in recent years, and it's a saturated market full of proven celebrity brands.

People are interested in what a Duchess wears, eats, uses for beauty products, etc. because it makes them feel exclusive. But that only works when you aren't hawking the products, or if you are going to hawk products it's infrequent b/c it's special or something you developed over time like Jessica Alba, Jennifer Garner, and Joanna Gaines (who notably are not Duchesses).

Although neutral on Meghan Markle, I have to admit that this move looks desperate - for attention or money, or both. They are receiving very bad advice.

MM lives to add roles to her bio. She'll now count herself as a lifestyle magnate and list it next to author, humanitarian, activist, actress, producer, editor (as an editor myself, this rankles, TBH), model, etc. It's an ongoing quest to validate herself and to silence anyone whom she ever assumed doubted her.

[Anonymous]

Oops. Forgot to list duchess. As another role she fills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Theory:

It appears hastily thrown together and random because it is.

Why?

Someone like Oprah or Tyler Perry is bankrolling them to launch a product that will bd successful…even if it means anonymous purchases of the inventory…to demonstrate they have a viable brand that consumers will buy.

If everything quickly sells out when it is properly launched, then they can claim success (even if there’s a plan for anonymous bulk purchases).

Why go to this trouble?

Because their Netflix venture was a flop and nobody is interested in investing in their brand. They desperately need to demonstrate success in order to get their next paid gig.

There’s no way ARO will be as commercially successful as Goop.

She can’t build a brand on motherhood and homemaking on her own. Heck, Tori Spelling is better positioned to do that since her kids are more in the public eye. Ditto for the Kardashians. Nobody thinks of Meghan as a mother or homemaker.

Plus, her style doesn’t have mass market appeal. Martha Stewart exuded WASP old money vibes and shrewdly opened her home to underscore the brand: East Coast traditional kitchen, home, and yard.

Meghan dresses sorta waspy. She could easily put a fresh spin on that aesthetic: thin; high quality, tailored clothes in understated colors; expensive but not flashy jewelry; clean face/sleek hair). But her house is very bland: it looks like a RH catalogue. It’s not inspiring or relatable.

Yep, it's not going to work. They keep failing. I think she's a self-destructive loser, sad to say. She isn't sure of what her image is and wants/does not want the royal connection. Her girl power stuff/podcast was cringy; even tye names, Archetypes, was bad. It's a good word if you're a Jungian therapist but I don't think she even understoodthe meaning. She's not that smart and seems boringly self-centered. Agree that Goop may be annoying, but it's a clear vision of exclusive clothes/items plus all the new age wellness stuff, and it's not like anyone else. Same with Reese Witherspoon's Draper James. Both fit with their personalities. What's Meghan known for? She's not British, she's only sort of Hollywood, she's not known for domesticity or decorating. She's no India Hicks. There's no there there.

She needs to lean into one for credibility. If Hollywood, she should at least do guest roles on some shows and seriously consider a recurring role on a Suits reboot. Then she will be invited to the awards parties and industry events.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oops. Forgot to list duchess. As another role she fills.

That's a freebie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Instagram says "simply Meghan"

Like the juice?

Simply Meghan seems like a post divorce move.

She'll never divorce Harry until she's sure that her brand is well-established.

Who doesn't see an extended marital separation/separate households in their future. You're right, she'll never officially divorce him until she has established herself either individually or has the next husband lined up.

And they will be divorcing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Theory:

It appears hastily thrown together and random because it is.

Why?

Someone like Oprah or Tyler Perry is bankrolling them to launch a product that will bd successful…even if it means anonymous purchases of the inventory…to demonstrate they have a viable brand that consumers will buy.

If everything quickly sells out when it is properly launched, then they can claim success (even if there’s a plan for anonymous bulk purchases).

Why go to this trouble?

Because their Netflix venture was a flop and nobody is interested in investing in their brand. They desperately need to demonstrate success in order to get their next paid gig.

There’s no way ARO will be as commercially successful as Goop.

She can’t build a brand on motherhood and homemaking on her own. Heck, Tori Spelling is better positioned to do that since her kids are more in the public eye. Ditto for the Kardashians. Nobody thinks of Meghan as a mother or homemaker.

Plus, her style doesn’t have mass market appeal. Martha Stewart exuded WASP old money vibes and shrewdly opened her home to underscore the brand: East Coast traditional kitchen, home, and yard.

Meghan dresses sorta waspy. She could easily put a fresh spin on that aesthetic: thin; high quality, tailored clothes in understated colors; expensive but not flashy jewelry; clean face/sleek hair). But her house is very bland: it looks like a RH catalogue. It’s not inspiring or relatable.

Yep, it's not going to work. They keep failing. I think she's a self-destructive loser, sad to say. She isn't sure of what her image is and wants/does not want the royal connection. Her girl power stuff/podcast was cringy; even tye names, Archetypes, was bad. It's a good word if you're a Jungian therapist but I don't think she even understoodthe meaning. She's not that smart and seems boringly self-centered. Agree that Goop may be annoying, but it's a clear vision of exclusive clothes/items plus all the new age wellness stuff, and it's not like anyone else. Same with Reese Witherspoon's Draper James. Both fit with their personalities. What's Meghan known for? She's not British, she's only sort of Hollywood, she's not known for domesticity or decorating. She's no India Hicks. There's no there there.

She needs to lean into one for credibility. If Hollywood, she should at least do guest roles on some shows and seriously consider a recurring role on a Suits reboot. Then she will be invited to the awards parties and industry events.

No way. She, like Angelina Jolie, is above acting now. Except occasionally Jolie is sensible enough to pay bills so will stoop to a role from time to time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Theory:

It appears hastily thrown together and random because it is.

Why?

Someone like Oprah or Tyler Perry is bankrolling them to launch a product that will bd successful…even if it means anonymous purchases of the inventory…to demonstrate they have a viable brand that consumers will buy.

If everything quickly sells out when it is properly launched, then they can claim success (even if there’s a plan for anonymous bulk purchases).

Why go to this trouble?

Because their Netflix venture was a flop and nobody is interested in investing in their brand. They desperately need to demonstrate success in order to get their next paid gig.

There’s no way ARO will be as commercially successful as Goop.

She can’t build a brand on motherhood and homemaking on her own. Heck, Tori Spelling is better positioned to do that since her kids are more in the public eye. Ditto for the Kardashians. Nobody thinks of Meghan as a mother or homemaker.

Plus, her style doesn’t have mass market appeal. Martha Stewart exuded WASP old money vibes and shrewdly opened her home to underscore the brand: East Coast traditional kitchen, home, and yard.

Meghan dresses sorta waspy. She could easily put a fresh spin on that aesthetic: thin; high quality, tailored clothes in understated colors; expensive but not flashy jewelry; clean face/sleek hair). But her house is very bland: it looks like a RH catalogue. It’s not inspiring or relatable.

Yep, it's not going to work. They keep failing. I think she's a self-destructive loser, sad to say. She isn't sure of what her image is and wants/does not want the royal connection. Her girl power stuff/podcast was cringy; even tye names, Archetypes, was bad. It's a good word if you're a Jungian therapist but I don't think she even understoodthe meaning. She's not that smart and seems boringly self-centered. Agree that Goop may be annoying, but it's a clear vision of exclusive clothes/items plus all the new age wellness stuff, and it's not like anyone else. Same with Reese Witherspoon's Draper James. Both fit with their personalities. What's Meghan known for? She's not British, she's only sort of Hollywood, she's not known for domesticity or decorating. She's no India Hicks. There's no there there.

She needs to lean into one for credibility. If Hollywood, she should at least do guest roles on some shows and seriously consider a recurring role on a Suits reboot. Then she will be invited to the awards parties and industry events.

Probably no invites. Strangely enough, when they are not at big big parties — the met gala, the Oscar’s, the Globes, Emmy’s,
Tony Awards, even the National Book Awards - they have always mysteriously have had press in pay to play outlets claiming they couldn’t go to XYZ because Lilibet had a fever or Archie had a tee ball tourney. They are constantly having “sources close” referenced in the tabloid news arms of current media, like the DM or Page Six, to put out prospective excuses as to why they were just too too busy to hang with the richest, most connected creatives in this country. I’m thinking they have fatal Too Good For You-itis and that it’s known. The Spotify guy swearing about them, the Netflix honcho grimly laughing about the joke about them at the Golden Globes - they don’t rank. Or link. Not anymore. Unless of course Meghan moves a lot of made in Bangladesh napkin sets, enough to start forcing WME to get them into better parties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only “lifestyle” successful brand that has soared recently is Tabitha Brown’s; her stuff has impact online, she brilliantly fit in and got in to Target; she is presenting something with a bit of a clunky rep, veganism, as a viable full lifestyle compatible with cute affordable serving trays, compatible with listening to The Breakfast Club. It’s genius, and it is reality-based.

This whole trying to make it Gwyneth but a lilibet younger with a cursive “royal” crest is so inane. Launching without anything is also dumb - I remember the Goop thing started as recipes, a newsletter, and hotel and shopping recs from a rich lady who has traveled the world, won awards, dated and married well, and eaten Spanish food with Jose Andres for PBS - built-in interest and cache. This just isn’t it IMO. She can’t price products made in the US or grown fair trade and sell them to the population that likes her. She is low-rent, and thinking she embodies Santa Barbara generational wealth and is too good for Kohls and Target will doom this. In 18 months, she and her accountants will be sad that she was too good to make that Lauren Conrad, Joanna Gaines, Tabitha Brown money.

This is true. Santa Barbara is a whole vibe. She does not embody it whatsoever. Generational wealth, old money. Think Edie Sedgwick, Hugette Clark, the Biltmore. Heck, Ellen and Portia could do a lifestyle line as they have owned/restored numerous houses in Montecito and well-known for it. They could be Joanna and Chip Gaines for the rich.