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The current condition of Meghan Markle’s lifestyle brand, As Ever, suggests a business that is struggling in a very visible way. Rather than quietly underperforming, the brand appears to be faltering in ways that are easy to observe—and one recent example highlights this clearly: a simple marketing email.
The email, titled “Meghan’s Easy Entertaining Tips,” was meant to showcase her expertise as a lifestyle entrepreneur and hostess. The idea behind it was straightforward: offer helpful, practical advice for hosting guests, which is supposedly the core of the brand’s identity. However, the actual content was surprisingly thin. The “tips” included making a charcuterie board, serving champagne in attractive glasses, playing music, and adding flowers.
That was it—just four suggestions, all of which are extremely basic and require no real skill or experience. Instead of offering insight, the advice came across as obvious observations. These are the kinds of ideas most people already know, not the kind of guidance one would expect from a premium lifestyle brand claiming expertise in entertaining.
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This exposes a deeper issue. The brand positions Meghan as an authority on hosting and refined living, yet the content fails to demonstrate any real knowledge. Take the charcuterie board example. When done properly, assembling such a board involves thoughtful pairing—balancing cheeses, meats, textures, and flavors. It requires an understanding of how different elements complement each other. But the advice given was simply to put cheese and jam on a board, without any explanation or detail.
This lack of depth suggests a disconnect between the brand’s claims and the expertise behind it. The same applies to the other tips. Serving drinks in nice glasses or adding a garnish is hardly innovative. Playing a playlist is something anyone hosting a gathering would naturally do. Even the suggestion about flowers—using small vases or a bouquet—is generic advice found in countless home décor guides.
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Individually, these tips might seem harmless. But together, they reflect the full extent of what the brand is offering—and that’s where the problem lies. A lifestyle brand depends on delivering value through unique, thoughtful, and experience-based insights. When the advice is this basic, it raises doubts about whether the person behind the brand truly has expertise in the area.
For comparison, consider professionals who build brands from genuine experience. A makeup artist like Lisa Eldridge, for instance, developed her brand after decades of working in the industry. Her products are trusted because they are rooted in real knowledge. She can explain not just what works, but why it works, and how it compares to alternatives.
With As Ever, the sequence appears reversed. The brand came first, while the expertise has yet to be convincingly demonstrated. Consumers are being asked to trust an authority figure whose content doesn’t consistently show authority.
Social media performance reinforces this concern. The brand’s Instagram account briefly climbed to around 881,000 followers but has since declined slightly. While that number may seem large, it is relatively modest given Meghan’s global recognition and media exposure. Many smaller lifestyle creators manage to build larger audiences by consistently offering useful and engaging content.
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Follower decline matters because it reflects audience behavior. People may initially follow out of curiosity, but they only stay if the content provides ongoing value. If they begin to leave, it suggests that the content is not meeting expectations.
Beyond content quality, there are also signs of weak execution. Basic details—like outdated website copyright information or inconsistent terminology for products—signal a lack of attention. Each issue on its own might seem minor, but together they create the impression of a brand that isn’t being carefully managed.
Consistency is crucial in lifestyle branding. Successful brands maintain a clear identity across every detail, from visuals to language. This requires a high level of care and precision. When small errors accumulate, they weaken the overall image.
Another major challenge is authenticity. Today’s audiences are highly attuned to whether someone genuinely understands and cares about what they’re presenting. Real passion tends to show naturally through detailed knowledge and evolving content. In contrast, content that feels repetitive or surface-level can come across as performative.
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The material associated with As Ever—from repeated recipes to simplified advice—does little to demonstrate growth or depth. A person who truly enjoys hosting would likely have strong, specific opinions formed through experience. They would share nuanced ideas about different occasions, preferences, and creative approaches. That level of insight is largely absent here.
The origins of the brand may also play a role. Reports suggest that the concept was shaped in collaboration with Netflix as part of a broader content strategy. If the brand was developed as a structured project rather than a passion-driven endeavor, it may explain why it lacks a strong personal foundation.
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Looking at the broader landscape, successful celebrity lifestyle brands tend to share certain traits. They are built on genuine interest, supported by real expertise, and refined over time. For example, Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop brand has faced criticism, yet it remains successful because of her visible commitment to the wellness space. Whether people agree with her or not, her enthusiasm appears authentic.
By contrast, As Ever struggles to convey that same level of conviction. The messaging often feels like it is fulfilling an obligation rather than expressing a genuine interest. This difference becomes evident in both the content and the overall brand experience.
Ultimately, lifestyle brands rely on aspiration. Consumers engage with them because they admire the person behind the brand and want to connect with that lifestyle in some way. Products become symbols of that connection. But for this to work, the lifestyle being presented must feel both authentic and desirable.
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