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The marketing strategy behind As Ever has come under growing criticism, with many observers arguing that the brand emphasizes Meghan Markle's image far more than the products it is supposed to sell. Recent promotional videos feature Meghan strolling through lush gardens, collecting fresh vegetables, pouring tea into plain mugs, adjusting an apron, and posing thoughtfully in picturesque settings. While these scenes create an elegant lifestyle aesthetic, they leave viewers wondering what exactly is being advertised. The vegetables, fruit, and flowers shown are not products the company offers, and even the tea lacks visible branding. Rather than highlighting jars of fruit spread, honey, candles, or teas, the campaign appears centered almost entirely on Meghan herself.
Marketing commentator Brittany of the Royal News Network recently offered an in-depth critique of the brand's approach. Rather than simply dismissing As Ever's marketing, she analyzed individual photographs, promotional emails, and Instagram videos to explain why the strategy appears ineffective. Drawing on her own experience managing social media partnerships and digital branding, she argued that the company lacks a consistent identity. Instead of building recognition through strong product presentation, every campaign seems focused on maintaining a carefully curated lifestyle image.
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According to Brittany, this problem has persisted since As Ever launched. She has followed the company's social media from the beginning, observing changes in posting style, engagement levels, and promotional direction. Her conclusion is that the latest content does not represent an improvement but rather an extension of the same underlying mistake. Every campaign continues to prioritize atmosphere over merchandise, leaving potential customers with little understanding of what the company actually sells.
The criticism becomes even more significant when viewed alongside the brand's broader business challenges. As Ever debuted in April 2025 alongside Meghan's Netflix cooking series, With Love, Meghan. The television show acted as both entertainment and a promotional platform for the lifestyle products. However, after the series ended following one season and reportedly performed poorly on Netflix's rankings, the brand lost an important marketing channel. Distribution arrangements also changed, with Netflix stepping away and fulfillment shifting to Shopify. Without the support of a large production and marketing team, Meghan increasingly relied on personally created promotional content.
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Brittany believes this transition exposed a fundamental misunderstanding of consumer marketing. She argues that successful lifestyle brands are built around products first and personalities second. Consumers may initially become interested because of a celebrity founder, but repeat purchases depend on the quality, usefulness, and presentation of the merchandise itself. In her view, As Ever reverses this formula by treating Meghan as the product while the actual goods remain largely invisible.
She compares this approach with companies that have mastered visual branding. Technology brands consistently feature their devices in advertisements. Athletic companies ensure shoes or apparel dominate every campaign. Kitchenware retailers showcase cookware in beautifully styled settings, while wellness brands carefully photograph their candles, skincare products, and supplements. Although founders often appear in promotional material, they support the products rather than overshadow them.
As Ever's social media tells a different story. Promotional videos frequently show Meghan harvesting vegetables, arranging baskets of fruit, sipping tea from plain cups, or posing in elegant clothing within scenic gardens. Yet the vegetables are not available for purchase, the fruit does not represent inventory, and the tea often lacks any identifying label. The emphasis remains on creating a luxurious lifestyle rather than demonstrating the actual products customers can order.
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This visual storytelling also creates a disconnect between appearance and reality. The imagery suggests hand-picked ingredients, farm-to-table traditions, and artisanal craftsmanship. In reality, the company sells commercially manufactured fruit spreads, packaged tea, honey, and candles. Brittany stresses that there is nothing inherently wrong with commercially produced goods. Many respected food brands rely on large-scale manufacturing while maintaining strong customer loyalty. The difference is that those companies present themselves honestly instead of implying a handcrafted origin that consumers may not actually receive.
She argues that this mismatch creates unrealistic expectations. Customers are invited to buy into an idyllic vision of gardens, fresh harvests, and carefully prepared homemade products. When the purchased item resembles any other premium grocery product, the emotional promise made through the marketing may not be fulfilled. According to this perspective, disappointment can discourage repeat purchases, even if the products themselves are acceptable.
Another example Brittany highlights involves As Ever's Father's Day campaign. The company promoted a premium gift box containing tea, honey, candles, and other accessories while suggesting an elegant morning ritual for fathers. She questioned whether the campaign truly reflected what many fathers might appreciate, arguing that the concept appeared disconnected from its intended audience. Rather than creating an offer that resonated with everyday consumers, the campaign seemed designed around an idealized lifestyle image.
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The broader issue, Brittany says, is uncertainty about the brand's identity. The pricing positions As Ever as a premium product. The product selection appeals largely to affluent consumers interested in entertaining and home décor. Meanwhile, the photography alternates between Mediterranean-inspired countryside scenes and California luxury living. As a result, it becomes difficult to determine whether the brand represents California wellness culture, European elegance, or something else entirely.
She believes Meghan possessed an opportunity to build a brand rooted in her authentic California lifestyle. Such a strategy could have celebrated farmers' markets, outdoor entertaining, wellness culture, and the relaxed elegance associated with Montecito. Instead, the company appears to borrow heavily from a European countryside aesthetic that many consumers may not naturally associate with Meghan's personal story.
Successful lifestyle entrepreneurs often build their businesses around authentic identities tied to recognizable places and traditions. Their audiences understand exactly what those brands represent because the messaging remains consistent. Brittany argues that As Ever has not established that same clarity, leaving consumers uncertain about its personality and purpose.
She also points to another warning sign: the decline of user-generated content. During the company's early months, customers frequently shared photographs of breakfasts, gift boxes, and product displays, which Meghan often reposted on the brand's social media. Such customer participation helps build credibility by showing real people enjoying the products. Recently, however, these reposts have become far less common. Whether this reflects fewer customers posting or a change in marketing strategy remains unclear, but the reduced visibility coincides with reports of declining website traffic and slowing momentum.
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To compensate, critics claim the company has increasingly relied on paid influencers. However, these collaborations often reproduce the same formula already present in Meghan's own content: beautiful surroundings, carefully arranged tables, minimal focus on the products, and heavy emphasis on lifestyle imagery. As a result, the campaigns can appear repetitive rather than refreshing.
Ultimately, Brittany concludes that As Ever's greatest challenge is not a lack of attractive visuals but a lack of marketing focus. Beautiful photography alone cannot sustain a consumer brand if shoppers struggle to understand what makes the products unique. A successful lifestyle business requires consistent messaging, authentic identity, visible products, and satisfied customers who willingly recommend them to others. Without those foundations, even the most polished imagery may struggle to translate into lasting commercial success.
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