Meghan Markle: Can She Make Her Martha Stewart Era Success?

As the Duchess of Sussex delves deeper into her lifestyle brand, As Ever, and Netflix series, "With Love, Meghan," critics are primed to scrutinize her latest moves. The question on everyone's mind is whether she can make a success of her endeavors without trying to be relatable.

"She was creating some branding, but it was not as cultured. It was not as refined," Stacy Jones, the founder and CEO of Hollywood Branded, told Business Insider of Meghan's early days with The Tig blog. However, after joining the royal family, she opened up a whole new level of product class. This transition has presented both opportunities and challenges for Meghan to navigate.

The lifestyle industry is crowded, with giants like Martha Stewart, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jessica Alba dominating the space. Goop was worth $433 million in 2020, while The Honest Company was valued at around $530 million. Influencers like Meredith Hayden have built massive followings with lifestyle content, appealing to their audience as "everywoman."

To succeed, Meghan needs a strong and unique selling point for As Ever. Megan Balyk, the vice president of Jive PR + Digital, believes that finding this identity will be crucial for her brand's success. Consistency has been an issue for Meghan since 2020, with some of her ventures failing to pan out.

"People like looking at train wrecks and car crashes, and they want to gossip," Jones said about the nature of the audience watching "With Love, Meghan." This is different from those eager to hear about her dramatic life as a royal. To build trust with her new audience, Meghan must prioritize certain fan bases over others.

Young women make up much of her existing fan base, but Black women have been some of Meghan's strongest supporters. Jones emphasized the importance of prioritizing this community in her lifestyle ventures, stating that it could be a huge missed opportunity if she doesn't.

Balyk also suggested that positioning Melinda Gates and Oprah Winfrey as her contemporaries rather than Martha Stewart or Gwyneth Paltrow might help Meghan build trust with her audience. Her passion for philanthropy has been clear to the public from the earliest days of her fame, which could be an asset in her lifestyle work.

"Everyone can buy in on the princess," Jones said, suggesting that Meghan may be able to make herself more approachable by reminding audiences that she isn't like them. Viewers might not see themselves in much of Meghan's life but can invest in the American dream she lived, looking to her for guidance on how to make their ordinary lives just a bit more sparkly.

Meghan's fairy tale shouldn't be hard to sell. She is a beautiful actor who fell in love with a prince and wants to live happily ever by helping people make their lives more aesthetically pleasing. If she can tap into that narrative, Meghan will finally find a niche that feels like home.