It is clear Meghan Markle has a current focus on selling wine, but she needs to improve her brand strategy to become more “consistent”, a brand expert believes. The Duchess of Sussex’s online shop As Ever has generated significant interest, with her products selling out just minutes after the announcement of items being sold.
However, demand is currently massively outstripping supply, meaning products sell out within minutes with each new batch, and this has caused concern for one brand expert. Speaking to Newsweek, brand and culture expert, Nick Ede, thinks Meghan’s marketing needs improvement. Prior to the announcement of the new vintage rosé, he said there hadn’t “been a newsletter from As Ever for three or four weeks. That’s the biggest problem here. It feels like there keeps on being these stop-starts. It’s not a consistent brand yet, it doesn’t have a story. I think people forget it quite quickly.”
The expert, however, did believe a focus on wine is the right direction for Meghan and that if she could get the supply chain in place to meet demand, she could make significant money, but she is only selling to customers in America.
The Napa Valley 2023 rosé wine was sold in batches of three, six and twelve, with each bottle costing £22 ($30) and £66 ($90), £116 ($159) and £218 ($300) in total.
As Ever revealed that following the buzz surrounding the 2023 Napa Valley Rosé, it will be launching another wine today, with a slight tweak – calling it the 2024 Napa Valley Rosé.
The press release read: “It marries the same harmony of notes from our first blend and creates an elegant medley of delicate yet memorable flavor. You’ll want to clink glasses with friends as the sun sets, toasting to a summer of joy.
“Barefoot or in sandals, dressed up or dressed down, this rosé may become your favorite accessory for alfresco lunches and dinners at dusk.”
The brand also posted to Instagram with a series of images showing the new wine resting in sand.
The news of the new wine release was shared via a newsletter released by As Ever on August 4 – the same day as Meghan Markle’s 44th birthday.
To celebrate Meghan’s birthday, a new photo of the Duchess of Sussex was shared on the As Ever official Instagram page. It featured a new black and white photo of Meghan wearing a sunhat and a strappy dress as she strolled the outdoors.
The company wrote: “Celebrating the woman behind it all. She pours her heart, vision & magic touch into every detail, and today, we raise a glass to her! Happy birthday to our founder @meghan.”