Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were criticised by a PR expert as their global Sussex brand failed to show one “unified narrative” which in turn resulted in it being “confusing” to the public.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have dominated headlines recently after a series of solo appearances by both of them in recent months.
Despite their latest joint video appearance this week, Harry and Meghan have been largely promoting their own causes and interests, in what’s been dubbed a new strategy for the couple.
Now, asked about whether the Sussex brand succeeded in reaching its full potential when the couple promoted it together, PR expert Renae Smith had one thing to say.
Ms Smith, who is the founder and director of PR and creative branding agency The Atticism, claimed that their brand “faced challenges” due to the couple’s “differing interests” and that their new business approach could potentially work in their favour.
She told Express.co.uk: “I think their decision to pursue individual brands could indeed work in their favour over the long term, although it’s bound to spark a fair amount of public speculation in the short term.
“From a PR perspective, this shift might allow each of them to create distinct brands that better reflect their different priorities and resonate more coherently with their individual audiences.”
The expert added on the Sussex brand’s success: “The Sussex brand has certainly faced challenges in maintaining both momentum and a cohesive identity.
“A big part of this difficulty likely stems from their differing interests, which don’t naturally mesh into one unified “Sussex” narrative.
“Harry’s focus on mental health and veterans’ causes strikes a much different tone than Meghan’s emphasis on women’s empowerment, social justice, and now her rather surprising venture into luxury home goods with her new brand, American Riviera Orchard.
“While each area holds potential, combining them under one brand felt forced, even confusing, to the public.”
She concluded: “With the Sussex brand likely not having reached the impact they’d envisioned, this step toward individual brands may reflect a natural evolution.”
