Meghan Markle's As Ever facing branding problems?

As Ever, a brand owned by Meghan Markle, has seen strong sales since she introduced two new products. But a PR expert is unsure whether this demand will continue.

Renae Smith, the founder of The Atticism, a PR and branding firm, claims the Duke of Sussex's products have a branding problem.

In her view, the Suits star brand confusion about product releases, as well as about stock availability, in addition to a website glitch that showed items as available when they were not.

"Meghan does have the potential to actually have a really good brand," the expert told The Independent.

But problems with As Ever's brand image are not the only issue; managing the staff is another, says Renae, pointing to 11 advisors who quit from Meghan's team in 5 years.

"But she either has no understanding of what she wants the brand to be, or she has very poor advisors in that space."

At the same time, there is the wellness brand Goop, founded by Gwyneth Paltrow. Renae draws a comparison, saying, "Goop had a plan from the beginning, it was neat, it was structured."

"Meghan doesn't stick to a lane; she'll go and be an influencer for a bit, then she goes back on TV and does something weird, then she does a podcast, which was also weird," she continues.

The expert also observes that Meghan often changes the brand's direction, stating, "If you're going to be the next Martha Stewart, just do that."

"Don't take photos of yourself near the bridge where Diana died or even go to Paris for a Balenciaga show, commit! Hone [your image]: 'My husband's a prince, and I love staying at home with my children,' whether it's true or not, who cares? But she won't," she concludes.