Of course, Meghan Markle is attracting criticism for her Netflix lifestyle show – along with the series of branding missteps she's made along the way. Criticism ranges from her resolution to put herself at the centre of her brand, to copycat logo design. But while the critics are as impassioned as ever when talking about the ex-royal, they're missing the key positive element of her branding – consistency of design and approach.
It's brave of Meghan to put herself at the centre of a lifestyle brand, when she is such a magnet for vitriolic criticism. And she isn't just starring in the content itself, it's also her use of design that reflects 'her' – using her own handwriting for multiple iterations of wordmark and logo, for example, and with the handcrafted feel of the designs. Sure, they may not be in contention for the best logo award, but the designs are pretty, geared well towards her target market and have personal elements running through them, like the hummingbirds in the As Ever logo. She knows what she's selling, and she's packaging it well – if you're into it, great, if not then move along.
For visual design, it's a statement in itself to use your own calligraphy (we particularly liked the American Riviera Orchard branding at the time). Putting your own handwriting on your brand shows your intention to make it authentic, that you believe in what you're doing and that you think people will identify with the 'you'-ness of what you're selling. It's also worth noting that Meghan did do a job in which she used her calligraphy skills, so there's authenticity there, too. Meghan clearly thinks she has supporters out there that this approach will resonate with – and she absolutely does, she just has an equal amount of very noisy naysayers.
Those criticising her decisions to make herself the brand should remember that the pair signed a deal with Netflix and they need to return on the streamer's weighty investment. They could try to make the kinds of worthy documentaries they feel passionate about, but they won't attract the same kind of numbers as Harry & Meghan, which was Netflix's biggest ever documentary debut, attracting 81.5 million hours worth of views in the first week. So it's totally logical that Netflix, and Meghan, thinks people want to hear about her.
Full disclosure: I haven't seen the show yet. I'm talking purely from a branding perspective, I'm aware people are finding the show itself 'fake', which is at odds with the praises of authenticity I'm giving here. However, I don't find the branding inauthentic.
Imagine the headlines if it was someone else at the helm – the calligraphy would be 'charming', the logos would be 'intricate and detailed' and the trademark issues would be just 'part of the process' (noted, the two above are extremely similar – but I genuinely don't see how anyone would make such a clear copy intentionally, it's only asking for trouble). The trademark stories are not uncommon for new brands getting off the ground – it's only the brand owner that brings such a high level of derision in this instance.
