Meghan Markle slapped with ‘ban’ in latest marketing disaster

Due to the fact that it resembles a cheap Chinese fashion store, Meghan Markle has been prohibited from marketing clothing under her newly launched ‘As Ever.

The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) received a trademark application in October 2022 from the Duchess of Sussex’s legal team, according to documents. The filing sought approval to sell a range of products, including aprons, jams, dog treats, and apparel, under the ‘As Ever’ brand.

However, in July 2023, the USPTO issued a comprehensive 145-page ruling that partially denied the trademark request. According to officials, Meghan’s proposed brand name resembled ASEVER, a Shenzhen-based clothing company that sells to major retailers like H&; M.

The trademark office’s official documents, obtained on Sunday, stated that the marks are “confusionally similar” and “almost identical in appearance. ” Citing ‘clothing category Class 25,’ the USPTO returned the application to Meghan’s legal representatives, explicitly refusing registration due to the potential for consumer confusion.

By January 2024, Meghan’s legal team submitted a revised application, this time omitting clothing from the list of products. With this adjustment, the ‘As Ever’ trademark was officially approved. If Meghan decides to sell clothing under the As Ever brand, she may face legal action, according to a trademark expert in Los Angeles.

This trademark hurdle marks another challenge in Meghan’s much-anticipated lifestyle brand rollout. Her ‘As Ever’ product line is set to launch in partnership with Netflix, aligning with her upcoming lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan, which premieres on March 4.

Due to rules that prohibit the trademarking of geographic locations, the USPTO rejected her initial brand name, American Riviera Orchard. Additionally, food company Harry & David disputed the brand’s legitimacy, citing similarities to Royal Riviera Pear’s.

Meghan previously shared on Instagram that ‘American Riviera’ is a nickname for Santa Barbara, California, the upscale coastal city near Montecito, where she and Prince Harry reside in a $14. 5 million mansion.

The Duchess of Sussex received a backlash shortly after Meghan Markle made the announcement of her new lifestyle brand in a mocking Instagram video. The mayor of a town on Mallorca claimed Meghan had “copied” its coat of arms by revealing the logo for her name, which depicts a palm tree flanked by two hummingbirds.

Then it became clear that the company had a name that was similar to a clothing company in New York. Meghan claimed she hadn’t been able to share the cooking, gardening, and crafting tips she loves for a while, and the Instagram video where she announced the change was also said to have a sly dig at the Royal Family.

However, Jennie Bond, a former BBC royal correspondent, claimed Meghan’s criticism was unfair and that her video only made light of her true feelings.

She said: “Lots of new ventures hit teething problems and Meghan’s was no exception. We all make mistakes, but she obviously should have been instructed to do so. She has now attempted to put the best spin on these initial setbacks.

She claimed she hadn’t been able to share her cooking and gardening tips for the past few years, but I don’t believe she was making a dig at the Royals. It is merely a fact statement. She expressed no resentment or bitterness toward it. She sounded relieved that she is now able to resume what she has already proven to be very adept at: selling lifestyle suggestions and ideas. “

Source: Mirror