After years of delays, one name change and a partnership with Netflix, product line has finally launched. (Or been 鈥渃urated,鈥 to use the preferred euphemism for cold-hard commerce. With love, of course.)
By any metric, As Ever鈥檚 first day in market was a resounding success: All nine of the products in the 鈥渓imited seasonal collection鈥 she launched with, available only to those with an American shipping address, sold out within an hour of the site going live.
Cue the cynics, wondering exactly how many jars of jam and boxes of shortbread cookie mix were in that first drop that sold out so quickly. But those familiar with the passionate support 惭别驳丑补苍鈥檚 online fan base can muster might not be so quick to smell a marketing stunt.
Either way, to sell out of a USD $12 tin of lemon ginger tea 鈥 with no indication that it鈥檚 anything particularly special other than playing a bit part in an episode of her Netflix entertaining show With Love, Meghan 鈥 is impressive in an oversaturated market teetering on the edge of possible global economic collapse. (Spiking sales of $15 鈥渇lower sprinkles鈥 as new recession indicator? Discuss.)
As Ever Flower Sprinkles, $15 (U.S.),
As EverThe launch of As Ever has been a spectacle, and an object lesson in launching a brand in 2025 that will no doubt be the subject of marketing PhD theses in years to come. So what do present day marketing professionals make of it all?
For Sharla Farrell, public relations and marketing consultant, it all feels very true to Meghan. 鈥淚t鈥檚 her, that鈥檚 her brand, her passion,鈥 Farrell says, drawing a straight line between her early lifestyle blog, The Tig, and As Ever. 鈥淪he鈥檚 been doing this for years. She鈥檚 all about lifestyle, homemaking, craft, wellness. I鈥檓 not shocked that she has this brand 鈥 and I鈥檓 not shocked that it has sold out. At all.鈥
In Farrell鈥檚 opinion, some of this success is tied to 惭别驳丑补苍鈥檚 Netflix series: Not only were these products hinted at in the series, the streamer is also a partner in this venture.
鈥淭here was so much buzz. Whether it was good buzz or bad buzz, her name was still in the press,鈥 says Farrell. 鈥淭here were all these think pieces in the paper, people talking about it on TikTok. She鈥檚 using that exposure to boost her visibility and brand engagement.鈥
There鈥檚 an authenticity to 惭别驳丑补苍鈥檚 involvement in the products, Farrell adds, that may also be a driving force to the sellout. Another smart move, in her opinion: Seeding the jams to 鈥渁spirational women鈥 like Tracee Ellis Ross and Mindy Kaling.
One of the questions many people have around As Ever is, well, who exactly is it for? Who鈥檚 the target customer for 鈥渞aspberry preserve in keepsake packaging,鈥 or a box of 鈥淔rench Style鈥 crepe mix?
鈥淚t鈥檚 probably people who have just been following her for many years,鈥 says Farrell, pointing to influencer Akila Releford Gould as a perfect example of the kind of person who鈥檇 be buying what Meghan is selling. 鈥淪he has this beautiful, aspirational 鈥榮oft life鈥 kind of vibe. I think that鈥檚 the demographic that loves and taps into 惭别驳丑补苍鈥檚 story. Anyone that values sustainability or products that have a personal touch.鈥
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, sifting icing sugar on to French crepes; she sells a mix for them on .
NetflixMeghan, Farrell thinks, is doing her own version of . 鈥淪he is the Goop for Black Women,鈥 she says.
It also lines up with the demo for other brands Meghan herself shops with: While she has a taste for Loro Piana sweaters and a Dior pantsuit, the duchess is far more likely to be found wearing mid-level, attainable luxury like Heidi Merrick, Sentaler or long-time favourite Veronica Beard.
鈥淭he woman who wears Veronica Beard is going to buy those $15 flower sprinkles and not think anything of it,鈥 says Farrell. 鈥淥r give it as a gift, because it鈥檚 so thoughtful and something you would never buy for yourself.鈥
For all the memes about the Duchess repackaging store-bought pretzels, Farrell believes there are many people who watched the show and found it genuinely inspiring.
鈥淧eople who love that aspirational lifestyle were probably like, 鈥業 want to do what she does, I love that,鈥欌 she says. 鈥淵ou want to put together an esthetically pleasing dinner, and her products are perfect for that.鈥
The simple, almost generic nature of the product offering may also be strategic, adds Farrell. 鈥淪he said, 鈥楾hese are the things that I like. 鈥楯am is my jam, I love honey.鈥 Those are things that are personal to her, and down the road we might see her launching an expanded line,鈥 she says.
As Ever Limited Edition Wildflower Honey With Honeycomb, $28 (U.S.),
As Ever鈥淭his is her way to enter the space, and then dominate it by launching kitchen items, cosmetics. I feel like she wants to be like Martha Stewart or Jessica Alba and the Honest Company.鈥
Laura Carinci, marketing pro and chief brand officer at Canadian jewelry brand Jenny Bird, is more critical of this launch. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 see this as a market disrupter. I see this as a celebrity who is leveraging their fame and following, but it鈥檚 lacking perspective.鈥
Carinci feels the social media content used to tease the brand鈥檚 launch has been lacklustre. 鈥淪he鈥檚 a former blogger, so she should understand the connection between content and commerce,鈥 says Carinci, pointing out that this is how brands like Glossier and Goop built their businesses. And she questions the logistics of the products鈥 launch. 鈥淔rom a marketer鈥檚 perspective, the rollout seems clunky. She only ships As Ever to the continental U.S., yet Netflix airs her show in 190 countries. Seems like a big miss.鈥
At the same time, Carinci gives credit where it鈥檚 due. 鈥淚 suppose in the same way I鈥檓 criticizing her leveraging her personal profile, she is smart to do so knowing that people are interested in her and will buy the products simply out of curiosity,鈥 she says. 鈥淣o matter what, she just elicits a strong reaction 鈥 whether you love her or you hate her, there is no middle ground. That in and of itself is powerful.鈥
As Ever Raspberry Spread in Keepsake Packaging, $14 (U.S.), ($9 without the box),
As EverShe is less than enthused about the products themselves. “I cannot believe how long this launch has been teased for such a lacklustre offering out the gate,” she says. “Can we start with the product photography? It looks like , like she purchased these images for cheap off a stock website. The packaging looks like stuff that ends up on the shelves at HomeSense as you’re about to check out. Rows upon rows of forgettable brands that all blend into one. A keepsake jam box? Dust collector. Give me a beautiful spoon for serving the jam.”
This comes back to the lack of perspective Carinci mentioned earlier. 鈥淗elp me understand why 鈥榡am is your jam.鈥 If the show was meant to be a soft launch pad into this product line, she did a poor job of authentically communicating in those episodes why she chose these products as her first drop,鈥 she says. 鈥淚nstead I cringed at her discomfort with the beekeeper and her perfectly groomed berry baskets that hadn鈥檛 seen a day of picking with nary a stain to be found on them. Martha could never.鈥
What sets As Ever apart from other new brands launching, Carinci thinks, is that it鈥檚 not beholden to some of the commercial pressures marketers face when they鈥檙e trying to drum up business. 鈥淏ecause she鈥檚 coming out the gate with a strong following, she is not up against meeting an AOV (average order value) that still leaves you profitable after you鈥檝e spent ad dollars acquiring those first-time customers,鈥 she says, adding that in today鈥檚 market, brands are better positioned to have products over $100 in order to scale profitably. 鈥淭he show, her Instagram, her built-in network and having Netflix backing is priceless.鈥
The real test will come after the initial buzz wears off. 鈥淩epeat customer purchase is key, so regardless that she acquired all these first-time purchases without spending a dollar on advertising, it doesn鈥檛 matter if they don鈥檛 come back,鈥 says Carinci. 鈥淭he jury鈥檚 out on whether or not she鈥檚 going to be America鈥檚 next Martha, but I will say: No one wears high-rise denim like her. I鈥檝e been tempted to click her shopping links.鈥
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