Royalty thread #15: A New Era

[Vagabond]

I just want to know... Is "American Riviera" a common nickname for the Santa Barbara coast?

Only for marketing purposes. No one in L.A. would casually tell a friend "I'm going up to the American Riviera this weekend."

 

[Steph]

Also - and I know this has been rehashed many times - why is she branding it as being by Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex? I know that's her title and she has a legitimate right to use it, but she seems to rely on her title an awful lot for someone who dislikes the rigid class system and hierarchy in the UK.

Well, her last name isn't Markle any more (and that surname is from a patrilineal dumpster fire, so who'd want it?), so I guess she could use "Meghan Sussex," but why? She gave up her career to marry, and given the unremitting vitriol she gets for having married and for having that title, it seems fair play to use it here.

Nomenclature derived from patriarchal and classist systems is inherently fraught - if it weren't, people wouldn't still be fighting over keeping maiden names after marriage, or what surnames their children will have. In this case it's more complicated, and publicly so, than most.

 

[overedge]

She could just call it American Riviera whatever and not make her name, in whatever form, part of it. If it needs her name/image to be successful, then....I mean, people can buy faux-country linens and household goods in a billion other places already.

 

[skategal]

She could just call it American Riviera whatever and not make her name, in whatever form, part of it. If it needs her name/image to be successful, then....I mean, people can buy faux-country linens and household goods in a billion other places already.

Why?

Everyone else sticks their name on stuff and it’s the name you are buying and it’s the name that is needed to be successful.

Why isn’t she allowed to do it too?

 

[canbelto]

I think its more like i have no idea what she's aiming to sell.

 

[Sparks]

Interesting that this has turned into a Meghan thread

 

[ignosk8er]

I just want to know... Is "American Riviera" a common nickname for the Santa Barbara coast? I've never even heard of that nickname for any coastal region in the US - and if it is one, I'd have guessed it was for the Hamptons or maybe Palm Beach County, not Santa Barbara County.

Yes. Santa Barbara glommed it (for marketing purposes) ages ago.

This City on California’s Central Coast Is Known as the American Riviera

Santa Barbara, known as the American Riviera, has Mediterranean weather, sweeping coastlines, and incredible wine.

www.travelandleisure.com

More here:

https://santabarbaraca.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/SantaBarbara_OverviewandHistory_180330.pdf

I was instantly reminded of the less glamorous name for the Texas coast: Redneck Riviera (please don’t come for me - not my label, not my rodeo).

 

[Amy L]

I was instantly reminded of the less glamorous name for the Texas coast: Redneck Riviera (please don’t come for me - not my label, not my rodeo).

... it's not entirely wrong (I live 5 miles from the Gulf, not the touristy part though)

 

[marbri]

I think its more like i have no idea what she's aiming to sell.

The moment you start to suspect you are on someone's ignore list

 

[overedge]

Why?

Everyone else sticks their name on stuff and it’s the name you are buying and it’s the name that is needed to be successful.

Why isn’t she allowed to do it too?

She's allowed to do it, I'm not disputing that. I just don't think it's a particularly well thought through business strategy.

IMO if you have to stick your name on a product to be successful, then the product isn't distinctive enough to sell itself. And the homewares market is already very full of people trying to trade on their name, along with companies with well-established brand names. It's a very competitive market that's a challenge for new entrants. Relying on a famous name as the selling point also has the potential to go sideways really quickly, if something negative affects the perception of the famous name.

 

[skategal]

Interesting that this has turned into a Meghan thread

It’s all her fault, don’t ya know?

 

[skategal]

She's allowed to do it, I'm not disputing that. I just don't think it's a particularly well thought through business strategy.

IMO if you have to stick your name on a product to be successful, then the product isn't distinctive enough to sell itself. And the homewares market is already very full of people trying to trade on their name, along with companies with well-established brand names. It's a very competitive market that's a challenge for new entrants. Relying on a famous name as the selling point also has the potential to go sideways really quickly, if something negative affects the perception of the famous name.

And yet celebrities do it all the time and make gazillions from it.

Can’t be that bad of a strategy.

 

[overedge]

And yet celebrities do it all the time and make gazillions from it.

Can’t be that bad of a strategy.

We hear about the celebrities that are successful. We don't hear much about the ones that failed, and there are more than a few of those.

 

[skategal]

We hear about the celebrities that are successful. We don't hear much about the ones that failed, and there are more than a few of those.

I guess we will have to wait and see what happens but most of her endeavours have been successful so far so she has a good track record.

 

[airgelaal]

To be honest, I'm more interested in the reaction of Sussex residents

 

[canbelto]

The moment you start to suspect you are on someone's ignore list

I read your post. Just curious how she plans to market these home goods. Like I hate goop but at least she has a definite niche.

 

[marbri]

It’s all her fault, don’t ya know?

Well it is a thread about royalty and the Duchess of Sussex just launched her new adventure so where else should people talk about it

 

[marbri]

I read your post. Just curious how she plans to market these home goods. Like I hate goop but at least she has a definite niche.

The only thing I remember of Goop was a vagina scented candle

I'd be more likely to buy a jar of jam from Meghan . It think the info they gave to various outlets lays out her vision, which I can see being popular with some people. Instagram is full of people "living" the lifestyle of the products she will be selling.

 

[canbelto]

So I read ppl saying that since Kate was wearing skinny jeans in that photo it must have been an old photo. Not necessarily. Her abdomen area is covered and it's possible she was wearing stretch leggings. Pregnant women wear those all the time. They're yoga pants that look like jeans.

 

[Vagabond]

Well it is a thread about royalty and the Duchess of Sussex just launched her new adventure so where else should people talk about it

In the Harry and Meghan thread?

 

[Barbara Manatee]

She'll probably do quite well initially because she's getting an incredible amount of PR - and all for free! But I think a personal brand needs to have a clear and consistent identity - when you think of Martha Stewart or Gwyneth Paltrow you know exactly what kind of lifestyle they represent. To me, American Riviera Orchard and Duchess of Sussex aren't cohesive. Is she selling relaxed California or traditional Europe?

 

[marbri]

In the Harry and Meghan thread?

Well then I guess someone who really cares should go digging through this forum and resurrect that.

 

[skategal]

Well then I guess someone who really cares should go digging through this forum and resurrect that.

IIRC we were directed by the admin to keep discussions of Meghan and Harry out of this Royalty thread and into their own thread.

 

[marbri]

IIRC we were directed by the admin to keep discussions of Meghan and Harry out of this Royalty thread and into their own thread.

IIRC that other thread (wherever it is now ) titled also referred to the heir and baby brain and we all just spent pages talking about their photoshop skills in this thread so not seeing the problem.

But again, go resurrect it if it bothers you so much,

 

[skategal]

IIRC that other thread (wherever it is now ) titled also referred to the heir and baby brain and we all just spent pages talking about their photoshop skills in this thread so not seeing the problem.

But again, go resurrect it if it bothers you so much,

It doesn’t bother me.

You were the one who asked where else people should post about Meghan and Harry.

We just answered you.

 

[Lynn226]

IIRC we were directed by the admin to keep discussions of Meghan and Harry out of this Royalty thread and into their own thread.

Well, until an admin comes along to ask for my hall pass . . .

Does this mean we'll see Meghan doing infomercials or ads on YouTube? Are infomercials still a thing?

 

[marbri]

It doesn’t bother me.

You were the one who asked where else people should post about Meghan and Harry.

We just answered you.

Sure, Jan.

 

[skategal]

Sure, Jan.

I’ve been posting about Meghan here as much as you all have.

But I did remember when you asked where else to post that we were asked to take it elsewhere.

 

[marbri]

Well, until an admin comes along to ask for my hall pass . . .

Does this mean we'll see Meghan doing infomercials or ads on YouTube? Are infomercials still a thing?

Netflix?

Meghan unveils new solo Netflix show with 'filming to start in weeks'

Meghan Markle has coincided the launch of her new lifestyle brand with a new Netflix show.

www.express.co.uk

I think she might have something here. No telling longterm success. But they clearly have a vision, a strategy and an American fanbase to sell to. Throw in the Oprah connection to get an item on those lists whenever they are given out and time will tell. I think it's the first thing she has done since leaving the UK that actually makes sense. And if I think it makes sense, not being a fan, I think her fans will lap it up (at least in the beginning).

 

[marbri]

I’ve been posting about Meghan here as much as you all have.

But I did remember when you asked where else to post that we were asked to take it elsewhere.

Silly me, I didn't realise you were being helpful..