The Duchess of Sussex' s new luxury lifestyle brand is being targeted by fake accounts on Instagram, which could threaten Meghan's 'credibility' and 'trustworthiness', according to an expert. Meghan quietly launched her new lifestyle brand,
American Riviera Orchard, last month and has already gained more than 570,000 followers. American Riviera Orchard is thought to be a lifestyle and cookery brand that will tie in with a new cooking show on
Netflix and the new brand, which has only been launched with the
Instagram handle and a soft focus grainy video. It was suggested Meghan could rake in more than six-figures in sales in the first weeks of American Riviera Orchard’s launch, but it has not been revealed when the products will go on sale. Whilst the brand quickly earned more than half a million followers when it launched, all is not as it appears with a 'significant' amount of fake accounts or bots included in the fan following. READ MORE:
Meghan Markle must unveil two things for American Riviera Orchard's success, says expert Meghan Markle's new lifestyle brand could be could 'undermined' by the presence of fake followers which threaten 'the authenticity and trustworthiness of her online presence' ( Image: AFP via Getty Images) Stacey Wong from digital marketing agency Own Your Space explained: "The Instagram for American Riviera Orchard showcases a robust following of over half a million, a testament to her powerful personal brand and appeal. However, the presence of a 13.77% 'fake follower' metric reveals a common challenge in digital brand management. Navigating this landscape requires strategic engagement and authentic content to maintain and enhance brand integrity." "Having 7.25% suspicious mass followers and 6.52% likely bots or fake accounts presents a significant threat to the integrity of her brand. These fake followers not only distort engagement metrics but also undermine the authenticity and trustworthiness of her online presence. With the rise of influencer marketing and the increasing emphasis on genuine connections with audiences, the presence of fake followers can tarnish Markle's credibility and hinder her ability to effectively communicate with her genuine followers." As a brand, American Riviera Orchard hasn't yet confirmed what it will retail, yet it's expected that the brand will stock home decor items such as marmalades, jams, and other lifestyle products including dog shampoo and cosmetics according to trademark documents that have been launched. The company is thought to be emulating Meghan's previous lifestyle brand The Tig, and likely aimed at a female audience. Meghan launched v last month and has amassed over half a million followers on Instagram ( Image: American Riviera Orchard/Instagram) Stacey added: "The demographic breakdown of Meghan's brand audience on Instagram, predominantly female and within the 25-34 age range, indicates a highly targeted market segment. This presents a golden opportunity for tailored marketing strategies. Yet, the presence of suspicious followers underscores the importance of continual audience analysis to ensure genuine engagement and brand loyalty." Meghan's new brand is thought to be part of her plan to relaunch the Sussex brand and secure lucrative brand deals as she and husband Prince Harry's net worth has been revealed following their step back from the
Royal Family four years ago. According to reports, the Sussexes have a combined net worth of $60 million (£48m), despite their stepping down from their roles as senior working royals in 2020 and being forced to repay the taxpayer costs for the renovation of Frogmore Cottage , their former Windsor home. The Mirror has reached out to Meghan Markle's representatives for comment on this story. Follow the Mirror US News page on
Facebook All the latest news, showbiz, lifestyle and sports updates, brought to you by our dedicated American team. Follow the Mirror US News page on Facebook to make sure you're not missing out. Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram ,
Twitter , Facebook ,
YouTube and Threads .