Meghan Markle’s American Riviera Orchard’s logo hits trademark snag — and it’s all about the ‘O’: report
By Sean Mandell,
2024-09-06
Meghan Markle’s lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, faces another trademark setback as it tries to get off the ground.
Just days after being denied a trademark for the brand name by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the company has now faced a challenge from the government over its logo.
The issue, however, comes down to how the logo is described in the application rather than the logo design. The trademark office took particular issue with what they view as a disparity in how the letter “O” appears and is represented in a written description.
Meghan Markle chats with people inside the Drawing Room during a visit to Cardiff Castle on January 18, 2018 in Cardiff, Wales. Getty Images
“Applicant must submit an amended description of the mark that agrees with the mark on the drawing,” the USTPO wrote in their “non-final action” document, according to Daily Mail .
“The current description is inconsistent with the mark on the drawing and is thus inaccurate. Descriptions must be accurate and identify only those literal and design elements appearing in the mark.”
The document added, “In particular, the current mark description indicates that the letter ‘O’ appears in the mark. However, the letter is now clearly visible or highly stylized that it is unrecognizable as a letter. Furthermore, the description is incomplete because it does not describe all the elements in the mark.”
The logo / monogram for American Riviera Orchard. Instagram/American Riviera Orchard
However, the trademark body gave Markle’s brand advice on how it might amend its application.
“The following description is suggested, if accurate: The mark consists of a double lined octagon enclosing the stylized and overlapping letters ‘AR’ and incorporating decorative and looping lines. The latter ‘A’ contains a stylized flower at the top of the letter,” the trademark office stated in their reply to Markle’s application.
The document also flagged some descriptions for a handful of goods American Riviera Orchard plans to sell as “too broad.” Descriptions for bath soap, cocktail napkins, pans, cooking utensils, namely forks, strainers, spoons, spreaders, spatulas, whisks and tongs, were among those needing an edit.
Meghan Markle speaks during the ‘Responsible Digital Future’ forum in Bogota on August 15, 2024. AFP via Getty Images
A source confirmed to The Post that American Riviera Orchard has received several office actions as part of its ongoing trademark application. However, they noted that such notes are routine and expected when filing for trademarks.
The Post understands that American Riviera Orchard will respond to the USPTO’s document in due course.
On August 31, the USTPO responded to American Riviera Orchard’s trademark application, writing that businesses cannot trademark geographical locations — a problem because “American Riviera” is synonymous with Santa Barbara, California.
The full logo and branding for American Riviera Orchard as posted on the company’s website. American Riviera Orchard
“Registration is refused because the applied-for mark is primarily geographically descriptive,” the USPTO document stated.
“Commonly used nicknames for geographic locations are generally treated as equivalent to the proper geographic name of the place identified,” the board said, adding, “American Riviera is a common nickname for Santa Barbara, California.”
The USPTO also said that adding the word “Orchard” to the brand name “does not diminish the primarily geographical descriptiveness of the applied for mark.”
Polo player Nacho posted this image of the dog biscuits from American Riviera Orchard on Instagram Stories. Instagram/nachofigueras Jam is one of the many products Markle’s American Riviera Orchard plans to sell. Instagram/nachofigueras
Why don’t these two have an advisor or an attorney who proofs their ideas before they go public and it often doesn’t work.it seems like they have a lot of issues with a lot of what they do
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.
Local News
