Meghan Markle lacks authenticity of Martha Stewart, Rachael Ray: experts

Meghan Markle’s new Netflix show has drawn comparisons to the works of lifestyle guru Martha Stewart and celebrity chef Rachael Ray, but experts say the Duchess of Sussex still has a lot to learn.“With Love, Meghan,” which premiered March 4, followed the 43-year-old as she shared cooking, hosting and gardening tips while appearing alongside celebrity friends and chefs at an estate in Montecito, California.Though the show has already been renewed for a second season, it’s received an overwhelmingly negative response from critics. PR expert Doug Eldridge told Fox News Digital that while Stewart and Ray adopted two different marketing approaches while building their empires, there was an essential common component — one that Markle is currently missing.“In marketing, there is aspirational marketing and relatability marketing.Martha Stewart was aspirational; Rachael Ray was relatable.

Each personality came at it from a different direction, but managed to connect with their audiences (because they were authentic) and in so doing, climbed to the top of the lifestyle mountain, respectively,” Eldrige said.He continued, “Connection comes in two forms, but regardless of the path or direction, it remains the critical first step in any creative or marketing endeavor.”A lack of authenticity was one of the most pervasive complaints from critics who took issue with “With Love, Meghan” and Markle as its host, with some noting that the show’s setting was a contributing factor.The show wasn’t filmed at the Montecito home that Markle shares with her husband Prince Harry, 40, and their children Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3.In an interview with People magazine, Markle explained why she instead opted for the show to be filmed at a rental property in her neighborhood.“I wanted to protect that safe haven,” she told the outlet.

“We’re a close-knit family, and I love those moments — putting Lili down for a nap, having lunch together, hav...