In June, Spotify leaked news of their split with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to the Wall Street Journal. The trade papers followed up, and it was briefly a no-blame business story about a podcast/music streaming company making adjustments to their business model and the Sussexes looking at other platforms, especially given Meghan’s new WME representation. Within days, the story took a decidedly negative turn when Spotify executive Bill Simmons called Harry and Meghan “f–king grifters,” and industry sources began gossiping about Spotify’s disappointment in the lack of Sussex output. I still feel like Harry and Meghan should have done more to push back against the Spotify narrative specifically – this wasn’t some British tabloid fever dream, it was about the industry and their business, and they just let those stories sit out there, festering like an open wound. Well, perhaps the Sussexes didn’t clapback because it looks like they’re “over” their nascent podcasting careers.
Meghan Markle has officially ditched her Archetypes podcast after her £18million Spotify deal fell through. The Duchess of Sussex has abandoned an attempt to secure the name of the ill-fated Archetypes streaming series backed by husband Prince Harry.
Meghan had wanted to trademark the word Archetypes but the couple – who quit frontline royal family duties in 2020 – have now withdrawn the bid by their firm Archewell Audio. They previously asked the US Patent and Trademark Office to grant exclusive name rights but have now given up. A newly-revealed notice on the USPTO website revealed how they have formally withdrawn their claim.
An “abandonment” record was given for Archewell Audio’s bid to trademark “Archetypes” as a name for “Downloadable audio recordings and podcasts, all in the fields of cultural treatment of women and stereotypes facing women”.
The move comes after Meghan’s Spotify deal was scrapped in June with the announcement her podcast wouldn’t get a second series. It was said the shows did not meet “productivity requirements”.
Well, this doesn’t actually mean that Meghan is abandoning podcasting altogether, it just means that she’s not trying to fight over exclusive rights to the “Archetypes” name. If she does sign on to another podcasting platform – a big if – she might just start over with a new show name and a new idea. I wonder if she wants to continue podcasting? I would understand if she thought “why bother,” but it felt like she got the hang of it after a few episodes, and I could see how she might want to just start over with a new concept, new name, new platform and new ideas.
Photos courtesy of Spotify and Cover Images.
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- Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrive to watch the swimming finals at the Merkur Spiel-Arena during the Invictus Games in Düsseldorf, Germany. Featuring: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 13 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duchess of Sussex adjusts her hair at the sitting volleyball competition on field one at the Merkur Spiel-Arena during the Invictus Games Featuring: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 14 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the IG25 and Team Canada Reception at the Hilton Hotel during the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Germany. Featuring: Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 15 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the IG25 and Team Canada Reception at the Hilton Hotel during the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Germany. Featuring: Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex Where: Dusseldorf, Germany When: 15 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
:((((( I really liked Archetypes. I re-listen to the episodes all the time.
I think it’s pretty clear at this point that the value proposition of Spotify and podcast just isn’t there. It’s basically talk radio—sports, opinion, not much else and to be really successful you have to churn out a lot of content five days a week and even then it’s basically a pretty small business, chasing ad revenue. She could do much better financially by reviving some version of The Tig and by continuing to produce Netflix content.
@ELX Thank you. Well said.
Or go to something like Radiotopia which has weekly or semi-regular series. A lot of podcasts do seasons now.
I would go with the new name, new format theory. Unless Meghan just wants to go all in on producing. But I think she would want a consistent platform and voice out there and a podcast would give her that.
Just more rubbish after a very successful Invictus games and then the Kevin Costner charity event this weekend. They must 💩 on anything Meg. Meg will do things her way and on her timeline. I think she may have some things in the pipe and we will have to wait to see what those things will be.
@susanCollins, I agree Susan, they can’t stand the success they are having. I think Megan has taken her time, thought and looked at what she wants to do, and how she wants to do it. Being as she’s an intelligent woman, Megan would also have listened to what her new agency has to say and will take it from there, but I’m sure something big is on its way! Seems someone might be useing my name again!!!
@MaryPester. Did I miss something? Someone is using your name? Or is someone using her name?
@susanCollins, it was someone using my name, do you remember I had that problem before? I did ask her why she was using my name, and then she was gone!and I would love to have Harry doing podcasts as well! I also don’t want to stop posting as I would miss you all too much, it brings me so much comfort chatting with you all
@MaryPester. Oh was it the marypester1 again? I’ve looked through this comment section and they seem to have deleted it?
@MaryPester. It looks like they got rid of the imposter. Never stop chatting with us with the name you have just if you see the fake again call it out and they seem to remove them. We enjoy all your on 🔥 comments!!
I’d dump the name too and rebrand so that Spotify has zero association with anything Meghan does going forward. They deserve not a single crumb of connection with her future successes. By the way, Archetypes was a genius name.
I think a name change is fine too. It can’t be the theme of all her future podcasts, should she choose to keep podcasting. It’s a little too constraining to be boxed in like that.
@ Harper exactly! I wouldn’t want Spotify to capitalize off her name after what one of their executives said about her. Spotify should have rectified that with an apology and consequences for that man. Not going to hold my breath. Organizations like that may want to profit off poc voices and tout their progressive inclusive policies but when it really comes down to it they act like the same ol’ white hierarchy we can all see right through!
Meghan is smart, witty and quick on her feet, I don’t know why she isn’t podcasting weekly. I liked Archetypes but I think she would really shine in a more free form format.
Yeah i was thinking same too. Podcast is full time business, season to season doesnt work well. Most podcaster do seven days and all month. But very quality i follow science they do once a week with good and professional guest. Also you need to involve in podcast start to finish , its not charity where your assistant and charity worker plan everything and you show up.
As kaiser said , they should have done more episodes.Also did they get full payment?
@Jennie: Except for the huge podcasts most are done in seasons. There was nothing wrong in the way Meghan did her podcast.
Statistics I found: 10% of podcasts put out daily, 35% weekly, 39% monthly. The rest are: biweekly, semi-monthly, quarterly, seasonally and no set schedule.
I love stats. Found the same. Even the horrible Joe Rogan doesn’t put out a daily podcast. His numbers ae 3 to 4 a week. Not seven days a week. Good article about seasonal podcasting for those in backrow.
https://blog.podcast.co/create/podcasting-in-seasons
“Also you need to involve in podcast start to finish , its not charity where your assistant and charity worker plan everything and you show up.”. @jennie we’re talking about Meghan, not Kate. That’s Kate’s style of “work”.
I really enjoyed Archetypes and I would love for her to do another podcast. That being said, I hope Meghan does whatever she wants to do and is happy doing it. It doesn’t what she takes up next because the trash British media with sh!t all over it and write a million op-eds about it.
+++1000. Agree. There was a lot I learned from Meghan’s Archetypes podcast. She did a great job and we were introduced to a lot of information, educational and entertaining stories.
It’s possible Spotify legally blocked them from taking the show elsewhere. Considering how bitter an angry that executive was, I could totally see it.
There are SO many directions Meghan could go. She could create another podcast where she produces but only occasionally hosts but others are the main hosts. She could be focusing on Netflix productions. She could be developing a show that could be syndicated all over the world.
I still think The Tig could come back in some sort of revamped form.
I think when the contract ended it was announced Meghan owned the IP and she could move the show somewhere else. But I think she just wants a fresh start and clean break from anything to do with Spotify. That way there would be no confusion on where to find her show.
Most likely Meghan is planning to start fresh if she continues podcasting. Archetypes is too closely identified with Spotify and there’s also the possibility Spotify may have a claim of some sort on the use of the name for podcasting.
Also it’s absolutely crazy how the BM stalks H&M. They pay people to scour American government and business websites to track and find out any tidbit of information so it can be used to write negative articles. It’s insane.
It’s not surprising though considering the anti-Meghan machine is incredibly lucrative. They’re most likely using AI to track their names anywhere and everywhere.
This won’t ever go away until the next generation are teen/young adults.
I suspect she’s not abandoning podcasting just giving up on the name. It wouldn’t be surprising if she came out with something else.
Although I enjoyed Meghan’s podcast, I never liked the title “Archetypes” – it was a combo of cutesy, pedantic and inaccurate. Plus, it limits the content if she wants to do a more far-ranging podcast. To me, it’s better to keep the “Arche” in the background – Archewell Productions, Audio, etc., and bring a fresh title to a new project.
I didn’t like the title either. It drove me crazy that she kept saying “archetypes” when the word she was looking for was “stereotypes.”
An archetype can be a character, a theme, a symbol or even a situation whereas a stereotype usually refers to a character with generalized traits and behaviour mimicking others. That’s why archetypes works better than stereotypes as it has a much wider application.
The use of Archetypes was not inaccurate.
I’m not going to rehash the archetypes/stereotypes argument again. When half the audience thinks she means one thing and the other half thinks she means another, then it’s not an optimal title. It’s not a big deal – she did very well for a first try.
While Meghan did get the hang of interviewing, I got the impression she got the podcast itch out of her system. I can see her being more hands on behind the scenes but I think she’s done being the face and voice for a podcast.
It’s sad bc there were topics that women were interested in and can relate to but when all coverage on both sides of the pond focus on Meghan’s reaction and trying to parcel out anything that could be related to the RF rather than the content itself, then is it doing more harm than good? Again I don’t think Meghan will ever fully escape it but she can if she isn’t the face and voice of a podcast.
So Meghan should avoid doing what she needs/wants to do because she needs to “escape” the media’s reaction?
Bundle Meghan away in a burrow – only way to keep her ‘safe’. I like non-stories sometimes – at least it proves a ton of ppl do not have any access to Meghan at all
Have zero opinion on what Meghan should do re: podcasting but I’m just sitting here….patiently waiting for the next announcement. I’ve been saving my money Meghan lol.
Ditto. Patiently waiting for whatever Meghan wants to do. BTW noticed somebody had made her lemon olive oil cake that was in WCK cookbook. Also like to go back and listen to Archetypes and see if the experts they talked to have written anything.
This title really is just clickbate – she did archetypes and it finished. no where did she say it would have multiple seasons, it felt like a complete work. It wasn’t perfect, but still, better than most podcasts out there. Just – saying she abandoned it feels unkind.
We don’t know what Meghan is going to do but she has abandoned the pursuit of the copyright for Archetypes. The British press is portraying it as Meghan giving up on podcasting. Kaiser is just asking the question as to whether she will continue podcasting.
Agreed. I feel like most people missed the fact that Archetypes was a one season show. She said it in the beginning. A lot of people seem to be skimming over what Meghan and Harry announce which is why I personally wish they started an Instagram for a written format that was more accessible than their website. I feel like Meghan changing everything about archetypes after the first season would be chaotic and give off the impression that she doesn’t know what she wants to do career wise and that’s not Meghan at all. Since their spokesperson said she is doing something else for the Archetypes community I can’t wait to see but I don’t expect anything else.
Their website is more accessible than any social media account. You don’t have to sign up to their website to get information like you do Instagram. You can say you want them on Instagram without the myth that you can’t access their website. And how more accessible will Instagram be if they turn off their comments?
A new name would give Meghan the freedom to discuss a wider variety of topics.
i dont think she should give up podcasting, i listen to malcolm gladwell’s podcast and he does about 12 episodes a season, and trevor noah used to have a podcast which was great on luminary,that was also seasonal i hope she comes back with something soon. or maybe they can translate it into a tv show
Meghan might not host another podcast but that doesn’t mean Archewell Audio won’t produce another podcast or become a podcast company with several podcasts produced under their podcasting umbrella. I always think of Aaron Mahnke who started Lore (a podcast I keep meaning to dive into) and how his company produces so many popular podcasts or the My Favorite Murder hosts who started the Exactly Right podcast company. I wouldn’t be surprised if they announce the acquisition of already existing podcasts that may join their podcast network and also brand new ones.
Apart from the romance novel being adapted, really have no hint of what she’s doing. I really liked Archetype’s and had potential to develop further, so curious to see what that’s about.
I hope she doesn’t abandon podcasting altogether – she’s so good at it! And while I would love for her to keep the Archetypes name – she may find it limiting. Who knows – maybe we will get a podcast just called “Meghan”.
I feel like Archetypes is done and dusted. It did the job it needed to do. Continuing to find more and more archetypes (inevitably less significant or pervasive ones as time goes by) would dilute the power of the original season. I also think it would open her to criticism that all she wants to do is complain about being labeled. She’s clearly a much more positive person than that, so yeah, move on and keep Archetype’s success clean and clear.
I hope if she does more podcasting, she’ll consider a more fun format/program as well. Not everything needs to be weighty.
Feel the same way. I loved the podcast but feel she has broader interests that go beyond such a tight format. I loved the historical and social context of the conversations so hope that can be explored further, as well as being on current issues and topics. Also, they have these projects and grants related to digital and news literacy so hope she explores topics related to that. Anyway, she’s always doing something and when it’s ready we’ll know.
I think it would be great if all 12 episodes of Archetypes were marketed on a site like Amazon .