Meghan Markle slammed after she applies to trademark 480-YEAR-OLD word 'Archetypes' for Spotify podcast

Meghan Markle is now trying to trademark the word ‘Archetypes’ after announcing that her first series of podcasts for audio streaming giant Spotify would be called Archetypes. The Duchess of Sussex can stop anyone else from using the word 'archetypes', which first appeared in the English language around the 1540s. She has already made the application at the United States Patent and Trademark Office last month, which covers the use of the word.

Meghan's podcast titled 'Archetypes' includes a list of products and services related to the fields of cultural treatment of women and stereotypes facing women. It may include everything from podcasts, television programs, DVDs, CDs, and entertainment services distributed through satellite and cable TV, global computer networks, the internet, wireless devices, mobile applications, set-top boxes, webcasts, and streaming media.

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‘Archetypes’ will be hosted by Meghan, who will speak to historians, experts, and women who have experienced being typecast, and it has been announced that the podcast will finally debut this summer. In a trailer for the project, the Meghan said, "This is how we talk about women: the words that raise our girls, and how the media reflects women back to us. But where do these stereotypes come from? And how do they keep showing up and defining our lives?"

Meghan, previewing the type of guests who will feature, added, "This is 'Archetypes' — the podcast where we dissect, explore, and subvert the labels that try to hold women back. I’ll have conversations with women who know all too well how these typecasts shape our narratives. And I’ll talk to historians to understand how we even got here in the first place."

 

The application was made by Archewell Audio, one of a complex web of 11 companies established by Harry and Meghan and based in the opaque tax haven of Delaware. It would mean they own the trademark rather than Spotify, which paid them a rumored £18 million in 2020 to host podcasts and audio shows for the company.

The Duchess has long been a campaigner for female empowerment. Spotify and Archewell Audio described her conversations with typecast women as uncensored and said the duchess would delve into the origins of stereotypes. The podcast will be produced by Archewell Audio in partnership with Gimlet Media for Spotify.

Meghan could face a legal challenge from companies that use the word in their names, such as the skincare and cleaning products business Archetypes, which has already established a trademark, but nevertheless, as of now, the idea seems to be going strong.

But such a move by the Duchess is causing quite a commotion on Twitter. A user sarcastically tweeted, "Maybe #MeghanMarkle thought “archetype” is a new word she invented. I don’t know how you can trademark a word that is being used since 1500s."

Another referred to Meghan trying to act like a PR genius and wrote, "Ok twitter, is mad Meghan Markle a PR genius when trying to go trademark “archetype”? Or is she just a #archetype? #branding #madness #genius #bighead #MeghanMarkle."

But a supporter of the duchess defended her, tweeting, "She’s registering her podcast name not the word “Archetype”. It’s a type of insurance in case of a legal conflict, eg., someone else with a similar podcast name to draw away her listeners."