Meghan Markle, often regarded as a master of spectacle and self-promotion, has once again seized the spotlight.
This time, her image loomed over New York City’s iconic Times Square on a massive digital billboard, advertising her Netflix project, With Love, Meghan. The striking display has sparked debate, with some questioning whether it was part of a broader Netflix marketing strategy or a personal investment to maintain relevance. The billboard, a glowing testament to her relentless PR efforts, presented a carefully crafted image with dramatic visuals, ensuring social media buzz. While some view it as a bold display of success, others are skeptical, wondering if this was a Netflix-backed campaign or a self-funded attempt to keep her name in circulation.
A quick search reveals that securing a spot in Times Square is far from the monumental achievement it once was. For approximately $150, anyone can purchase a 15-second ad slot that plays every hour for a day. In fact, K-pop fans have been using this accessibility for years to showcase their favorite idols. With this in mind, Meghan’s billboard appearance hardly signals Hollywood prestige. If Netflix were truly confident in With Love, Meghan, wouldn’t there have been a more expansive promotional rollout? Appearances on major talk shows like Good Morning America or The Today Show, or even an exclusive interview with Oprah, would have been expected. Instead, all that materialized was a single billboard in one city, leaving many to suspect that this was a last-ditch attempt to generate publicity.
This isn’t the first time Meghan has embarked on an ambitious promotional campaign that failed to live up to expectations. Take Archetypes, her heavily publicized podcast, which was featured on billboards in New York and Australia. Despite the initial hype, the podcast ultimately flopped, leading to Spotify severing ties with her. Top executives even branded her a “grifter,” dealing a significant blow to her reputation. Given this track record, it’s difficult to believe Netflix is fully invested in With Love, Meghan. Was this project genuinely deemed worthy of another chance, or was the streaming giant merely using up leftover ad space before her contract expires?
If Meghan anticipated that the Times Square ad would ignite widespread admiration, the reaction has likely been disappointing. The response has been anything but favorable, with online commentary under the project’s trailer leaning overwhelmingly negative. YouTube dislikes paint a bleak picture, while social media, particularly X (formerly Twitter), has been flooded with skepticism. Even New Yorkers—accustomed to the outlandish displays of Times Square—appear largely indifferent. Some critics took issue with the choice of imagery, calling it unflattering, while others dismissed the stunt as another desperate grasp for attention. Inevitably, her and Prince Harry’s infamous “near-catastrophic” car chase—an event widely believed to have been exaggerated for media sympathy—was dragged into the conversation once more.
The lingering question remains: will With Love, Meghan be a breakthrough success, or will it suffer the same fate as Archetypes, fading into irrelevance? While Meghan may have the resources to purchase a billboard, true public interest is not something that can be bought. As the neon lights of Times Square continue to glow, so too does the illusion that Meghan Markle is Hollywood’s next big sensation. In the end, this latest PR move serves as a stark reminder that real relevance cannot be manufactured—no matter how grand the display.
