Pamela Anderson ‘Outshines’ Arch Rival Meghan Markle in Lifestyle Branding

Pamela Anderson is making pickles now, and somehow, she is doing it better than Meghan Markle. Yes, Pamela Anderson, the “Baywatch” icon, has officially entered the lifestyle branding world. Her new collab with Flamingo Estate is a smart move that is turning heads.

At the same time, Meghan Markle’s own brand, As Ever, seems stuck in a rut. Her Netflix cooking show is getting panned, and her products feel like they are trying too hard. Meanwhile, Pamela shows up with floral pickles and a purpose, and suddenly, she is the lifestyle queen no one saw coming.

The “Barb Wire” icon’s limited-edition “Pamela’s Pickles,” made in partnership with Flamingo Estate, is a major move. Inspired by her great-aunt Vie’s recipe, they mix rose petals, pink peppercorns, and guajillo chile. They are $38 a jar, and every cent goes to the California Wildlife Center.

Meghan / IG / According to reports, Meghan Markle was this close to working with Flamingo Estate herself. There were rumors of a partnership for her As Ever brand, but nothing came of it.

Now, the same brand is celebrating Anderson, not Markle. That stings.

Instead, the 44-year-old Duchess went solo. She launched pickled lemons on Instagram and released her Netflix cooking show, “With Love, Meghan.” But the buzz was lukewarm. Critics called the show stiff. Viewers said it felt too glossy, too scripted. Like she was selling something, not sharing something.

Why Pamela Feels Real?

What is working for Pamela Anderson is simple: She is being herself. She is not pretending to be a lifestyle guru. The star actress is just showing what she loves: gardening, cooking, and helping animals. Branding pros like Chad Teixera have called her approach “playful” and “real,” the kind of authenticity people crave right now.

In the lifestyle space, being relatable is everything. Pamela Anderson nailed that. Her collaboration tells a full story of family roots, purpose, and personality.

Meghan, on the other hand, is struggling to shake off the image of someone who is always marketing. Her lifestyle brand might look pretty, but without heart, it is just packaging. That is a hard truth in a world where people are tired of fake polish.

Pamela / IG / When Pamela pitched her idea, Flamingo Estate’s founder, Richard Christiansen, didn’t hesitate. “When Pamela Anderson calls with an idea,” he said, “the answer is always yes.”

Note, both Pamela and Meghan launched cooking shows this year. Pamela’s “Cooking with Love” dropped in February. Meghan’s came out a month later. The formats are similar, both rooted in food, home, and lifestyle, but the reactions couldn’t be more different.

Anderson’s show got solid reviews. Critics said it felt relaxed and warm. Meghan’s? Not so much. Her show faced backlash for being overproduced. People wanted connection, but what they got felt more like a brand campaign. That’s not a good look when you are trying to build trust.

However, the timing of Meghan’s pickled lemon post raised eyebrows. Some fans saw it as a subtle dig at Anderson’s pickle drop. If it was meant to compete, it didn’t land. Pamela’s product had a real backstory and a cause behind it. Meghan’s post looked like it was scrambling to stay relevant.

That is the problem with Meghan’s brand lately. It feels like it is reacting instead of leading. People can sense when something is calculated. Meanwhile, Pamela seems to be moving forward on her own terms, not chasing headlines or competitors.