Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Diet Plans - Nutrisystem

I mute the commercials. I know a lot of people like Marie Osmond but I can't take those commercials anymore. First of all, I am sure she didn't pay for that plan - which for poor slobs like you and me, costs about $300 a month. (Although Nutrisystem says the plan costs no more than it normally does to eat for a month... or something like that... Who knew the plan was as cheap as Ramen?) Second, I'm sure they paid her. Third, I'm just sick of all their celeb endorsements in general.

Is that fair advertising? Don't you have to say the person is paid? Isn't that a bit like someone who testifies at a trial for a lighter sentence? You know what I mean? They have a motivation to say what they are saying... Or in the same Law and Order vein - a paid expert who will testify to anything as long as the check is made out to CASH?

Over at mental_floss.com I found this info:

Marie Osmond also shills for Nutrisystem. What the TV testimonials don’t mention, however, is that at about the same time Marie signed up for Nutrisystem, she also joined the Choose to Move program. And then she landed a spot on Dancing with the Stars, which she admitted required six hour per day workouts for several months that left her breathless and dripping with perspiration. While the Nutrisystem foods must have helped, the relentless exercise also contributed to her losing an amazing 40 lbs. in five months.

Yeah now that makes sense to me...

And about Jillian Barberi... another "success" story

Jillian Barberi boasts of losing 41 lbs. on the plan. What the fine print fails to mention is that in her “before” photos, Jillian is pregnant. Alert viewers in the Los Angeles area spotted her wearing the same dress (in the same physical shape) on a local morning TV show while gushing about her expected baby. Once baby Ruby was born, Barberi not only went on the Nutrisystem plan, she also hired a personal trainer (according to an interview in People) to get herself back in shape.

I find the information

fascinating... and thanks to mental floss for publishing it. Doesn't that smack of wearing false eye lashes in a mascara commercial?


Apparently the Federal Trade Commission has finally had enough....Er. Well had enough in 2004.... (Me too.) when they launched their “Big Fat Lie” Initiative...

What happened to that, by the way?

According to the Chicago Tribune all is not lost... and notes:

The Federal Trade Commission is reviewing new guidelines to product endorsements. They include:


•Consumer testimonials would have to be substantiated and ads would have to include generally expected results. Endorsers, not just advertisers, could be held liable for deceptive claims. "You'd have to say not only is it extreme, but how extreme is it," the FTC's Richard Cleland said.

•Celebrities who talk up a product in an interview must disclose if they are getting paid for the promotion. Celebrities who endorse products would have to disclose if they have an ownership interest.

•Expert endorsers, like doctors, must have experience in the product area they are endorsing. If they don't, the limits of their expertise must be stated. For instance, an ophthalmologist identified only as a doctor could not be portrayed as an expert physician endorsing a hearing aid.

•Bloggers who get free products and then endorse them on their blogs would have to make it clear they got the products free.


About damn, time... and for your viewing pleasure...


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