The Biggest Loser is hands down the best reality TV show out there. Watching Bob & Jillian give the contestants an @$$ kicking is the highlight of my week.

For two hours I am glued to the TV being supportive of the weight loss hopefuls and receiving my own form of motivation to get my butt in gear. The producers of The Biggest Loser understand the show is not just about helping the 20 or so contestants, it’s about helping America. But how does one help the millions of overweight people in our country? By using an insanely large amount of product placement pieces showing off products to help people get fit.

Whether it’s the Ziploc^® Brand Zip ‘n Steam^TM bags, Jennie-O Turkey Store products, or JELL-O, The Biggest Loser has just about every market covered. Each of these companies works with The Biggest Loser as “challenge sponsors” — a pretty smart way to get a product name out there without being so obvious.

Contestants participate in the challenge and the winner is then awarded with whatever prize provided by the sponsor. Jennie-O Turkey Store gave a $25,000 kitchen makeover — not too shabby. Participants also carry around NALGENE^® water bottles and are shown filling them up with a BRITA^® water pitcher. Again, not too obvious, but BRITA also runs about ten commercials during the two-hour show. My favorite placements have got to be the “here let me help you” comments from the trainers when they give advice. These not-so-subtle moments are sometimes laughable.

Exhibit A - Bob sees one of his players in the kitchen searching for a snack.

“Oh Jane, you may not be hungry, you may just THINK you’re hungry. Here, have a stick of Extra^® sugar-free spearmint gum (label out, multiple packs on counter top). It will help curb the cravings until dinner time!”

I’m sorry Bob, after burning 1,000+ calories in the gym a stick of gum is not going to help out poor Jane with her cravings…or keep her from passing out on the kitchen floor.

I understand the desire for companies to show their products being used in “real world” situations. But are these scripted segments on The Biggest Loser really the way to connect with consumers?

While the brands mentioned above have great product placement within one of America’s favorite TV shows, I think a few are missing something — an emotional connection with the consumer. If you’re going to try and convince me to buy a product by showing me how it’s going to better my life, the placement has to be at least somewhat believable and connect to me in a way that I can put myself in the situation demonstrated. Some of these segments are just laughable (again see the example above).

Most of these brands are advertising leaders in their category, so I’m sure they could’ve put their creative juices (and oodles of dollars) together to figure out a better way to connect with consumers than a scripted, and probably rehearsed, infomercial-like segment smack dab in the middle of my two-hour escape. These segments seem so out of place. Don’t get me wrong, I obviously paid enough attention to these segments to recognize and remember what products were being highlighted…I would just appreciate a little more subtlety in the presentation.

But what the heck, advertising and TV are two of my favorite things and this post is getting to be a little too negative for me. So at the risk of contradicting myself I’d like to add some positive feedback into this.  Unlike the dicey product placements used at different points in the show, I’d like to give a big shout out to Ziploc on doing a pretty fabulous job. Not only is its Zip ‘n Steam product on the show actually being used by contestants (unsolicited by outside forces) but it actually works! I admit it, I fell victim to the placement about two years ago (I hang my head in shame as we speak) …but don’t get angry with me, admitting there is a problem is the first step to recovery.

So, does this scripted product placement during television really make the ultimate connection with consumers or is it completely missed? That’s for you to decide.

With the increasing use of products like TiVo DVR the advertising gods had to find some way to get their clients out there. Product placement is everywhere, not just during The Biggest Loser.

This growing trend is here to stay — I just hope it doesn’t completely take over prime time television.