The ongoing product placement experiment continues as the popular Bravo reality show "Top Chef" has a plethora of products integrated into the shows' storyline.
Some think that the show is going a little overboard in how the products are being placed and how they impact the viewing experience.
David Goetzl writing for Media Daily News thinks that they've gone too far and many of the products are "often as out of place as veal parm at Nobu."
Yet some of the things he mentions don't seem to be too bothersome to me. For example, he mentions how the show has the contestants shown driving to the market in a Toyota SUV (TM) and whether that's necessary. But when I think of a lot of shows that I've watched (not just Top Chef), there are always shots of people driving or being driven places in vehicles of some kind. I don't see that as interfering any way with the experience.
He does have a point with the Aquafina placement that seems to be everywhere you look in the studio. The point that it could be too ubiquitous is a good one. If the bottles become like a prop to viewers, they may stop even noticing that it is there and who is supplying it.
Still there are some things that seem to work really great like the market they get their food at and the Sears (SHLD) oven and stoves being used; which people notice but aren't intrusive in any way.
This is still the early stages of product placement and experimentation. It doesn't seem to be bothering too many people yet. The question is how it is performing for those marketing through this method. It will take some time to have that answered.
How about you? Have you felt that the 'Top Chef' show has been overly aggressive in product placement?
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