TV Commercial:
Nutrisystem Fast 5 with Marie Osmond available at www.Nutrisystem.com/FAST5
Description:
In this commercial Marie Osmond tells us how she lost 50 pounds by using Nutrisystem.
[wpvideo kime73RV]
What Marie Osmond Says:
As women we always talk about how we should look or what’s the best way to lose weight. But for me it finally became all about how I feel. No tricks, just me. I looked in the mirror and I saw what I didn’t want to see. The truth. I was 50 pounds overweight. It was a rough day. That’s when I decided I had to lose weight, so I chose the only simple option for me, Nutrisystem.
(Announcer): Now you can lose weight even faster with the all new Fast5 kit from Nutrisystem. Lose 5 pounds your first week or your money back, guaranteed.
(Marie Osmond): I lost 50 pounds, on Nutrisystem.
(Announcer): Order your 28 day My Weight Plan and we’ll rush you the all-new Fast5 kit free. You’ll get a week of fantastic Energi-ZING shakes, one week of delicious Craving Crusher shakes and a free week of 21 delicious meals and it’s all free!
(Marie Osmond): So why do I keep telling you about Nutrisystem? Because it works and I know it’ll work for you.
Claims and what they mean:
- What Marie Osmond said: we always talk about how we should look or what’s the best way to lose weight (on screen in giant letters “BEST WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT?” is shown on screen)
- What you may think this means: Nutrisystem is the best way to lose weight
- What she really said: Marie Osmond never said, and the commercial never claims that Nutrisystem is “the best way to lose weight”. Instead, she is mentioning how women often discuss or ask “what is the best way to lose weight”.
- What Marie Osmond said: No tricks, just me. I looked in the mirror and I saw what I didn’t want to see (in giant lettering “no tricks” is shown)
- What some people might think this means: There are no tricks with Nutrisystem
- What she really said: She never said “there are no tricks with Nutrisystem”, she said “But for me it finally became all about how I feel. No tricks, just me“, which may not make sense to some people. Some people may think that the use of this wording and the giant “NO TRICKS” shown on screen is an attempt to make the viewer think or remember “no tricks with Nutrisystem”, but this is never actually said or claimed.
- What the commercial claims: Now you can lose weight even faster with the all new Fast5 kit from Nutrisystem
- What some people might think it meant: I will lose weight fast with Nutrisystem / I will lose weight faster than any other weight program with Nutrisystem / Fast5
- What is actually means: Neither the announcer or the fine print ever tells us or compares what we can lose weight “faster” than.
- What the commercial claims: Lose 5 pounds your first week or your money back, guaranteed
- What some people may think this means: I will lose 5 pounds or I will get all of my money back.
- What is actually means: This this claim is made, the following fine-print is shown on-screen: Results vary depending on starting weight, adherence to the program and other factors. If you’re not 100% satisfied, call to cancel within 14 days and return the remaining non-frozen food to use for a full refund. Guarantee good on new 28 day-plans, first order only. Limit one guarantee per customer. The fine print seems to indicate that you will only get your money back for your first-order, but otherwise you will get your money back.
- What Marie Osmond says: I lost 50 pounds, on Nutrisystem
- What some people may think this means: Marie Osmond lost 50 pounds, fast, like the announcer said previously
- What is really means: The commercial never tells us how long it took for her to lose 50 pounds, however when she tells us that she lost 50 pounds, the following fine-print is shown: Expect to lose 1-2lbs. per week. Weight lost on prior Nutrisystem* program. This means that you can expect it to take between 25 and 50 weeks (6 months to a year) to lose 50 pounds. This fine print also tells us that she did not lose this weight while using the Nutrisystem program being sold in this commercial.
Other fine print
The following fine print is also shown in the last part of the commercial for 11 seconds:
- On Nutrisystem you add in fresh grocery items. Nutrisystem My Way gives you personalized meal and exercise plans
- Free Fast 5 kit with new 28-Day Auto-Delivery orders. Included with first order only. With Auto-Delivery, you may receive an additional discount off the Full Retail Value and free shipping Continental US only. Food shipped every 28 days unless you cancel. Restrictions apply.
This fine-print is shown a second time for the last 4 seconds of the ad:
- Free Fast 5 kit with new 28-Day Auto-Delivery orders. Included with first order only. With Auto-Delivery, you may receive an additional discount off the Full Retail Value and free shipping Continental US only. Food shipped every 28 days unless you cancel. Restrictions apply. Results vary depending on the starting weight, adherence to the program and other factors.
Summary:
This commercial makes use of some large-print and wording that some people may feel could be intended to make people that the program works better or faster than it actually does.
Losing weight requires a person to take less calories in (and the type of food is remarkably important) and more waste out. Exercise is important as well.
Marie has indicated she lost the 50 pounds in 4 months–but the bulk of that time she was doing daily 8+ hour intense dancing workouts while prepping for and competing in Dancing with the Stars. It is misleading to imply she lost all her 50 pounds by just Nutrisystem.