• by David Goetzl , August 9, 2007

Six falls ago, NBC tried to spin a hit out of an eponymous sitcom starring Food Network chef Emeril Lagasse. That was before the current product placement boom, so it bears wondering how laden with brand integration the show would have become had it lasted more than a handful of episodes.

To borrow a Lagasse catchphrase, it would no doubt have been kicked up a notch. The bon vivant may not be much of an actor -- "the show sank quickly like a bad soufflé," TV Guide said of its seven episodes - but he's a natural pitchman.

On the July 22 finale of his home base's "The Next Food Network Star," he showed it again. It's common practice on reality-competition shows to award the winner with a new vehicle along with other prizes, so automakers who pay for the privilege can risk getting lost in the endless highway of clutter.

But get Lagasse involved and the practice gets a much-needed extra twist. On "Food Network Star," he stood before the cameras and touted the giveaway of a new SUV, which went to the winner along with her own series on the channel (one of the top product placements of the week, according to measurement firm iTVX).

Lagasse stirred the drama, as he reached out his arm. "In this hand," he said proudly, "holds the key to a brand-new 2008 Mercury Mariner."

Behind him was a video of a Mariner in action, then the camera cut to the audience and showed their wild applause.

The prospect of the winner driving away in the SUV was plugged earlier in the episode via a voiceover, while the broadcast also included a billboard for the brand. Alone, those tactics likely wouldn't have whetted any viewer's appetite. Having Lagasse as ambassador offered ... warning: unavoidable pun coming ... a better recipe for success.