Business Lesson: How NBC's "The Biggest Loser" Reverse-Engineering a Weight-Loss Brand

The Chicago Tribune business section recently had an article about a 4 year old reality show on NBC called "The Biggest Loser" - in which overweight people compete to see who can lose the most weight.

Reality shows tend to use product placement on their shows to make money. In the case of "The Biggest Loser", however, the producers turned down placement offers from the major weight loss brands - such as Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, etc.

Instead, they are now starting to advertise their own products.

It turns out that, from the beginning, the show was planned to not just rely on a television advertising model. Instead, they had a new business model in mind - to build a major weight loss brand in reverse.

The traditional brands - like Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers - built up their brands, products, centers, etc. first, and then advertised on television.

The "Biggest Loser" will do the opposite. It started off as a TV show and they are now trying to expand into a brand with its own products.

Consumers have already spent $50 million on the current line of "Biggest Loser" products - fitness videos, cookbooks, a weight-loss club, and products in NBC's online store (scales, socks, etc).

Next to roll out will be branded exercise equipment, kitchen stuff, and protein powder. Future possibilities include meals delivered to your doorstep, yoga mats, exercise balls, etc.