Syd says:

On the face of it, I don’t have a problem with endorsements or product placement. But, when it’s so obvious that it slaps you in the face like this one did…well, it’s insulting.

Squarebob Spongepants says:

Bourdain addressed this when he came to give a talk in Ann Arbor.

He is not opposed to selling out. He hinted he didn’t agree with chefs selling out (i.e. Michael Chairello). However, he basically said he would sell out for the right product at the right price. Obviously, he’s not opposed to getting paid money for the more innocuous versions of selling out.

rjtaurus says:

I don’t think it is selling out. This site has ads, (One for debt reduction to my right for example) He even had that one show in Asia, where he had those shots taken in mock commercial form. As to the form of the commercial, advertisers are getting savvy to us using a DVR to by pass the commercials, so they are trying to get around it. Going on location to film one of his shows is not as cheap as making a stupid competition show, and if this helps quality along so be it.

Brockford says:

probably not even his hand.
the length of the shot and the obviousness of the set up seems like a big “f you” to the people who probably wanted our reluctant host to slyly place their product, like it was actually part of his life or the show.
this says to me “you want product placement, i’ll give you the ugliest version possible.” this is an anti-endorsement and i found it funny.

FoodNetworkSnark says:

Geez people. Please read this. Bourdain had NOTHING to do it.

Sept 2009 from Crain’s Business –

“How did Travel Channel woo Chase Card Services for a year-long, integrated deal encompassing its four highest-rated shows and an upcoming series of co-branded events? Recognizable talent, show-specific integrations and a lot of patience.

Starting this week, Chase’s new Sapphire card, its first-ever proprietary rewards card for affluent consumers, will be featured in a series of on-air interstitials for Travel Channel’s new “Catch It” branding campaign, and will eventually be integrated into four of the network’s top series: Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations; Samantha Brown’s Great Weekends; Dhani Tackles The Globe; and Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre World. Beginning later in the fourth quarter, Travel Channel and Chase Sapphire will also team up for a series of events featuring network talent and promoting rewards services to Sapphire cardmembers.

Marketers are more eager than ever to link to specific programming and ensure that their ads are seen when consumers are likely to be most engaged with a media company’s content.

The wide-ranging deal, brokered by Chase’s media planning and buying agency Zenith Media, was 18 months in the works, said Harold Morgenstern, senior vice president of ad sales for Discovery Communications, which handles ad sales for Travel Channel. “Chase wanted to be aligned with our top-tiered talent in an environment that suited their travel rewards card. They’ve been doing advertising with us for years, so we wanted to expand beyond the typical deal for this launch.”

Not just any marketer can make sure their brand is associated with the likes of Anthony Bourdain and Samantha Brown, as Travel Channel sells its programs as part of larger run-of-schedule buys rather than show-specific ad deals.

But Joan Bassett, marketing director for Chase Sapphire, said an integrated deal was the best way to have all four Travel hosts exemplify the brand attributes of the new rewards card. “Anthony Bourdain has a unique dining experience, and these consumers tend to dine out a lot, tend to be early adopters,” she said. “Samantha Brown, particularly in this economy, has great weekend getaways that are unique but not necessarily totally exotic or expensive. Dhani goes on great aspirational adventures, and Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre World captures the uniqueness of being passionate about dining and using those experiences to explore new places.”

Chase is also aggressively expanding its rewards and cardmember outreach efforts in a troubled financial-services climate that has seen competitors such as Citi and American Express introducing new restrictions to their reward programs.

“We’re giving cardmembers more value and positioning Chase well for the long term,” said Ms. Bassett. “What we’re seeing in our data is consumers are looking to get more out of their reward programs, looking to redeem them and expected to be rewarded more for their loyalty.”

Natalie says:

I THINK THERE WAS SUBTLE HUMOR INVOLVED IN THE OBVIOUS WAY IT WAS DONE. BUT WHATS THE BIG DEAL REALLY ? I MEAN WHY ARE YOU GUYS MAKING A BIG DEAL OUT OF IT ? HE IS STILL AS COOL AS EVER…

Jaynie59 says:

I suggest that those of you who think Tony Bourdain is “cool” read his book Kitchen Confidential. Get the latest version with the update from 2007 at the end of it.

Don’t get your hopes up. It’s a poorly edited collection of his previous articles and he does not come off well at all.

I hope his ex-wife, who apparently stuck by him through all his years of drug addiction and lack of employment, got most of his money in the divorce.

Eli says:

I wouldn’t be surprised at how many of you phonies would cave in and agree to “sell out” if someone offered you, say, $50,000 to flash a credit card in front of a camera. We’re all “sell outs”, and if you think you’re not, if you think you oppose the system and it’s evil ways, than you’re in for a disappointment, because the clothes you’re wearing were most likely made by one of those “evil” companies exploiting workers in other countries, same with your shoes, pants, and processed bullshit food that you eat. To take it one step further, same with your jobs, you wake up go to a job that you hate, all because you want/need money. You give up you sense of individuality for 8 hours a day to please someone else so they can give you your shitty paycheck at the end of the week. This, my friends is the worst way of selling out, and I’m afraid most of us are part of it, and to ignorant to realize it.