The Worst TV Show Product Placement

From the very beginning, television and advertising have always been closely linked. It’s a natural fit – what better way to showcase a product than during popular TV shows? Beyond traditional commercials, companies now often integrate ads directly into the shows themselves – this is known as product placement. You see it almost everywhere, in most shows, unless they’re set in a time or place where modern brands wouldn’t exist (like, we won’t count that Starbucks cup in Game of Thrones). These ads are often designed to blend in – a quick glimpse of a billboard or a strategically placed soda can. Though sometimes, the product placement is a little more obvious.

Product placement works best when it feels subtle. Once it becomes too obvious, it ruins the experience and reminds viewers they’re being marketed to. While it can be jarring to see brands inserted into our favorite shows, it’s become a common practice. Once you get past the awkwardness, it can even be a little interesting to spot the brand deals networks are making to feature different products.

Let’s get straight to the point: here are ten of the most obvious examples of products being advertised within TV shows. You’ll see everything from cars and designer handbags to food and furniture. Be warned – it might make you want to go shopping!

The Most Egregious TV Show Product Placement Ever

Prius in Bones

The police drama Bones was known for prominently featuring Toyota vehicles. Characters frequently drove Toyotas, often highlighting the cars’ features and benefits. The Prius, in particular, received a lot of attention – in one memorable scene, the lead character, Bones, essentially recited an advertisement for the car’s self-parking feature while demonstrating it. Her partner, Seeley Booth, enthusiastically reacted to the demonstration. It became a running joke that the FBI seemed to exclusively drive Priuses during the show’s run in the 2000s.

Subway in Chuck

One of the most memorable things about the NBC comedy Chuck is how often the characters ate Subway sandwiches. The brand became so linked to the show that it likely played a role in preventing its cancellation. After season two didn’t get the ratings NBC wanted, fans started a big social media campaign to save the show, even posting pictures of Subway sandwiches with the hashtag #SaveChuck. Zachary Levi, the show’s star, even worked at a Subway restaurant, making sandwiches for fans. This led to a new partnership between NBC and Subway, and ultimately, the show was renewed for a third season.

Fendi, Chanel, United Airlines, etc. in Emily in Paris

While Emily in Paris focuses on the world of advertising, which we’ve overlooked in other shows for the same reason, it goes too far with product placement. The show uses clever stand-ins for real brands – like “Bavazza” instead of Lavazza coffee – but when it features actual companies, it feels more like an advertisement than entertainment. In the latest season, the characters travel to Rome and are decked out in Fendi, sip Aperol spritzes, and even watch a complete L’Oreal commercial within the show itself, making it feel a bit outdated, as the French characters might say.

Windows in The Flash/Arrow

It’s awkward when TV shows obviously try to advertise products that aren’t very appealing, and the Arrowverse shows often struggled with this, especially when trying to make Microsoft Windows products seem stylish. The Flash partnered with Microsoft Surface to create a series of short ads called Stretched Scenes. These ads aired during the show and online, and they featured characters using Surface tablets for everyday tasks like planning weddings or analyzing superhero DNA with the Surface Pen.

Pottery Barn in Friends

Many fans of Friends still feel embarrassed remembering a particular episode involving Pottery Barn. In “The One with the Apothecary Table,” Rachel secretly buys a large table from Pottery Barn, knowing her friend Phoebe dislikes mass-produced items. To make things worse, Ross ends up buying the exact same table. While this kind of coincidence is typical for Friends, the episode was heavily criticized for how repeatedly the characters mentioned “Pottery Barn.” It’s probably best not to try and count how many times it’s said – you might hurt yourself!

Bing in Hawaii Five-0

When Microsoft’s Bing tried to compete with Google, it often faced ridicule, and awkward product placement didn’t improve things. One particularly noticeable example happened on the show Hawaii Five-0. Detective Chin Ho Kelly told his partner Kono to “Bing it” while sharing information about a painting. The scene then paused while the camera showed Kono typing the artist’s name into her phone and waiting for the search results to appear.

Old Navy in Riverdale

One of the most awkward product placements recently was definitely in the show Riverdale with Old Navy. The show often created fake brands – like Glamazon and Marcia’s Vineyard – which made it even stranger when real brands appeared. In one late-season episode, a pregnant character, Toni Topaz, went on and on about Old Navy’s baby clothes, and the shot even focused on the Old Navy bag and logo.

Clean & Clear in The Secret Life of the American Teenager

Even now, it’s hard to say whether The Secret Life of the American Teenager was meant to be a genuine drama or a strange social study, and the constant product placement made it even more confusing. A particularly noticeable instance happens during a conversation between Grace Bowman and her mother, Kathleen. Kathleen abruptly stops their discussion to enthusiastically promote Clean & Clear’s Morning Burst Surge cleanser, claiming it gives your skin “a burst of energy” so you can “do something beautiful.” While the show’s teenage audience might have dealt with acne, the advertising felt incredibly forced and obvious.

Tropicana orange juice in The Sopranos

Is high-quality television now relying on product placement? It’s happening more than you might realize. Take The Sopranos, for example – you can’t help but notice Tony Soprano constantly carrying Tropicana orange juice. It feels like a relatable, everyday detail for the family, making them seem more down-to-earth, but it also prominently features the brand. There’s a particularly funny scene where Tony tells Carmela she bought the orange juice with too much pulp, specifying he prefers the kind labeled “some pulp.” Carmela’s reaction? She throws her phone at him.

Eggo waffles in Stranger Things

Like many shows set in the past, Stranger Things uses familiar products from the time period to help viewers feel immersed in the 1980s. Seeing old snacks and logos can be really nostalgic, but the show took it to another level with Eggo waffles. Eleven, a character with psychic powers, loves them, and they appear constantly. In fact, Netflix even made videos compiling every single time she eats one! It probably makes you crave a plate of Eggos right now, doesn’t it?

The Most Random Simpsons Celebrity Cameo

John Baldessari

The episode, titled “3 Scenes Plus a Tag From a Marriage” (Season 29, Episode 13), is a flashback focusing on Homer and Marge’s early married life before they had children. We see Marge working as a reporter, where she interviews artist John Baldessari. The episode also features guest appearances by Kevin Pollak and J.K. Simmons, who playfully references his role as J. Jonah Jameson by playing “JJ Gruff,” Marge’s demanding editor who is also a Spider-Man enthusiast.

Sal Bando

In the Simpsons episode “Regarding Margie” (Season 17, Episode 20), the show cleverly included some lesser-known sports figures. Like a previous appearance by Steve Sax, this episode features members of the 1974 Oakland Athletics World Series team, including Gene Tenace and captain Sal Bando, who famously exclaims, “Look! That guy remembers us!”

Dr Joyce Brothers

This episode, “Last Exit to Springfield,” features Dr. Joyce Brothers, a famous personality who gained prominence in the 1950s after winning the game show The $64,000 Question. For decades, she worked as a psychologist on television, and in this episode, she appears as a commentator.

Magnus Carlsen

I have to say, even if you stopped watching The Simpsons after its classic seasons, you’ve been missing some really clever episodes! They’ve gotten great at taking on different topics – in this case, chess – and bringing in real experts to playfully poke fun at themselves and their world. This episode, “The Cad and the Hat,” features chess champion Magnus Carlsen actually teaching Homer how to play, and it’s hilarious – plus, it brings up some surprisingly touching family moments!

Daniel Clowes

The episode, titled “Husbands and Knives” (Season 19, Episode 7), features a storyline about a new comic book store opening in Springfield. This brings several famous comic creators onto the show as themselves, including Alan Moore (writer of Watchmen), Art Spiegelman (Maus), and Daniel Clowes, known for his graphic novel Ghost World. It’s definitely one of the most awkward and ill-fitting cameo appearances in the show’s history!

Gerry Cooney

This episode, titled “$pringfield (or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling),” is a classic from Season 5. Even though I wasn’t around when Gerry Cooney was a famous boxer, I remember him making a cameo as himself in Springfield’s new casino, owned by Mr. Burns. The episode captures a certain vibe of that era, and casting Cooney felt perfectly right – much like Robert Goulet, who also appears as himself. It evokes a feeling of what Vegas might have been like back then, even though I didn’t experience it firsthand.

Helen Fielding

In the episode “A Star Is Born Again” (Season 14, Episode 13), Marisa Tomei guest stars as a movie star who starts dating Ned Flanders. She moves to Springfield and joins a book club discussing Bridget Jones’ Diary, though none of the members have actually read the book. She then invites the author, Helen Fielding, to join them. After Fielding realizes the group doesn’t appreciate British humor and leaves, she makes a quick exit in a comical scene referencing the classic Benny Hill show.

Brian Grazer

This episode, titled “When You Dish Upon a Star” (Season 10, Episode 5), features a guest appearance by Brian Grazer, the producer behind Imagine Entertainment and frequent collaborator with director Ron Howard. While well-known in the film industry, Grazer isn’t a household name, but that hasn’t stopped him from appearing on The Simpsons twice – first in this episode and again in Season 20’s “Lost Verizon.” Apparently, when The Simpsons needs a voice for a movie producer, Brian Grazer is their go-to guy, and the show’s depiction of him is remarkably accurate.

Bret Hart

In the Season 8 episode, “The Old Man and the Lisa,” wrestling legend Bret “The Hitman” Hart appears as a buyer for Mr. Burns’ mansion. Known for his famous catchphrase, Hart smoothly finances the purchase, presumably with a well-managed mortgage.

Chick Hearn

Let’s talk about how long The Simpsons has been on television. It’s been on for so long that Chick Hearn, a famous Los Angeles Lakers announcer, actually appeared as himself on the show years ago. And considering that Chick Hearn passed away almost 25 years ago, that really puts the show’s longevity into perspective.

Dudley Herschbach

In the fourteenth “Treehouse of Horror” episode (Season 15, Episode 1), did you know that real Nobel Prize-winning chemist Dudley Herschbach made an appearance? He and Jennifer Garner presented Professor Frink with a Nobel Prize during the segment!

Bill James

In the Season 22 episode of The Simpsons called “MoneyBart,” Bill James—a pioneer in baseball statistics—makes a cameo appearance. Lisa seeks information about baseball and is directed to James’ Wikipedia page by a group of enthusiasts, where a recording of his voice jokes that he’s made baseball as enjoyable as filing taxes.

Jasper Johns

In the episode “Mom and Pop Art” (Season 10, Episode 19), Homer unexpectedly becomes a modern artist. This leads him to mingle with figures from the art world, including the famous Jasper Johns, who is spotted helping himself to snacks at an art gallery.

Tom Kite

In the episode “Scenes From the Class Struggle in Springfield,” Marge gets the Simpsons invited to the Springfield Country Club. While there, Homer gets golf lessons from professional golfer Tom Kite, who playfully scolds Homer for stealing his clubs and tells him to stay out of his locker. It’s a funny moment showcasing Tom Kite’s personality.

Evan Marriott

This episode, “The Regina Monologues,” features a funny bit about American celebrities performing in London’s West End. The Simpsons are surprised to see so many shows starring Americans, including a production of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard with Joe Millionaire – you might remember him from the reality TV show where he pretended to be a wealthy bachelor, but was actually a construction worker. The episode jokes that it’s right next to a theater where Urkel is performing in Othello.

Paul McGuinness

In the Simpsons episode “Trash of the Titans” (Season 9, Episode 22), the security guard who challenges Homer while he’s disguised as “Potato Man” is actually Paul McGuinness, U2’s longtime manager. Using the real manager added authenticity to the scene – anyone else wouldn’t have felt right.

Robert Pinsky

I’ll never forget seeing this episode, “Little Girl in the Big Ten” (Season 13, Episode 20), listed in TV Guide. I literally exclaimed out loud, to no one, how excited I was that it featured U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky – I was completely thrilled!

George Plimpton

Okay, so this episode, “I’m Spelling As Fast as I Can,” is a really fun one. It’s got a hilarious send-up of Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream, but the best part is George Plimpton! He’s fantastic as the host of Lisa’s spelling bee, and it’s a running gag that he’s also trying to sell his own brand of hot plates. Honestly, I would totally buy a George Plimpton hot plate – it’s just that good of a bit!

Merl Reagle

In the Simpsons episode “Homer and Lisa Exchange Cross Words” (Season 20, Episode 6), the show featured a crossword puzzle theme and included cameos by renowned puzzle creators Merl Reagle and Will Shortz, a legend from The New York Times. The episode playfully asks: what’s a nine-letter word for satisfying people’s desires, even when it’s a bad idea?

Tom Savini

In the episode “Worst Episode Ever” (Season 12, Episode 11), Lisa sees an ad for a show by special effects master Tom Savini at the comic book store. Marge explains to those who don’t know that Savini is famous for his work on horror classics like Creepshow, Friday the 13th, and Dawn of the Dead. The show itself is bizarre: Savini simply eats a French fry and then appears to explode on stage, covering the audience in fake blood.

2026-01-20 18:02