The Apprentice, il programma per aspiranti manager che piace alle aziende

"The Apprentice," the hit reality TV show hosted by Donald Trump which begins its second season tonight, is loaded with product placements from major companies."Brand experts say never before have so many major companies inked such overt product placement deals in such a high profile show," according to The Wall Street Journal, which found out the companies plugged on the shows are paying "product integration" fees of about $1 million each.In the premier, contestants will compete to design a new toy for Mattel. The 18 candidates meet at Toys "R" Us' flagship store in Times Square, where Trump assigns them the task of creating a toy for boys 5 to 8 years old. Three Mattel executives judge the ideas and pick a winner.In the Sept. 23 episode, participants will design a marketing plan and packaging for a new variety of Procter & Gamble's Crest toothpaste.General manager Diane Dietz, associate marketing director Matt Barresi and global Crest spokesman Bryan McCleary will appear on the show as judges. Other companies which have paid to get their products on the show, are Levi Strauss, PepsiCo, Cunard Lines, Mars, Delta Air Lines, Visa, Volkswagen AG's Lamborghini, and Ciao Bella Gelato.Daimier-Chrysler AG's Chrysler Group, which donated prizes in the first season, declined the producer's offer to sponsor the upcoming season.The Journal said product placements are driven by advertiser fears about the growth of digital video recorders that allow viewers to skip ads while they watch TV.New players are entering the product placement contest every day, said the Journal, which noted talent agencies such as William Morris Agency and Creative Artists Agency are "squaring off" against the ad space-buying entities of the world's big advertising holding companies."Entertainment-marketing firms are dueling with PR firms. And more and more, the TV networks and movie studios themselves are putting together product placement deals," said the Journal.Ketchum Entertainment, which put together a product placement deal last year for Wendy's International on CBS' sitcom, "Yes, Dear," has a deal with the costume designer on "Joey," on NBC to make sure the title character wears Levi's jeans during the first few episodes.