Phylicia Rashad is the new Jenny Craig spokeswoman
Filed under: Health
The Newest Spokesmodel
As the new spokewoman for Jennie Craig, Phylicia Rashad will become a role model for those trying to lose weight, and the company hopes her popularity will help draw in new customers.
Noel Vasquez, Getty Images
Rashad may be setting herself up for a short-term job assignment. If she succeeds, the company will move on most likely, and if she doesn't, she could also lose her job.
Joe Corrigan, Getty Images
Rashad has struggled with her weight in the last decade or so. This photo is from a red carpet appearance in 2007, which shows off her figure.
Mark Mainz, IMG / Getty Images
Rashad and her husband, sportscaster Ahmad Rashad were the life of the party in the 1980s, when she had a much leaner look at red carpet events.
David Mcgough, DMI / Time Life Pictures / Getty Images
At the height of her popularity on the long-running NBC hit 'The Cosby Show,' Rashad was always elegant.
AP
Rashad takes over for Queen Latifah, who has been extremely successful in keeping off her weight -- so much so that she may not be a great inspiration for new customers.
April L. Brown, AP
The same goes for Valerie Bertinelli, who is in the maintenance phase of the program.
Gregg DeGuire, WireImage.com
Kirstie Alley ran into trouble as a Jennie Craig celebrity spokeswomen when she regained weight. The company dropped her.
Frederick M. Brown, Getty Images
Valerie Bertinelli was a real Jenny Craig success, losing even more than her original 30-pound goal. She's looking fantastic these days, and she's real proof that the program can work -- but now that she's so skinny, Jenny's target audience can't really relate to her, can they? Next in the spokeswoman role was Queen Latifah, who successfully shed 20 pounds on the program. Latifah and Bertinelli are still featured on the Jenny Craig website, but as they move into weight maintenance, Phylicia Rashad will take over the spotlight as a celebrity actively trying to drop the weight.
Jenny Craig's ad strategy is nice because it takes likable celebrities and makes them relatable. While most of Hollywood's weight issues are about trying to get from stick thin to paper thin, it's nice to see a realistic spin on weight loss and weight struggles. None of Craig's celebrity spokesmodels have been aiming for the size 00's -- they're taking the same steps we normal people would to get down to a normal, healthy weight. And this advertising would work very well for Jenny Craig, if it weren't for the fact that their most famous spokesmodel is most famous these days for being fat. D'oh. But maybe Phylicia Rashad will pick up where Queen Latifah and Valerie Bertinelli left off in distancing Jenny Craig from Kirstie Alley and showing women (and men!) how successful the program can be. Time will tell, but we're rooting for her. Who doesn't love Claire Huxtable?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
12-15-2008 @ 2:40PM
Bill Hilton said...
Why did you not mention Marie Osmond? On purpose or just forgot?
Reply
12-15-2008 @ 2:44PM
AnnieA said...
Marie Osmond was a spokesperson for Nutri-System, not Jenny Craig. Just goes to show no one pays attention to the product, just the spokesperson.
12-16-2008 @ 10:29AM
tia said...
Marie did not do Jenny Craig, she did Nutrisystem. They are different programs. Reading is fundamental........duh!
12-16-2008 @ 8:42AM
tina said...
She does Nutrisystem........Duh!
12-18-2008 @ 11:47AM
tina said...
NUTRISYSTEM>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>DUH!!!!!
12-15-2008 @ 2:46PM
MD said...
I wish Phylicia the best of luck on her weight loss journey, but after working for JC for several years, I would NOT encourage anyone to buy into this expensive program. There is nothing special about the food at JC. It is just a more correct portion size. Back to basics...how to lose weight:
~Cut back on your portions (a salad plate is appropriate size)
~Drink your water (4-6glasses/day)
~Fruits and veggies to volumize your meals
~Dairy
~Some form of activity
As a JC consultant, there is a constant push to meet daily,weekly,monthly quotas...and how did we do that? BUY bigger programs, sell more JC food, and push JC's "tools".
Bottom line as with most businesses-sale,sale,sale...instead of focusing on the client goals, which is to lose weight.
Anyone interested in their program should ask for real statistics. How many clients maintain their weight after leaving the program? What is your client retention numbers? What kind of turnover do you have in the center? Don't expect any honest answers though...
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12-15-2008 @ 3:29PM
Nancy said...
Thank you for giving us the correct information, MD. If I walk out of my house and turn right, in about 5 minutes, I will be at Jenny Craig; if I turn left, I will run into Weight Watchers. (Both are behind a Dunkin Donuts!) I had considered trying Jenny Craig as I have diabetes and really need to lose a lot of weight. The problem with diabetes is that the medicine they give you makes you GAIN weight. So maybe instead of joining either one, I will just make the rounds and walk from one to the other several times a day! That will work as long as I stay out of Dunkin!!!
12-15-2008 @ 4:35PM
Toria said...
Thanks for telling the truth about Jenny Craig!
12-15-2008 @ 10:55PM
Sara said...
Thank you MD....I did the Jenny Craig program 2 years ago, and in 1 year, I lost 42 lbs. As soon as I went off the program, I gained it all back. You are right in saying all the consultants want is to push more of the program. The food is horrible. As long as you eat what they give you (hardly any meats), you will lose the weight. I was always hungry on the plan I had.
Good luck, Claire Huxtable, you will need it. I would eat that food again but only for $1 mil or more....lol....
12-16-2008 @ 10:28AM
tia said...
Thank you so much for this information. I actually thought about doing JC program. Everyone say that Weight Watcher is better.
12-18-2008 @ 4:02PM
Doe said...
You sound like a disgruntled employee. Just because you are unhappy does not mean the program does not work.
12-18-2008 @ 1:45PM
Tina said...
I did Jenny and I have to disagree with all you who say it is not a good program. I think most people just use any excuse not to lose wt. ie: expense, accountablitly (counselor) etc. Any program that gets the weight off in a healthy way is worth any money. If you tried to buy the same ingredients to make the food Jenny sells is way comparable to their cost. Just get off the excuse wagon, and get healthy.
PS- The food taste great!!!
12-15-2008 @ 2:50PM
Shon said...
The only people that can afford this program is the actors. We peons can't afford it. Why can't they make it affordable so the ordinary people can benefit also.
Reply
12-15-2008 @ 11:08PM
Karol said...
Yes pion's can afford to diet. Diet / proper eating is not inexpensive, that is one reason why so many are fat !
I am dieting, I go to a weight loss clinic that is very good.
$265 for my first visit. But that was a 2 hour health work up / tests. My B12 shot, vitamins/organic type , calcium and potasium.. as well as appetite suppressant that is FDA approved.
I go once a wk for check in, consult.,$65, vitamin shot and if I need any other items. I can see the doctor at any time by asking, most of the time I am fine w/ the "girl" that does my consult.
I have lost 96 lbs and counting, ( February) I still have 40 to go.. I love my diet plan and the Dr is so patient and giving!
He sat one day and helped me w/ the menu and gave me idea's on how to cook things and what he does.
I can call any time night or day.. even at 2 am and talk to the doctor himself.. not a nurse or phone service!
My blood pressure is good, no med's now. My sugar is under control.. no med's!
My feet, ankles, legs are doing so much better!
As far as Jenny Craig, I believe it is probably fine for those who need that.
I need to learn how to cook and portion control for me.
I don't need a box meal. I need to cook.
I highly reccomend it , he's Dr Cesar Lara. Clearwater Florida. 3 locations.
12-15-2008 @ 2:59PM
teri said...
i heard she had a bad drug habit years back
Reply
12-15-2008 @ 3:02PM
Leslie said...
I tried Jenny Craig for 12 weeks on the mail/phone program, not the option where you walk into a center for the weekly consultation. I had a dreadful time with the consultants who were clearly trained not in health or nutrition but in reading from a script and I even "called' my consultant on that and told her it sounded like she was reading a prepared text and list of questions to me every week and had no clue how to help me with my specific issues (I had about 20 lbs to lose, total, and am perimenopausal). I lost about 6 lbs in 12 weeks, not at all the 1-2 lbs/week they claim is "normal" and had to meet with a professional dietician to help me maximize my efforts (which ultimately led to a total loss of 10 lbs over those 12 weeks). But the JC food (while pricy) does taste pretty good, depending on the entree, and if you need a quick-and-easy way to learn portion control and calorie count, everything is listed on the box . But once you've got the hang of it, it's better to get a food scale, keep meal size to what would fill a salad plate (1/2 of that should be vegetables, 1/4 protein, and 1/4 starch). Also, for me, the JC food didn't have enough protein and fat in it and I had to add stuff like nuts, salad dressing (w/oil) so that I was getting the right amount of fat and protein for me.
The JC people NEVER got their own program tailored properly for my height, weight, age, and fitness level (I do about 300 minutes of cardio a week and do Pilates and Belly Dance classes in addition to the cardio).
Reply
12-15-2008 @ 3:07PM
venita said...
yes shon i think your so right, we who are not actors can't afford this program.
Reply
12-15-2008 @ 7:55PM
Valerie said...
That's not true. The cost of the food is reasonable. I pay about $80 dollars a week. I buy only normal food for my husband and our grocery bill averages about $120 a week. That's about $30 more than I normally pay. My only problem with Jenny Craig was the meals don't vary that much and I easily get tired of the same food which makes me want to eat. I've lost 30 lbs.
12-15-2008 @ 3:28PM
lindee said...
Get real people instead of celebrities who for all we know are wearing fat suits just to make a few bucks so they can later write a book about their incredible weight loss and never once mention what program they were paid to use.
Reply
12-15-2008 @ 3:35PM
Patricia said...
Just another weight lose program...no big difference...the Reality is one must decide to take responsibility and get moving with a bit of exercise...keep track /account of your daily food consumption....I'm 51 yrs old...was a size 2 then a 4 now I'm an 8... I realize that being a size 2/4 again would not do well on me...be happy with you and just try to be real and maintain...
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