Public Eye
April 25, 2007 2:59 PM

Under The Hoodia

By
Brian Montopoli
Topics
CBS News Issues
(CBS)
As I noted last February, a 2004 "60 Minutes" story about an African plant has been surprisingly popular on CBSNews.com. The plant in question is hoodia gordonii, "a natural substance that literally takes your appetite away," according to the story.

Unsurprisingly, hoodia retailers liked the "60 Minutes" piece. The relatively high level of traffic that comes to the Web version is the result of links from sites selling the plant, which use the "60 Minutes" story as part of their marketing pitch.

And that's not the only connection between CBS News and hoodia: Recently, ads for the substance, complete with a scantily-clad model, have begun popping up prominently on CBSNews.com. Click around for a bit and you'll likely come across one.

One note: According to CBSNews.com partner WebMD, "Few studies support the promise of the South African appetite suppressant, but believers abound." Oddly enough, I'm yet to see a hoodia ad over there.

Add a Comment
by nintey December 2, 2009 11:50 AM EST
My cousin tried Hoodia after seeing it on CBS and had some great results, she was pleased with her overall weight loss.
<a href="http://www.buyhoodiagordonii.co.uk/">Hoodia Gordonii</a>
Reply to this comment
by Rephoel April 25, 2007 9:40 PM EDT
Mix it with snake oil and have it served by the tooth fairy,then it works.
Reply to this comment
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