The Project host Carrie Bickmore’s sudden hair colour change this week was part of a marketing stunt for beauty company Garnier, the brand has confirmed.

And while The Project has denied any involvement in the sponsorship deal, the high-rating current affairs program was used as a vehicle for the brand’s ‘big reveal’.

Bickmore’s fellow panellists Waleed Aly and Peter Helliar acknowledged the dramatic change in typical lighthearted style on Tuesday night, before social media lit up with commentary.

Bickmore didn’t mention the change was more professional than personal during the episode, and the show’s executive producer Craig Campbell told Media Week the deal had nothing to do with The Project.

“Carrie’s deal is independent, Garnier has a deal with our presenter, but has no buy-in nor any commercial relationship with the program,” he said, noting that Bickmore had not mentioned the brand name during the episode.

Yet in the next ad break, a spot for Garnier featured Bickmore telling the audience: “You may have noticed my hair has gone from this, to this.”

Although Bickmore – who reads the news on The Project – blurs the line between journalist and TV personality, the Australian journalists’ code of ethics states journalists should “disclose conflicts of interest” and not let commercial considerations affect their fairness.

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A post shared by Carrie Bickmore (@bickmorecarrie)

‘Who better than Garnier?’

“I have always wanted to try being a brunette, and who better to take me there than Garnier!”, Bickmore said in a statement for the brand.

Despite The Project not being involved in the deal, Garnier revealed the hair change was made on the morning they shot the TV commercial in order to make an “impactful reveal” – presumably on the show.

Bickmore has been blonde since she was 19. Photo: Getty

Brand strategist for Golden Goose Consulting, Leah Bridge, told Smart Company Bickmore’s high visibility had everything to do with the sponsorship.

“When creating a campaign around a person I would first look at who I was targeting and then target an influencer – someone who is seen literally every day,” she told the site.

In the US, WWAY television reporter Sara Hopkins has triggered debate for accepting paid promotion deals with Coca Cola, with some suggesting it compromises her journalistic integrity.

A spokeswoman for Bickmore on Wednesday said she was too busy to answer questions relating to the deal.

Some viewers warned others not to try the blonde-to-brunette change at home.

“A Garnier brown over blonde gives you’re [sic] hair an algae green tone soon enough,” wrote one Instagram user.

In its campaign press release, Garnier recommended commoners “seek professional advice” and “go brunette gradually over the course of a month or two”.

Carrie Bickmore plugging Garnier as if we believe she really did a home hair job to go brunette. Come on gurl.

— @purebredgay.bsky.social (@PureBredGay) August 22, 2016

Bickmore’s McDonald’s plug

In 2010, Bickmore was criticised for some sneaky product placement for McDonald’s.

In the lead-up to US megastar Oprah Winfrey visiting Australia, Bickmore presented a special program, Aussie Countdown, ostensibly to introduce America to our fine culture.

Oprah Winfrey’s tour of Australia was sponsored by McDonald’s. Photo: Getty

“While there are a lot of differences, there is one comforting similarity,” Bickmore reported.

“While you have your diners, we have McCafes. Guys come for business meetings, girls come for a catch-up over coffee. It’s all just a little bit fancy.”

Of course, “just a little bit fancy” was the McDonald’s campaign tagline at the time.

The Drum‘s Jonathan Green called the piece a “pastiche of prostituted enthusiasm and corporate endorsements”, and questioned whether The Project was an “honest representation of reality”.