Peloton Responds To The Intense Backlash Over Their Latest Commercial
Peloton recently released a holiday advertisement for their new exercise bike. The commercial went viral but for all the wrong reasons, with some people even dubbing it sexist. Now, the company has responded to what has been said about their advertisement in the news and on social media, according to Today.
The advertisement in question features a husband who buys his wife a Peloton exercise bike for Christmas. While she’s initially hesitant to begin working out, she soon finds excitement in using the new equipment. She then documents her progress towards fitness, later gushing about how the bike changed her life. Many people felt the advertisement was sexist because the husband purchased it for his wife, thus conveying that she needed to lose weight or that her body wasn’t already acceptable as it was. To make matters worse, the actress in the advertisement was already quite thin, confusing people all the more.
In a public statement, Peloton claims their advertisement was simply misinterpreted, bringing up positive feedback regarding the products that they receive on a regular basis.
“We constantly hear from our members how their lives have been meaningfully and positively impacted after purchasing or being gifted a Peloton Bike or Tread, often in ways that surprise them. Our holiday spot was created to celebrate that fitness and wellness journey. While we’re disappointed in how some have misinterpreted this commercial, we are encouraged by — and grateful for — the outpouring of support we’ve received from those who understand what we were trying to communicate.”
In order to prove that they do in fact receive positive testimonials, the company shared positive emails, posts, and letters they’ve received from customers.
Luxury indoor-cycling company #Peloton is being called out for body-shaming in its latest ad.
The company's stock fell by as much as 10% since the ad aired. pic.twitter.com/gdDVPTcgaM
— AJ+ (@ajplus) December 4, 2019
As The Inquisitr previously reported, not everyone was necessarily angry about the advertisement, some people simply got a big kick out of it. Some even made response videos in which they jokingly pointed out that instead of spending a whopping $2,245 on exercise equipment, they could just take a walk and get a workout for free.
Comedian Eva Victor even made a parody of the commercial in which she impersonates the woman in the video. The parody is packed with profanity and ends with the woman serving her husband divorce papers because he bought her a stationary bike for Christmas. The video has brought in 3.7 million views.
Of course, this isn’t the only commercial in recent years that has been received this poorly. Few can forget the McDonald’s advertisement in which a boy who recently lost his father finds comfort in a Filet-o-Fish.
