I’m on the treadmill a lot at my gym, and I spend a lot of my treadmill time just kind of blanked-out watching ESPN and CNN. For about two weeks, this Peloton commercial has been on heavy rotation on both channels. This is nothing new – the $2000 stationary bike was the big new bougie thing last year, and I remember there were tons of commercials trying to convince people to buy a Peloton for their spouse or something. Peloton did a new commercial for this year’s holiday season and I guess people just started paying attention to how f–ked up it is that a husband gives his slender wife a Peloton for Christmas and then she dutifully records all of her workout sessions for him to watch:
Yeah, it’s a bad commercial. To be fair, all of the Peloton commercials are bad, it’s just that this one has caused people to sit up and yell “your wife doesn’t need a fancy bike, she’s already in shape, g–ddamn it.” It’s just insulting. And now people are asking themselves what they would do if their spouse dropped two Gs on a damn bike. Divorce? Perhaps. It definitely feels passive-aggressive if the message is “SURPRISE your wife with a Peloton.” If your wife (or husband) specifically asked for a Peloton for Christmas, go buck wild. Do it. That’s nice. But if you’re surprising your spouse with a $2K stationary bike, just… don’t. Open up an investment account with that money in your spouse’s name. Jewelry is nice too.
The only way to enjoy that Peloton ad is to think of it as the first minute of an episode of Black Mirror
— Jess Dweck (@TheDweck) December 2, 2019
when my husband gets me a Peleton for Christmas …….. pic.twitter.com/Z2d3ewMhPu
— Eva Victor (@evaandheriud) December 2, 2019
Sorry to shake things up but I'm excited to announce I'm throwing my hat in the ring and joining the presidential race and running on the single issue platform to jail everyone involved in the pitching, scripting, acting, shooting, and approval of the Peloton ad.
— Bess Kalb (@bessbell) December 2, 2019
I want the Peloton ad where someone piles clothes on it for a year and takes pictures of the pile’s growth and feels just fine about it
— BUM CHILLUPS (@edsbs) December 2, 2019
Screencaps from the Peloton commercial.
Yes, I would be so pissed if my husband bought me exercise equipment if I didn’t ask for it
The video is trending on YouTube but they have the comments turned off lol.
I guess the woman get her revenge in the end, when the following Christmas she “gifts” him with a video of herself using the bike.
This whole thing has caused one of my best friends to reveal that HER HUSBAND DID THIS. He gave her a Peloton for xmas last year – 18 months after she gave birth to twins. No, she did not ask for it. No, she has not used it, even once. I am not sure why he still lives in their house.
Probably because he’s the father of her twins.
Pinkhydra that is not a reason to stay with someone. I don’t care if you have 18 kids If the SO is toxic you get the hell out if you can
@Cairinacat, That’s toxic? Buying you some fancy exercise equipment? That’s why you’d separate from a spouse you probably love and who probably loves you? When you have 18 month old twins? That’s the advice you’d give?
#firstworldproblems
Unless he–like in the commercial–sat reviewing her progress, then your reaction is overwrought to the point of incredulity. Sure, it might not have been the best choice, but when a husband hears his wife berating her post-partum bod, sometimes the male brain hears, “I can help her fix this. I’ll get her the best, most extravagant, and easiest to use thing so she can feel better about this and know that I listen and support her.”
It’s a bad decision, but it’s USUALLY not a malicious one. Suggesting divorce or throwing a husband out because he bought an expensive gift with implications he didn’t necessarily intend…is mean. It’s deliberately obtuse and unkind.
If he’s constantly throwing shade at her to lose weight right after she had twins or making her record her progress so he can review it for approval as the commercial implies, that’s different. If all he did was buy her an expensive spin cycle, however, the offense level is ridiculous.
It’s not like it’s a bathroom scale. Now that’s a criminal offense. Just ask my late husband.:)
@marigold I assure you, she was not in the least bit concerned about her weight or her body. In fact, she was nursing an ankle injury that had plagued her since college that she later that year had to have surgery to repair. She probably wasn’t physically able to use the damn thing. The person who was deliberately obtuse is her husband, not me.
It was just last night that I reached my breaking point with that commercial!! I can’t watch it another time without going out of my mind. That commercial is on WAY TOO MUCH. I hate the husband for getting it for his wife and I hate the wife for not punching him in the face and for acting so pathetic and like he did her a favor. WTF??!!
The MAN that approved this commercial needs to be fired on the double!!
Yes, it’s been a shitty week for me dealing with jerky men!!!!
Agreed. That commercial is vile. It should’ve been pulled. No, actually, it never should’ve made it past the brainstorm meeting. But since it did…it should’ve been pulled. I showed it to my husband and he threw his head back laughing. He thought it was an SNL skit. When I said, “no, this is really a thing,” his eyes got big and he said, “Are you serious? That is so vile.”
So…even men watch this thing and immediately see how bad it is. It’s not like they don’t know how the ad is being received. It needs to be gone. Like, yesterday.
I haven’t seen that particular commercial, but it seems weird. Like, my husband doesn’t want to watch all my workouts, lol.
I think pelotons can be good investments for people who like to exercise and particularly like spin classes – if you’re paying a lot of money for a gym for the spin classes, this could be a good alternative and for some could even be more cost effective, in the long run. But the monthly subscription fee is high IMO, when you factor in the cost of the bike itself as well.
I’ll admit that I kind of want one- I have an exercise bike but its not a spin bike so I cant stand in it – and I think I would get a fair amount of use out of a Peloton. But I don’t think I would get 2k amount of use out of it, lol.
Go to Play It Again sports and get a used spin bike or get the Sunny Bike off Amazon. Less than $300 and there are free spin classes on YouTube. That’s what I do. I don’t want to drop that much money on exercise equipment that’s ridiculous.
That is a really good idea! I never thought of Play It Again Sports, I don’t know why. Maybe I’ll call a few local ones and see what they have.
I take a spin class at my gym and it’s part of my membership. There’s a place downtown where I live called “Cycle bar” where you pay $20 A CLASS. I’m like “yeah no, why pay that when I can go to as many classes as I want at my gym.
@Bluesky – yeah, its included at my gym as well but I don’t go bc I find gym classes super intimidating lol! BUT if you are someone who is a gym member primarily for the spin classes, then the peloton may be better financially, depending on the cost of your gym membership.
@Becks1 I take a variety of classes but I do know people who come just for that class which never made sense to me. The room is nice and dark and I am usually in the front because there are no distractions.
I know one lady that takes only spin classes but I think this is also part of her socializing and being around people.
@Becks1 I got a used Schwinn spin bike from PIAS for $199 seven years ago it still works great I just oil it. Look on Craig’s List for exercise equipment too.
That’s how I bought my elliptical. I’m pretty sure it had never been used.
Becks, I’m a former spin instructor. You can get a really good bike from Sams Club or Costco (you can get the same brands they purchase for gyms) for a few hundred. The price tag on the Peloton is RIDICULOUS. Especially given the monthly subscription fee to take the classes. And CB’s right. You can find classes on youtube if you need that guided workout. When I quit (got tired of the high school mean girl atmosphere at the gym), people begged me to post my rides on youtube. That’s not my thing though.
Ooh another good tip! Thanks! And yes, the monthly subscription for the peloton is ridiculous. Its cheaper to subscribe if you DONT have the peloton.
Watch out for your local gyms to sell their spin bikes when they upgrade, too!
Her eyes… she looks so anxious during the entire commercial. Sis has some deeper issues. Also, I hate, hate, hate that gotdamn song with a fiery passion.
I think that’s what bothers me too, she seems nervous and not at all enjoying herself.
I agree – don’t buy someone something like that unless they specifically ask for it.
And definitely don’t make them record themselves using it to watch together later!!! LOL.
Her frightened eyes are totally freaky.
Thats a weird expression, like a hostage video.
My theory on her facial expression is that she’s trying to go for an “aw shucks, I’m just so grateful for this amazing gift” look but it completely backfired. Such an incredibly dumb concept for an ad.
I agree that she was going for “aw shucks” but she totally missed the mark.
“Aw shucks” got lost in translation as “I’m getting on the bike every day, honey! I swear I’ll get down from a size two to a size zero for you, just like you want! Please don’t leave me!”
Yeah, her worried eyebrows are annoying me. And why the hell is she nervous about her first class?
Yes, I think have a visual disorder akin to misophonia (the auditory disorder where someone literally experiences anger when exposed to repetitive sounds interpreted as ‘annoying’). I’m gonna lose it over that ‘aw shucks’ expression glued to her face. Finding this rant thread has been so therapeutic. People posting their own workout anything to social media drives me up the flipping wall anyway, and this ad just about did me in. Our approval-seeking, self-centered, show-off, look-at-me culture makes me vomit in my mouth several times a day, which I refrain from documenting on social media. I’m all for a healthy lifestyle including exercise, but nothing in this ad is healthy.
Agreed. And that very last scene sealed my dislike for this ad even further: after they finishing watching her compilation of daily exercise videos, she turns to him with this look of needing validation in her eyes. And he doesn’t even hold her gaze; he keeps looking at the TV as if she were not sitting next to him. Ugh.
Yes! It’s her submissive doe-eye look that makes me crazy!
Yeah, that’s why my husband initially thought it was a comedy skit. He’s watching at first and said, “She looks scared of it.” He made no further comment until the first scene with the husband next to her watching the progress videos, and he threw his head back and belly laughed. He thought it was an SNL skit or a comedy skit from YouTube.
When he realized it was an actual commercial, he stopped laughing and said, “That is so vile.”
Yeah. I cannot FATHOM how this commercial got all the way to air. It reads like an abusive husband giving her the bike, bullying her through the process, monitoring her compliance with the program, and then the abused victim thanking her abuser for it at the end. It’s like a scene from Sleeping With the Enemy. All I see watching that ad is Julia Roberts straightening the hand towels in the bathroom with shaking hands.
It’s utterly horrific.
I saw this commercial this weekend and I must’ve missed the beginning because I didn’t realize her husband had gotten it for her and that’s who she was recording the videos for, ew. I still thought it was stupid though not even knowing that. Everyone feeling like they have to document everything they do on their phone, ugh.
I think they’ve edited it out because I haven’t seen the controversial begining and end parts on tv. I thought she was vlogging or something.
Some people just love being fit and trying new challenges. If my husband bought me a peloton, I’d be stoked. Also, if one of us is packing on too much weight, we let the other one know. He’s my husband. If he can’t tell me that maybe I shouldn’t order the cheesecake, who can? I don’t know… I guess I’m just not that sensitive. It’s about your health, and when you’re married and have kids together, it’s his business too. That said, that commercial is utterly ridiculous.
You had until the weight stuff.
I am also a fitness person and, while pelaton isn’t my jam, I would be stoked if my significant other spent $2K to get me fitness stuff. Good road bikes can cost anywhere from $800-$2000, so it would def be an expensive, but wanted Christmas present.
I know it’s not every relationship, but my husband and I are just not uncomfortable talking about weight. It’s a real thing in life that everyone deals with, and we talk about it and deal with it together. We met and bonded through fitness many moons ago, so maybe that’s why? I don’t know. We’re more like weight watchers support sponsors. Not critical. Just real about it. We’re both fit, but getting older, and we keep each other in check. Not saying it’s for everyone.
I would be stoked if my husband got me a functional used 200$ dollar bike and gave the rest of the damn money to charity. That’s what would REALLY stoke me.
Ok, I’d also be psyched if someone, husband, friend, anyone, bought me a Peloton because it’s not in my budget (nor is the required $39/month to use their app). And I had the same look of fear the first time I took a SoulCycle class. Would we be having the same uproar if the wife bought it for her husband and he had the same “look” in his eyes video’ing himself? I have a friend who bought one for her husband’s 40th and he was stoked.
Quote: “Would we be having the same uproar if the wife bought it for her husband?”
I would be, yes. It’s not about buying fitness equipment for a spouse. It’s about the bit at the end where the husband is sitting there watching her progress video at the end. He buys it for her and–the implication in the ad with the scared eyes is–he then monitors her progress to make sure she’s sticking to the program.
And then she repeatedly thanks him–this already gorgeous and fit woman–like someone thanking an oncologist who just cured her cancer.
It’s…a bad ad. It’s really awful. And it’s not awful because we see a husband buying a wife the bike. It’s the rest of it.
If this were a woman buying a bike for her husband and then following him around to make sure he’s using it, then yes. I’d see the same infantilizing sort of abuse I see in the current commercial. Women can be emotionally abusive to men, too, and stripping adulthood and dignity is ugly when either gender does it. The commercial is vile.
To me, this is more of the “I’m in “LA/NYC and my wife and I are perfectionist strivers and
my wife must look sexy and perfect because that’s what she is for” BS. The guy/gal who made the pitch is exporting mysogyny disguised as caring about health.
If you and your spouse are into this, sure! You know that some clueless, wealthy l, abusive dolt will order it for his wife.
Boom. Nailed it.
Christina and Marigold, y’all are soooooo right. Thank you.
Same but a $2000 stationary bike which is a an obvious exercise fad? I would be upset he wasted that much money. Now if he invested in a squat rack and powerlifting gym garage I would be one happy girl.
I will call myself any dam* thing I want to call myself. I’m referring to myself here not you. Please don’t tell me what to call myself because I can use my words, my verbiage and dialect any way i want to use it. it is that very rude and disrespectful for you to tell a stranger how they should only use specific terms.
@originaltessa- My question about focusing on weight as you do would be – what if the weight is a matter of work/financial stress, mental/emotional health issues, or caused by some other health issue – like a medication, underlying illness (like they packed on 30 lbs due to celiac), newborn, aging parent caregiving, etc. Would it not make sense to focus on those issues more than a slice of cheesecake?
And I hope this is ok to say, but someone telling me what I can and can’t eat rings red flags for control issues. I learned the hard way that I want to be able to trust my partner to make good choices for themselves, and vice versa, and if not it veers into codependency.
Finally – I always felt that bodies and health change – and marriage is for better or worse, in sickness and in health right? We don’t marry a body or partner a body, we marry and partner with a person. Maybe it’s just me who believes these things though. All that to say I would be surprised if my spouse tried to control my time w this bike, under the guise of health concern. Maybe it’s just me that sees red flags there though.
I feel you on all of that. I also wanted to say that weight does not equal health. I think it’s awesome that they are in sync with that, so maybe it’s not so bad, but I do hope that they give each other a break, too 🙂
On commercial topic, I feel like people’s names should be added to commercials (writers, directions) so we know who to blame or celebrate.
@Apalapa, maybe my post raised red flags, but it’s not that serious in my house. My husband is my best friend and the farthest thing from controlling or even judgmental. We just share everything and live our lives as a team. I’m sure there are men who shame their wives and push them to lose weight and buy them equipment as a means of degrading or shaming them. That’s not the dynamic in my house. The cheesecake anecdote isn’t my life. It’s just an example of how my husband and I don’t hide the fact that we’re human beings that are aware that calorie consumption can lead to weight gain. We laugh a lot and try to help each other where we can, because it’s still our goal at the end of the day to stay fit and healthy for our kids. I’m fine. Thanks for your concern.
I find anyone making any type of comment about the food I eat regarding my “health” incredibly condescending and unwelcome no matter where it’s coming from unless I am in a doctor’s office.
And yes, it is form of control. I’m an adult, I don’t need comments about what I am ordering.
@Maria…
I had something else written but deleted. Long story short, I know the difference between support and control. We diet together and keep the other in check. It works for us. End of.
@Originaltessa, I’m glad you shared your perspective from your marriage! It sounds like you and your husband are lucky to be best friends and agree on your boundaries, such that you can have frank discussions about weight, which can be completely off-bounds within a lot of relationships.
My husband and I are also best friends, and though we would NEVER suggest the other drop a few pounds, we’ve recently taken great delight at affirming our commitment “in thickness and in health.” 😁
It’s not about being “sensitive.” People who have issues with their self-esteem and self-worth, especially in relation to their weight, are not “sensitive.” They’re struggling with real problems. People who give think they’re giving them well-meaning advice are often just moralizing assholes who think being overweight is some type of character flaw that must be fixed, when it’s not that at all. When we live in a society that stops associating someone’s worth as a person with the number they reflect on the scale, then we can talk about those who are too “sensitive.” If this is not an issue with you, great. But that doesn’t make the larger problems go away, and when someone like your spouse, who you rely on for mental support, plays a part in reaffirming this idea that you’re not worthy as a person unless you lose weight, that’s going to hurt and be awful.
She looks scared which makes me anxious. Awful ad!
This whole video from casting, story line, to production is a mess. It’s crazy that they couldn’t have done something more savvy and slick with those profit margins.
I own a Peloton and if my husband bought it for me I would have thrown it out the window! What a bizarre commercial… Also, is it me or does the husband in the commercial look like he could use the bike more than the wife?
Ok— so, I have a peloton that I love. I also hate that commercial with a fiery passion.
Love my Peloton too. Like, really, really love it and the community. Peloton selfies/videos, etc proliferate on Insta too…#peloton.
I love my peloton, and commented below wrt the economics of having a peloton. All of their ads are so incredibly embarrassing. I do not get it. They should ask their customers/instructors to give feedback.
I’m thinking an ad with a harried set of parents both squeezing in workouts one after the other in the morning before work…kids screaming….normal-looking house a mess, and the parents get to zone out and be uplifted by Ally or one of the other instructors for 45 minutes. Fitness + good mental health follows. That’s who should want these bikes, not just thin white rich people with no apparent stress!
All of the Peloton owners I know are just like this: busy, working parents with lived-in homes who are just trying to keep it all together.
I think the concept would have been better if the actress didn’t look like she was trapped in a gilded cage with a peloton.
Like, maybe shoot a commercial in which the person is genuinely excited for the bike and loves using it?
Lol. So true. Whatever creative team came up with this should have been sent back to the drawing board.
the concept would have worked if the ad started with her packing up/going to a spin class in the rain or snow and then coming home and saying to her husband “man, I wish I didn’t have to go OUT to get my workout”…
Not really. Then it would be “is the wife so dumb she doesn’t know you can workout at home?” or “she’s at the mercy of her husband to buy her an exercise machine. Does she not make any money of her own?”. With commercials you have to be really careful. I’m finally seeing cleaning commercials where now *gasp* men are doing the cleaning lol. Companies need/must get with the times.
It is just such a weird premise for the commercial – why would she have to film herself using it to show her husband? Wouldn’t he know she was using it?
I dont understand the logic of “your wife is already slender so she doesnt need a bike like that.” That’s not really the way health works.
Great point! Slender people need regular exercise, too.
I was thinking the same thing! The only explanation that made sense to me was “she’s already slender from a different workout program she maintains, so she doesn’t need this in addition.”
Thank you. I am slim but I need to get more physical activity into my life now that I have an office job (used to work in retail so I got my exercise from that).
While spin would not be my thing I know several people that would love this. Hopefully ones spouse would know them enough to make the right choice.
Exercising (on top of being a working mom) can negatively affect your health too. Could lead to fatigue. It should be fun and not add stress to your already full workload. The woman in the ad seemed pressured to workout because it costs freaking $2k. Even rich people like Charlie Theron and Tia Mowry know the value of SoulCycle membership.
as with many commercials, I think we all see different things. i saw her as someone who never exercised (skinny so does not mean fit and healthy) and was trying to psych herself up to become an exerciser, someone tough enough to work out everyday. and her husband gifted her with something that might push her toward that. gotta say, best gift i ever got was a treadmill – made me feel that someone else believed that i could be that person who was taking the scary step to get into exercise when I wasn’t even sure myself i could do it.
i totally see why people could get offended by this commercial and see it very differently. peloton would be wise to do a series where the recipients vary — someone older, some men, etc.
I’ve seen a peloton ad with a man. It’s obviously an expensive bike – but 2k plus $40/month?! Yikes!
I read somewhere (here, probably) that Pete Davidson got one for his mom. Presumably that was because he knew she wanted it. Or maybe she’d been taking a lot of spin classes – that would make it a pretty safe bet.
I am DYING laughing, because I didn’t realize this ad was a THING and I felt the SAME DAMN WAY when I saw this ad this weekend.
I was like WTH this woman is already skinny, and her negging hubs gets her an exercise bike?! And she does look scared the whole time!
Me too…I despise ALL of the Peleton commercials – “are you already super fit? Wealthy? White? City dwellers? THEN DO WE HAVE THE BIKE FOR YOU!! (the rest of you rabble can suck it…)” I felt so alone until now! 🙂
With a huge picture window so you can put the bike right in front of it so all your friends can see you have it!!
I need to know what CHANGED HER?????
Why does she look so terrified? And why is she recording this so she and her husband can sit on the couch and watch her working out? I dont think exercise equipment is an offensive gift if you know the other person will use it and enjoy it, but this hits too many wrong notes.
A much better commercial would have been an overweight woman using “The Peloton”. Showing her playing with her kid, out with friends etc.. and saying I had no idea how much it would change me. A lot of overweight people, including myself, are intimidated by the gym. Showing how you can get fit at home would be a better commercial.
I’ve never seen a Peloton ad marketed to anyone not rich and skinny. It’s so blatant to me who they’re going after. They want the woman who already spends $3000 a year at Pilates class, to drop it on the Peloton this year instead.
See,I’m totally on board with what you said here ^-I have seen this ad a zillion times and what I have always taken away is that this is a beautiful,successful,wealthy young couple who live in a gorgeous house-of course she wanted the stupid peloton!🙄
I see the misogyny,but I considered this to be about affluence.Just my take.
Spot on – all of their ads are in fancy, high end homes and with people who look like they work out all the time already.
Yeah they aren’t marketing to people who want to get in shape but those who already are.
Eh, I don’t like the “change me” message. Overweight people might need to lose weight (I am one of them), but we don’t need to be “changed.” Just..lose some weight.
Love this idea, provided that at the end it doesn’t enforce that the woman got skinny from it. Promote fitness, well-being, mental health, self-care, not physical image!
The vibe that I hate from this ad is how she seems so shocked and grateful that her husband “believed” in her, and that the message is mostly praise for the gift-giver, not admiration for the person doing the hard work. I would be more inspired by someone believing in themselves in a believable way (looking psyched and confident instead of nervous and surprised).
I guess the target audience is dudes who want to feel beneficent, not the people who want to be fit for their own self-actualization. Sigh.
Give me an ad where the person is super stoked when the bike is delivered, despite getting side eye from the spouse who thinks it’s just going to gather dust. Make a big point of them having treated themself to it. Show me their nervousness to get started, how hard they work, how much they love it, and how accomplished they feel a year later. If they wanted to sell it to me, that’s how it would work.
BTW, I own expensive exercise equipment and I’m a skinny white lady so I am most certainly their target demo.
Why does this lady look terrified to get on the bike? What is with the fear and anxiety in this ad? Who greenlit this nonsense in the pitch room? I’m dying to see the pitch that they didn’t use.
I know, why is she nervous? It’s a damn exercise bike, not a trip to the moon.
Haha yes Megs I tried a spin bike at the gym and realized it is not for people with bad knees in 90 seconds and I still wasn’t as anxious about it as she looks…
I took two spin classes within a week, once. My butt hurt so badly from the awful seat that I couldn’t sit normal for two weeks. Even the spin instructor at the gym didn’t like the seats on the stationary bikes there. I’d be scared to get back on, lol.
It would make more sense if she were recording her workouts for a vlog or something, not specifically to thank her husband.
Also, it bugs me that they chose someone who is clearly very in shape already. I know fit people work out to maintain of course, but the message that this changed her life seems a bit off, unless they’re just referencing that she found a workout she could stick to.
This is one of Kaisers best posts evah. I peed a little reading it.
The wife not being visibly in shape wouldn’t make this ad better, honestly. “I dropped 2k on something you didn’t ask for to work off that babyweight, honey!” Can you imagine?! Yikes.
The only way you can give this as a gift is if your spouse demonstrably wants one/you guys will both use it.
If the wife were overweight, all hell would break loose. The slender wife suggests the reason for the bike is health and fitness, not weight loss (i.e., aesthetic “improvement”). But still no excuse for the disturbing vibe.
Swear to god my friend’s husband did this. Gave it to her post-baby. it’s horrifying. Men should not be told this is an OK thing. He’s not a monster so I assume he’s just dreadfully, horribly misguided.
There is a whole thread on Twitter making fun of Peloton and their tone deaf ads and commercials. And I’m glad that we’re talking about this commercial in particular because I absolutely despise it. Their bikes are incredibly expensive and I’m not sure what their reason is for mass marketing a product that many people I know can’t afford. Plus, their advertising comes off so elitist it’s ridiculous.
The twitter comments on this were hilarious, because it wasn’t all “i’m so fit and thin and gorgeous and i wouldn’t be insulted at all if hubby got me one!”. Cough cough.
Is her husband T.I. ? How controlling of a husband do you have to be that you buy your wife an exercise machine and then make her record it to verify she’s actually using it. F*ck that sh*t.
Both Eva Victor and Bess Kalb are great Twitter follows. Just consistently hilarious.
Agreed, Eva is def talented and hilarious. I’ll have to check out Bess Kalb. I saw Eva’s parody before I saw the actual (awful) ad, so had to search out the Peloton ad and yep, it was so off, it felt like satire.
The wife if fit because she likes exercise. I don’t think getting someone who loves exercise new equipment is calling them fat. Maybe I don’t find it as weird because I love spin classes and if I had the space, I’d make a home gym.
This actress would be great in a scary/horror movie.
It just hit me in this undercover-controlling way, it gave me a gross feeling. Even aside from the “my a-hole husband gave me exercise equipment”.
I have never hated a commercial so much in my life as I do this one. The tribute video she played her husband at the end… Lady, you got an exercise bike, not a kidney, calm down.
Peloton is the Gwenth Paltrow of exercise bikes. The commercials are cringy and it’s a fad. I honestly cringe at the thought of a husband wasting money on something that probably collect dust after a year or so.
What were they thinking with this commercial?! Who directed it? She behaves like an abused spouse – the fear, anxiety, and jumping through hoops to please him. Ugh.
I hate this commercial but honestly these issues didn’t ping with me at all. It’s too long. There’s too much story happening. I absolutely HATE the song playing in it. And it’s a freaking stationary bike. Like who the F cares this much? And why is she so nervous at the beginning? Again, it’s a freaking stationary bike. It’s not skydiving or jet skying or open heart surgery. Jeeez! The sexism and elitism I’m now seeing crystal clear is just icing on this stupid cake.
The commercial is creepy. The video response I could watch all day.
We have friends who use the Peloton. They love it but the cost is just ridiculous. The bike is pricey and the monthly subscription is high. You have to really like spinning to break even and not sure it’s good for your joints to focus on just one exercise. We have spin classes and bikes available at the Y, and mentioned above, watch You Tube. That said, if you have the budget , dedication, and space, go for it.
Yah, my friend has one but she’s a former college athlete, highly paid attorney who lives in a different city from her spouse. It’s her me-time. It also might be her couch.
That parody commercial is amazing!!!! I can’t stop laughing!!
I have a Peloton and I f*cking love it. If anyone is thinking of getting one, but doesn’t want to give money to a company with such garbage ads, I get it, but don’t let it dissuade you.
The weird thing is, the vibe of the instructors and programming is not elitist in this same way…I just don’t get why the ads are like this. I don’t think the ads (these and all the other thin, white rich people ads Peloton has) represent the company. It’s wild.
Also, it’s a total bougie expense, for sure. But my husband and I both use it, and we financed the bike for 0%. It comes out to $100 a month for 3.5 years, then $40 a month for the subscription after. So yeah, it’s a bougie, expensive thing, but an okay value if you and/or someone else will use the bike about 2-3 times a week. I use it 3 times a week myself. I don’t have a gym membership, and just hike, run, and do the occasional yoga class. I like this bike at home because I can easily fit in morning workouts, shower at home, and don’t have to trek to the gym in the dead of a really snowy northeast winter. I do not understand why they market this as a luxury product….depending on someone’s goals (super busy parents, etc), this could be a good value.
Also, don’t surprise someone with exercise equipment, duh.
Love this! Why can’t they make a commercial about the value of self-care and how it’s not a ridiculous expense if it’s meaningful to you?
It’s obvious they aren’t selling to people for whom the expense is even a consideration if they don’t bother to mention a 0% financing offer in their own damn commercial.
I like how you broke down the pricing, it is cheaper than some clubs and although many people are strapped for cash, they wouldn’t dream of giving up cable/streaming/gaming services. Honestly, any way we can get anyone to be more physically active the better, there are just too many benefits of exercise to ignore.
I’m going to imagine that the man on the couch at the end is the bike repairman that she left her husband for.
😂 😂 😂 😂 😂
Love this post and all these amazing comments! Lol I teach spin as well as jazzercise so I find fitness culture fascinating.
Has anyone seen those competing echelon ads? They are peloton knock offs. Omg it is all over my social media and the lady on the bike is literally bouncing in her seat (indicating no resistance) and pantomiming excitement to an empty class while some rando films her with his iPhone. Of course she is demonstrating pushups while peddling… which I do not get?
I’m usually passive aggressive on commercials like this. I remember watching it, but my focus was on the music not so much the narrative. I’m a 90’s girl and she’s so high is one of those songs that bring me back. Now actually watching the video. It’s disgusting. The wife is skinny, too skinny IMO and you gift her a bike she clearly doesn’t need. It should have been a chunky, but confident girl someone like Lizzo asking her s/o for a bike and he delivers. The rest is her working out and showing herself post exercise. This chick was skinny before and skinny after. Stupid concept all around.
Lizzo very likely doesn’t want one. If she did I’m sure she has it already. Fat lady asking her husband for an exercize bike is just as bad.
I have a fitbit, and I hardly had to out of the box before they started trying to sell me another one “as a gift.” Same concept. Fitness gear only makes a good gift if someone wants it.
I had this happen to me. I didn’t lose the baby weight fast enough. He then cheated on me and told me that it was my fault and if I had just lost the weight he wouldn’t have had to do it. He of course was the victim here. Needless to say we are divorced.
Wow what a piece of sh*t. He was NOT the victim. I hope karma comes for him !
Of course you lost the baby weight! That immature jerk of an ex is no longer dragging you down. I’m so sorry, I realize the part before that really sucked. I hope things are looking up!
This ad seems to be targeting the rich husbands who have Stay at Home wives, the type who wear Lululemon and go shopping and to the gym every day. The kind who give their wives an allowance and micro manage their wives’ weight. It’s super misogynistic and has a 1950s vibe, like “Wife, you better show me what you’ve been doing all day. Send me videos so I can see that you’re actually working out.” So very very out-of-touch in a variety of ways. I wonder if they meant for it to be this controversial?
A peloton was delivered to my house today. I think I’m going to like it more than the treadmill I got for Valentines Day two years ago…
I wanted a Peloton bike and then QVC had a Echelon recumbent bike for $129. We have been going strong for year-and-a-half and the majority of the classes are free. I’m not paying for a subscription I do the free classes.
I keep seeing this commercial and found it annoying from the first viewing. At first, I thought the woman was an influencer and posting her workouts online, which was bad enough. But then seeing that she was making a video for her husband and then her tearful “thank you” as if he saved her life, just pushed me over the edge. Ugh!
This ad is targeted toward women who read Goop.
I’m still amazed that they actually convinced people to spend 2K on what is essentially the unused exercise bike in everyones’ parents basement.
I don’t know, I just watched it twice and honestly, I think that while her facial expressions are kind of wince inducing, I honestly don’t understand how this is more insulting to our intelligence than any other commercial. And now I know what a Peleton is, so I guess this is a win for Peleton, right? Not that I’m their target customer, but anyway.
I have the bike and my husband and I love it. Admittedly, it doesn’t get much use as it used to but it’s still worth every penny. The $40 subscription includes boot camp workouts, yoga, mediation, stretching, running and strength. You can do something different every day. Plus the instructors are amazing, Robin is my girl.
The instructors (the ones I workout to) are inclusive and super welcoming so it’s weird the commercials have a completely separate vibe.
Sounds like they seriously need to fire their advertising execs. Maybe nepotism? At least the ads gave rise to some really excellent spoofs.
Well, I can’t stand the commercial where boys and men say they have their periods. Drives me insane.
Many years ago I belonged to a gym and I really enjoyed it…it was totally my choice and I wasn’t pressured by anyone to join. Nor did I feel any trepidation or fear on my first day! That’s what really bothers me…when she has that “deer in the headlights” look and says she scared. Of what exactly?? The underlying message is horrible..I’ve lived through 2 abusive marriages and both had major control issues. Unless someone hasn’t experienced this, you would totally miss the misogynistic message of these ads.
My husband used all his frequent flyer miles once to buy me ‘surprise!’ a cord-having vacuum cleaner. It’s been almost eight years and I am still legit furious. Of all the things to do with either a gift OR frequent flyer miles, this is the absolute worst choice. In response, I have refused to use the vacuum ever since. Guess who vacuums with the miserable cord and roller-box now? *evil, evil laugh*