What do you think of Peloton commercial?

[SKL]

Also I don't understand the assumption that this is about weight.  Maybe she wanted to build up her stamina to run a marathon or do the iron-man.  Maybe she had some issues with energy.  Maybe she wanted an alternative to going to the gym.

[KungFuPanda]

I’m offended that Peleton took a mid-ranged bike that wasn’t selling, then jacked the price way up, added slick advertising, and got away with it in a luxury market. I don’t think they improved the bike at all! I hate that price no longer has ANYTHING to do with quality. 

[DesertBlossom]

I don't understand the uproar. But I also don't assume the worst about people or things in general. I am going to assume she asked for the peloton, and that she had goals for herself and that she was genuinely pleased with her own efforts and the support of her spouse. 

Is the girl in the gin commercial supposed to be the same girl from the peloton commercial? Is that why we are supposed to assume the husband is a jerk?

[Scarlett]

5 minutes ago, DesertBlossom said:

I don't understand the uproar. But I also don't assume the worst about people or things in general. I am going to assume she asked for the peloton, and that she had goals for herself and that she was genuinely pleased with her own efforts and the support of her spouse. 

Is the girl in the gin commercial supposed to be the same girl from the peloton commercial? Is that why we are supposed to assume the husband is a jerk?

I wondered that too about the gin ad.  I don’t get it, I guess. 

[Murphy101]

12 minutes ago, SKL said:

Also I don't understand the assumption that this is about weight.  Maybe she wanted to build up her stamina to run a marathon or do the iron-man.  Maybe she had some issues with energy.  Maybe she wanted an alternative to going to the gym.

I completely agree with you except I do understand bc most people in the states do unfortunately associate exercise almost entirely with weight/looks. 

[Murphy101]

Okay. I thought the gin ad was funny. And I am no where near a heavy or even moderate drinker and don’t like gin.

Maybe y’all have never taken a gal pal out for a drink so she can vent and relax through a rough time. Fine. Bet you fed her something though. Or maybe it was a frappe or tea.

The gin commercial wasn’t her dealing with the peloton husband - it was her coping with people being harsh about her character portrayal and looks in the peloton commercial.

 

[Scarlett]

4 minutes ago, Murphy101 said:

Okay. I thought the gin ad was funny. And I am no where near a heavy or even moderate drinker and don’t like gin.

Maybe y’all have never taken a gal pal out for a drink so she can vent and relax through a rough time. Fine. Bet you fed her something though. Or maybe it was a frappe or tea.

The gin commercial wasn’t her dealing with the peloton husband - it was her coping with people being harsh about her character portrayal and looks in the peloton commercial.

 

Oooooh. Ok I get it now. 

[SKL]

8 minutes ago, Murphy101 said:

I completely agree with you except I do understand bc most people in the states do unfortunately associate exercise almost entirely with weight/looks. 

I think the fact that they had the woman start and end slim was probably to avoid the offense that it would have caused to have a heavy woman thank her husband for giving her a tool to get skinny.  With the implication being that she was expected to get skinny for him.  [AKA you can't win.]

Even though a lot of non-slim real-life women do want a tool to help slim down, and there is nothing wrong with that ....

[happi duck]

When I see the Peloton ads with the bikes in beautiful rooms I just wonder about all the sweat!

Here's some Peloton snark: https://www.boredpanda.com/twitter-peloton-bike-ads-memes/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

[Garga]

3 hours ago, happysmileylady said:

I think it’s a dumb commercial.  “I didn’t know how much this would change me”

🤔❓

I didn’t see any change.  Like, the blogging didn’t show how she can now hike farther or how she is in some way actually healthier, and there’s certainly no change in her appearance.  

So it’s dumb.  

 

On a a separate note, one of the dumbest things about all peloton commercials (which are as hard to miss as perfume and car commercials this time of year, they are EVERYWHERE!) is how they are all in front of some giant picture window.   Why do the commercials always show these bikes set up right in front of giant windows?  Do people generally prefer to work out in front of huge windows or something?

I think it’s a way to show the weather and time of day. You can bike in the rain and snow (see the rain and snow out of the window? But you can still bike, because you’re inside! Yay!). You can bike at night (see how dark it is, but there you are in your bright home biking away!  Yay!)

1 hour ago, Murphy101 said:

I think some of the ire might be because people see a woman like that and think she doesn’t have to work to stay looking like that.  And sure many don’t, I never had to until about 37ish. But even once the weight is lost, I have to keep working just as hard to keep it off. 

But if I thought she looks like she would be unhealthy if she lost more weight, and I viewed exercise purpose as purely weight loss, then yeah I guess my big concern would be why push that image of women having to gratefully sacrifice their health to make their husband  be happy with them?

I’d like to know her motivation for the work. If she’s doing it for him, which is does kinda seem that way, then I’m not opposed but I think they could do better for women. Maybe show her crossing the finish line at a marathon she wanted to run for a cause or something? Idk. 🤷‍♀️
 

I agree with the marketing comment above. The purpose and angle of the camera were confusing to me. Didn’t make me angry or anything. I just wasn’t expecting it to be a gift to her husband. That was weird. 

I didn’t see it as it was a gift to her husband.  It seemed like she was just showing him how happy she was with what she’d gotten the year before.  I’m 99% sure that the next time we see the couple, she’ll be presenting him with a key to a car in the driveway with a big red bow on it. 😄

30 minutes ago, SKL said:

Also I don't understand the assumption that this is about weight.  Maybe she wanted to build up her stamina to run a marathon or do the iron-man.  Maybe she had some issues with energy.  Maybe she wanted an alternative to going to the gym.

My first impression was that it was for strength.  I’m thin right now and I seriously need some strength.  I need to start working out for health reasons beyond my size, fer sure.  I’m just being lazy about it.

 

I interpreted her apprehension as being, “I’m sooo out of shape, I hope I can keep up!”

[Murphy101]

6 minutes ago, SKL said:

I think the fact that they had the woman start and end slim was probably to avoid the offense that it would have caused to have a heavy woman thank her husband for giving her a tool to get skinny.  With the implication being that she was expected to get skinny for him.  [AKA you can't win.]

Even though a lot of non-slim real-life women do want a tool to help slim down, and there is nothing wrong with that ....

I think they’d have been better off if they’d left the husband out entirely. I can’t remember the last time I saw a commercial of a man deciding to get exercising that they felt the need to incorporate a sexy approving benevolent wife. Sure it’s out there I suppose.

Contrary to pop culture, whether a woman wants or can get healthier or more fit isn’t about the men in her life.

I’d have enjoyed a middle aged couple deciding to buy their own thing for Christmas and the wife happily doing her own thing while the husband is amazed and supportive. 

This commercial is mostly confusing to me more than anything. No hard feelings or inspiration, just sorta blah about it. 

[BeachGal]

It will be interesting to see if they are selling more of those bikes. I bet they are!

[KungFuPanda]

3 hours ago, happysmileylady said:

I think it’s a dumb commercial.  “I didn’t know how much this would change me”

🤔❓

I didn’t see any change.  Like, the blogging didn’t show how she can now hike farther or how she is in some way actually healthier, and there’s certainly no change in her appearance.  

So it’s dumb.  

 

On a a separate note, one of the dumbest things about all peloton commercials (which are as hard to miss as perfume and car commercials this time of year, they are EVERYWHERE!) is how they are all in front of some giant picture window.   Why do the commercials always show these bikes set up right in front of giant windows?  Do people generally prefer to work out in front of huge windows or something?

The perfume adds crack me up.  Advertisers must be shaking their heads at the emperor's-new-clothes ridiculousness of the whole concept.  It's a smell and it's subjective.  "Fine  . . . just film more naked people in water.  Make sure they whisper and make sure people have to see the add twenty times before they even realize we're selling a fragrance."  I swear that's the formula.  

Yesterday I gifted my DH with some coffee beans.  I guess I was telling him he needed to wake TF up and get something done around here.

Have you all seen the Peleton add spoof site? I can't find it because of the recent uproar over the new commercial, but basically a guy took all of the photos from the print ads and rewrote them.  He has things like.  "Just built a $4000 stage in my living room to hold my new Peleton!"  

[happi duck]

5 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said:

The perfume adds crack me up.  Advertisers must be shaking their heads at the emperor's-new-clothes ridiculousness of the whole concept.  It's a smell and it's subjective.  "Fine  . . . just film more naked people in water.  Make sure they whisper and make sure people have to see the add twenty times before they even realize we're selling a fragrance."  I swear that's the formula.  

Yesterday I gifted my DH with some coffee beans.  I guess I was telling him he needed to wake TF up and get something done around here.

Have you all seen the Peleton add spoof site? I can't find it because of the recent uproar over the new commercial, but basically a guy took all of the photos from the print ads and rewrote them.  He has things like.  "Just built a $4000 stage in my living room to hold my new Peleton!"  

I couldn't find the exact site either.  Some are in the bored panda thing I linked to above.

[SKL]

I think the gift aspect was because it's Christmas time.  😛

I don't have a husband.  I bought myself a fitdesk years ago.  I'm sitting on it right now.  (It is not a Peloton, LOL.)  I guess I am proof that a woman can want a fitness item without having a man in her life ... but at Christmas time couples do buy each other things ....

[Farrar]

15 hours ago, Just Kate said:

But it did work. According to the linked People video, Peloton’s stock went up by over 4%!

This is false. The stock fell and most analysts blamed the ad. It’s still down. They lost nearly a billion dollars.

 

[Guest]

15 hours ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

My answer is other. I was happy with the uproar because we jumped in a bought a bunch of Peleton stock thanks to it.  It's already bounced, so thanks to all the faux outrage Twitter people- Merry Christmas to us, LOL. 

Same. Except I bought stock the week before the ad uproar. 

[Farrar]

My take is that it just didn't work.

I think you could make an ad where the husband gifts the wife with exercise equipment and it's FINE and not at all sexist. After all, women like to exercise. But the way the ad shows doesn't center her experience of loving exercise - it implies it's all for the husband because it centers him - his gift and her making this video throughout the whole thing, as if it's all for him. In that sense, I don't think it works at all. In private, within a relationship, that might actually be sweet. But framing it that way on the screen? I do think that's sexist. Not like, end of the world and I'm boycotting Peloton now sexist, but not a good look.

My biggest issue with it was that she looks like she's abused. Like, that grin she keeps flashing? Holy crap. She looks like she is smiling so she doesn't get the crap beat out of her. It's the "I don't want to disturb anything in case I make a wrong move and get hurt" kind of grin. Obviously she's an actor. It's not real. But if I saw a real woman look like that at her husband all the time, then I'd be like, honey, are you okay, do you need help? I keep thinking how weird it is that they shot it like that. Like, is she just a cruddy actor and that's her "I'm exercising and genuinely happy" look? Because that's not at all how it reads to me. Or is it the (men, I assume?) who mostly directed and staged the ad think that's what happy women look like? And if so, what the heck are they doing to their wives that they think that looks like a normal, happy look? It's just SO STRANGE because there's no way they intended for her to look like she was afraid and grinning through it. That clearly can't have been the intention. Yet... that's totally how it reads to me and to a bunch of other people I've talked to.

Like, look at this woman. Is this a normal, I'm happy look?!?

[Chris in VA]

3 hours ago, marbel said:

What? No one said that (unless I missed it). The OP asked what we thought of an advertisement, not about giving exercise equipment as a gift.  

 

I was speaking to the article. But Farrar did. 

Edited December 10, 2019 by Chris in VA

[Murphy101]

54 minutes ago, Farrar said:

My take is that it just didn't work.

I think you could make an ad where the husband gifts the wife with exercise equipment and it's FINE and not at all sexist. After all, women like to exercise. But the way the ad shows doesn't center her experience of loving exercise - it implies it's all for the husband because it centers him - his gift and her making this video throughout the whole thing, as if it's all for him. In that sense, I don't think it works at all. In private, within a relationship, that might actually be sweet. But framing it that way on the screen? I do think that's sexist. Not like, end of the world and I'm boycotting Peloton now sexist, but not a good look.

My biggest issue with it was that she looks like she's abused. Like, that grin she keeps flashing? Holy crap. She looks like she is smiling so she doesn't get the crap beat out of her. It's the "I don't want to disturb anything in case I make a wrong move and get hurt" kind of grin. Obviously she's an actor. It's not real. But if I saw a real woman look like that at her husband all the time, then I'd be like, honey, are you okay, do you need help? I keep thinking how weird it is that they shot it like that. Like, is she just a cruddy actor and that's her "I'm exercising and genuinely happy" look? Because that's not at all how it reads to me. Or is it the (men, I assume?) who mostly directed and staged the ad think that's what happy women look like? And if so, what the heck are they doing to their wives that they think that looks like a normal, happy look? It's just SO STRANGE because there's no way they intended for her to look like she was afraid and grinning through it. That clearly can't have been the intention. Yet... that's totally how it reads to me and to a bunch of other people I've talked to.

Like, look at this woman. Is this a normal, I'm happy look?!?

Wait. Women LIKE to exercise? Really? Because I don’t. I hates it. If the results weren’t worth it to me, hell no I would not have gone out in below freezing weather that sure as heck makes me look like that woman at 5am. In fact, one of my friends who goes walking with me and I have often laughed at the look on each other’s faces as we walk into the cold.  And actually, a bit of physical therapy will give a healthy respect for being careful about exercise and nervous about messing things up too.  I am paranoid about injury.

You see all that and what I see is a woman pushing through totally valid second thoughts about her sanity vs fitness goals.  Btdt.

BWP indeed.  I’m totally using that next time I see my friends. 😆

[Farrar]

24 minutes ago, Chris in VA said:

I was speaking to the article. But Farrar did. 

Um, I said the exact opposite? That you could make an ad where a husband gives his wife exercise equipment and have it not be at all sexist, just that this particular ad didn’t do that because of how they framed it as all about him.

[Farrar]

8 minutes ago, Murphy101 said:

Wait. Women LIKE to exercise? Really? Because I don’t. I hates it. If the results weren’t worth it to me, hell no I would not have gone out in below freezing weather that sure as heck makes me look like that woman at 5am. In fact, one of my friends who goes walking with me and I have often laughed at the look on each other’s faces as we walk into the cold.  And actually, a bit of physical therapy will give a healthy respect for being careful about exercise and nervous about messing things up too.  I am paranoid about injury.

You see all that and what I see is a woman pushing through totally valid second thoughts about her sanity vs fitness goals.  Btdt.

BWP indeed.  I’m totally using that next time I see my friends. 😆

Yeah, sorry... there’s a some missing there that I was thinking... I type too fast. I also am not a woman who inherently enjoys exercise, that’s for sure. But everyone is always telling me some people do. 🤷‍♀️

[Guest]

I do think one issue a lot of people had with the ad is that the woman is very slim. There’s no noticeable difference in her “after” from her “before” and she exercised for *a year*. 

Now, IMO, that is 100% because of their target market: affluent, health-conscious young people. The bikes themselves are quite expensive and you can only use the tech features if you have good internet (which would be a no for me); this also hints at a preference for people under, say 40, or maybe 35. I doubt many people in my age bracket find it thrilling to be in a virtual “class” with folks all over the world *while* they exercise. I personally would never consider that a perk. 

Before they released this tone-deaf commercial, I already thought their ads were a turn-off to me personally, because they would show a young, slim woman on there, biking hard until she’s literally dripping sweat. They actually zoom in on the sweat dripping off her face. This is a hard no for me. I hate to sweat! I know it’s healthy and all that jazz but if I have to exercise until I’m wringing wet with sweat every day, I just will not do it. I would have to go through my dang hair procedure all over again every day and so it would not happen! 

In general, I find nothing terrible about an exercise bike as a gift from a spouse, assuming the woman wants it or would probably be thrilled. My husband bought me an exercise bike one year, but I wanted one and we picked it out. I think it’s her beaten-puppy vibe that ruins this ad. It doesn’t seem like this is for her; it seems like it’s some need to win the approval of her onerous mate. 

[SKL]

2 hours ago, Farrar said:

My take is that it just didn't work.

I think you could make an ad where the husband gifts the wife with exercise equipment and it's FINE and not at all sexist. After all, women like to exercise. But the way the ad shows doesn't center her experience of loving exercise - it implies it's all for the husband because it centers him - his gift and her making this video throughout the whole thing, as if it's all for him. In that sense, I don't think it works at all. In private, within a relationship, that might actually be sweet. But framing it that way on the screen? I do think that's sexist. Not like, end of the world and I'm boycotting Peloton now sexist, but not a good look.

My biggest issue with it was that she looks like she's abused. Like, that grin she keeps flashing? Holy crap. She looks like she is smiling so she doesn't get the crap beat out of her. It's the "I don't want to disturb anything in case I make a wrong move and get hurt" kind of grin. Obviously she's an actor. It's not real. But if I saw a real woman look like that at her husband all the time, then I'd be like, honey, are you okay, do you need help? I keep thinking how weird it is that they shot it like that. Like, is she just a cruddy actor and that's her "I'm exercising and genuinely happy" look? Because that's not at all how it reads to me. Or is it the (men, I assume?) who mostly directed and staged the ad think that's what happy women look like? And if so, what the heck are they doing to their wives that they think that looks like a normal, happy look? It's just SO STRANGE because there's no way they intended for her to look like she was afraid and grinning through it. That clearly can't have been the intention. Yet... that's totally how it reads to me and to a bunch of other people I've talked to.

Like, look at this woman. Is this a normal, I'm happy look?!?

I didn't get that impression at all.  People all look different.  First impressions of total strangers on screens are pretty unreliable, and therefore most people adjust for that when they watch a commercial.

The reaction on this post shows that your reaction was not the typical one for people who have not been pre-warned to look for something sinister.

Seems to me that one or two influencers influenced a bunch of people and that got the ball rolling.  I doubt they all would have had that reaction had they not heard anyone else's reaction first.

I don't really care - I think overpriced exercise equipment is a frivolous purchase and really don't care about preserving Peloton stock prices.  But honestly I think people are easily swayed ... and that can be problematic in general.

[SKL]

As far as people liking to exercise or wanting to like it ... yes I know women who like it.  Yes I know women (and have sometimes been one) who want to like it because it would help them meet some goals.  And yes I know women who get motivation from being in a virtual "class."  It doesn't sound far-fetched to me.  I assume the marketing department did the leg work on that before they mass marketed this product.

I do hate to sweat, but I don't mind it so much if I am alone in my house and can take a shower after.

And again - it doesn't need to have anything to do with the user's waistline or weight.  I ran a 5K last month and came in behind a number of women who were overweight.  They were fitter than I (or my slim but lazy daughter for that matter).  Maybe they worked out regularly.

As far as the making a video, they needed to find some way to show the feature and try to make it look valuable in some way.  Who else would you share that kind of thing with ... your mother in law?  LOL I can't imagine wanting to use that feature at all, but maybe some people would.  There are people who are constantly making dumb little videos and I don't get that either.

Edited December 10, 2019 by SKL

[Kassia]

37 minutes ago, SKL said:

As far as people liking to exercise or wanting to like it ... yes I know women who like it. 

 

I love working out.  It gives me a sense of accomplishment that I don't get from anything else and it helps with my anxiety.  I'm always thrilled to receive fitness items as gifts.  

[Corraleno]

38 minutes ago, SKL said:

As far as the making a video, they needed to find some way to show the feature and try to make it look valuable in some way.  Who else would you share that kind of thing with ... your mother in law?  LOL I can't imagine wanting to use that feature at all, but maybe some people would.  There are people who are constantly making dumb little videos and I don't get that either.

I'm confused about the bolded. What feature are you referring to? 

[sassenach]

3 hours ago, Farrar said:

My take is that it just didn't work.

I think you could make an ad where the husband gifts the wife with exercise equipment and it's FINE and not at all sexist. After all, women like to exercise. But the way the ad shows doesn't center her experience of loving exercise - it implies it's all for the husband because it centers him - his gift and her making this video throughout the whole thing, as if it's all for him. In that sense, I don't think it works at all. In private, within a relationship, that might actually be sweet. But framing it that way on the screen? I do think that's sexist. Not like, end of the world and I'm boycotting Peloton now sexist, but not a good look.

My biggest issue with it was that she looks like she's abused. Like, that grin she keeps flashing? Holy crap. She looks like she is smiling so she doesn't get the crap beat out of her. It's the "I don't want to disturb anything in case I make a wrong move and get hurt" kind of grin. Obviously she's an actor. It's not real. But if I saw a real woman look like that at her husband all the time, then I'd be like, honey, are you okay, do you need help? I keep thinking how weird it is that they shot it like that. Like, is she just a cruddy actor and that's her "I'm exercising and genuinely happy" look? Because that's not at all how it reads to me. Or is it the (men, I assume?) who mostly directed and staged the ad think that's what happy women look like? And if so, what the heck are they doing to their wives that they think that looks like a normal, happy look? It's just SO STRANGE because there's no way they intended for her to look like she was afraid and grinning through it. That clearly can't have been the intention. Yet... that's totally how it reads to me and to a bunch of other people I've talked to.

Like, look at this woman. Is this a normal, I'm happy look?!?

Oh jeez, that’s probably my face every time I walk into the Y. I have worked really hard at getting into shape this year and every new step has come with a lot of trepidation. In that way, I found the commercial relatable. That you connected it to fear of her husband is surprising to me and I can’t say that it makes sense unless one is looking to draw those kinds of lines. 
 

 

[Jean in Newcastle]

Why do we have to think anything about the commercial?  Or the actor for that matter?  It's designed to sell a product to a certain demographic.  It either gets you interested in the product or it doesn't.  The actor herself happens to have wide deepset eyes and eyebrows that combine to make her look anxious in general but really, the ad isn't there to make some big overarching statement about society or life etc. even though that seems to be the narrative that people try to give it in social media comments etc. 

[Shoeless]

I don't know that it's exactly sexist.  It's poorly written, though.  "I didn't know how this would change me".  Ok, so how exactly did it change you? Physically? Mentally? Spiritually? The commercial doesn't really demonstrate how it changes her.  She doesn't look any different.  They don't show improved biking times or distances in the ad.  She doesn't sound more confident at the end of this "journey".  So...? Where's the beef, lol?

 

[Shoeless]

I looked up the lyrics for the song that plays during the commercial, and I feel like it just makes it even weirder.  "She's So High", by Tal Bachman. The lyrics are about this perfect woman who's out of reach.  Bleh.

[HS Mom in NC]

I wasn't aware of it until I saw this thread. 

I watched it and shrugged.  What exactly is the uproar about?  If a woman wants an exercise bike and her husband gets it for her for Christmas it's a good thing.  If she isn't interested in exercise and he gets her one it's a bad thing.  Based on the context of the commercial she seems to have been into exercise and she's happy.  Great! 

[DesertBlossom]

5 hours ago, Farrar said:

 

Like, look at this woman. Is this a normal, I'm happy look?!?

For me this looks like "I feel stupid videotaping myself  and I have overly expressive eyebrows but I kinda want to document my journey anyway." 

[SKL]

Those of us who have been through a transformation that started with a new healthy physical habit can understand "I didn't know how this would change me."

And yes, a good exercise habit can change a person in physical, mental, social, and spiritual ways.  Even if she started out slim in the first place.

If she did stick to a good habit for a year, think about how that contrasts with most of us, who tell ourselves on January 1 "I'm going to exercise more bla bla bla" and we're over it 10 days in.

(Still - it's just a commercial, meant to sell people something expensive that nobody needs.  But it isn't any worse than any other commercial.)

[Chris in VA]

14 hours ago, Farrar said:

Um, I said the exact opposite? That you could make an ad where a husband gives his wife exercise equipment and have it not be at all sexist, just that this particular ad didn’t do that because of how they framed it as all about him.

Ah, I must have misunderstood. You said she looked abused by her husband, so I thought you meant buying a bike was part of that abuse. Comments of people quoted in the article implied it was abusive to do so. 

[Ausmumof3]

On 12/10/2019 at 12:19 PM, fairfarmhand said:

Me neither. The gal seems fine with her gift. 

But then my dh buys me cows for gifts so I understand unconventional gifts. 

Funny thing is that is a pretty valuable gift 😆

[KungFuPanda]

I don’t understand how an actress playing an imaginary woman can “look abused by her husband” or not look “normal” or “happy.” People analyzing it like it’s authentic footage is what confuses me. Sometimes there are just bad commercials. It doesn’t mean imaginary lady needs an imaginary intervention. I think imaginary lady just created an imaginary fitness habit. That’s HARD for some (real) people and WOULD be life changing even if your size remained the same. 

People LOVE to pile on. They just do. 

[Soror]

4 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said:

I don’t understand how an actress playing an imaginary woman can “look abused by her husband” or not look “normal” or “happy.” People analyzing it like it’s authentic footage is what confuses me. Sometimes there are just bad commercials. It doesn’t mean imaginary lady needs an imaginary intervention. I think imaginary lady just created an imaginary fitness habit. That’s HARD for some (real) people and WOULD be life changing even if your size remained the same. 

People LOVE to pile on. They just do. 

Yep, she's an actress. I think it is a weird commercial and no, doesn't make me want a Peloton (can't think of anything that would).

[ktgrok]

19 hours ago, Farrar said:

 

Like, look at this woman. Is this a normal, I'm happy look?!?

That's the "I know this is going to suck but I'm doing it anyway because I'll feel better" look. Also, not sure if anyone has ever done a spin class, but it is HARD and PAINFUl in a way that nothing else is. I've given birth to a 10 pound baby at home with no drugs, and I'd do it again 10 times over before I'd take another spin class. I took one. And the only reason I didn't walk out in the middle is that the door was across the room and I was too embarrassed to cross in front of everyone. 

After the class my best friend (who told me to do the class with her) asked if everything was okay - she said, "during class you looked like you were going to cry or something". Um, yeah, cause I was going to cry! I swore that day that the only way I'd do a spin class again was if someone held a gun to my head, and even then I'd probably chance going for the gun. 

My legs hurt if I stood up to peddle and my nether regions hurt if I sat down to give my legs a rest, and the whole time some peppy instructor is yelling at me to work harder and I wanted to either cry or kill her. For two days afterwards I couldn't walk and it felt like I'd been assaulted by a bike seat if you know what I mean. So yeah, that's the look I expect, lol. 

18 hours ago, Murphy101 said:

Wait. Women LIKE to exercise? Really? Because I don’t. I hates it. If the results weren’t worth it to me, hell no I would not have gone out in below freezing weather that sure as heck makes me look like that woman at 5am. In fact, one of my friends who goes walking with me and I have often laughed at the look on each other’s faces as we walk into the cold.  And actually, a bit of physical therapy will give a healthy respect for being careful about exercise and nervous about messing things up too.  I am paranoid about injury.

You see all that and what I see is a woman pushing through totally valid second thoughts about her sanity vs fitness goals.  Btdt.

BWP indeed.  I’m totally using that next time I see my friends. 😆

Exactly. It's a love hate relationship even with people dedicated to it. 

18 hours ago, Farrar said:

Um, I said the exact opposite? That you could make an ad where a husband gives his wife exercise equipment and have it not be at all sexist, just that this particular ad didn’t do that because of how they framed it as all about him.

I don't see the commercial as all about him at all - he is in the beginning and end but it's about her. 

17 hours ago, Quill said:

I do think one issue a lot of people had with the ad is that the woman is very slim. There’s no noticeable difference in her “after” from her “before” and she exercised for *a year*. 

Now, IMO, that is 100% because of their target market: affluent, health-conscious young people. The bikes themselves are quite expensive and you can only use the tech features if you have good internet (which would be a no for me); this also hints at a preference for people under, say 40, or maybe 35. I doubt many people in my age bracket find it thrilling to be in a virtual “class” with folks all over the world *while* they exercise. I personally would never consider that a perk. 

Before they released this tone-deaf commercial, I already thought their ads were a turn-off to me personally, because they would show a young, slim woman on there, biking hard until she’s literally dripping sweat. They actually zoom in on the sweat dripping off her face. This is a hard no for me. I hate to sweat! I know it’s healthy and all that jazz but if I have to exercise until I’m wringing wet with sweat every day, I just will not do it. I would have to go through my dang hair procedure all over again every day and so it would not happen! 

In general, I find nothing terrible about an exercise bike as a gift from a spouse, assuming the woman wants it or would probably be thrilled. My husband bought me an exercise bike one year, but I wanted one and we picked it out. I think it’s her beaten-puppy vibe that ruins this ad. It doesn’t seem like this is for her; it seems like it’s some need to win the approval of her onerous mate. 

Yeah, the demographic they are going for is women who go to spin classes. Spinning is like the special forces branch of exercise or something. It attracts in my experience Type A people who use it as a way to work off anxiety/stress. I have a good friend who is a spin instructor, actually. She works full time in finance for a major bank, big huge career, but teaches spin in the mornings at 5am for her personal therapy. 

I think she needs the near death experience or something, lol. She even taught a class a few hours before going into labor!

16 hours ago, Kassia said:

 

I love working out.  It gives me a sense of accomplishment that I don't get from anything else and it helps with my anxiety.  I'm always thrilled to receive fitness items as gifts.  

And I think that was this woman. 

15 hours ago, StellaM said:

 

It's that plus the sheer boredom of a woman cycling for a year and then...making a video about it for her hub. I mean, it would have been more inspiring if she started off on the exercise bike and then by the end of the year she was doing an Iron Woman competition or something. I still don't understand why she was nervous about the bike in the first place, also. Like, did she think she was gonna break it or something ?

I would be happy if someone gave me an exercise bike, but I'll be damned if I'd make a whole 'journey' video about it for them. 

Agree with you on the sweat. I do not need to see zoomed in sweat pictures. Gross.

She probably knew how hard it was. I'd assume someone getting one is a regular at spin classes. Plus, the thing is way more technically advanced so a bit intimidating. 

As for the video journey, younger people video EVERYTHING. I mean, look at youtube. It is not at all unusual for them to "Vlog" about their life. There are countless hours of "clean with me" videos on youtube, so a video a out a fitness journey seems normal. 

15 hours ago, Homeschool Mom in AZ said:

I wasn't aware of it until I saw this thread. 

I watched it and shrugged.  What exactly is the uproar about?  If a woman wants an exercise bike and her husband gets it for her for Christmas it's a good thing.  If she isn't interested in exercise and he gets her one it's a bad thing.  Based on the context of the commercial she seems to have been into exercise and she's happy.  Great! 

Seriously. I assume she works out a lot, but hates the commute to the gym or is having trouble finding time, and wants the Pelaton but it is a HUGE expense so doesn't expect to ever get one, and he gets it for her, and she's happy and commits to using it daily and then is super proud of herself for sticking with it. 

How that became some horrible thing, I have no idea. 

Assume positive intent isn't a popular thing, I guess. (i do think the gin ad is funny though)

[Lady Florida.]

On 12/9/2019 at 10:30 PM, TheReader said:

 

So it always seemed cheesy to me. Not horrible that he got her an exercise bike, and not even especially odd that she was thin/fit already (

 

People incorrectly associate thin with fit. I need to lose weight. However for many years, until I had a baby at an "advanced maternal age" (that's what my records at my OB/GYN called it), the most I ever weighed was 108 lbs. soaking wet. And I am more fit now than I was then even though now I need to drop 10 - 15 lbs. Back then I ate whatever I wanted and most of what I wanted to eat was junk food. I didn't exercise although I wasted money by paying for a gym membership I rarely used. I can't have been the only skinny person who was/is terribly out of shape, but people only see weight. It's possible her character was already fit and wanted to take it up a notch but maybe not. Just because she's thin doesn't mean she's fit.

 

On 12/10/2019 at 9:48 AM, Murphy101 said:

But if I thought she looks like she would be unhealthy if she lost more weight, and I viewed exercise purpose as purely weight loss, then yeah I guess my big concern would be why push that image of women having to gratefully sacrifice their health to make their husband  be happy with them?

Yep. See my comments above. A lot of people do associate exercise with losing weight and often those same people think thin automatically equals fit.

 

On 12/10/2019 at 7:08 AM, marbel said:

This is what I thought. She came across fearful throughout, and at the end, while she was watching her husband watch the video, she looked like a battered wife, trying to please the guy and hoping this would make him stop hitting her. My husband thought the same.  It was all overdone. A few seconds of setup in the beginning, in which she expressed desire to have some exercise equipment, get fit, etc might have helped. 

I am not outraged about it. But I thought it was very poorly done. 

 

I hadn't seen the commercial and only went and watched it after the outrage went viral. The bolded is what people are upset about. I get it..

The actor says he's received death threats, which is absolutely horrible. He didn't write the commercial. He doesn't even have much of a part in it. 

On 12/10/2019 at 8:36 AM, happysmileylady said:

 

On a a separate note, one of the dumbest things about all peloton commercials (which are as hard to miss as perfume and car commercials this time of year, they are EVERYWHERE!)

I've only started seeing the commercials recently, like in the last few months, and I wondered why because people keep talking about how they're everywhere. Then it hit me. We cut the cord in the fall of 2011, so we've been watching tv through streaming services for the past 8 years. Peloton started in 2012, after we were no longer watching tv with commercials. The only service we have with commercials is Hulu and we don't watch a lot of shows there (we don't think it's worth paying for the ad-free version). When I do see Peloton ads it's while watching one of the few shows I watch on Hulu. We do have a digital antenna for local channels but dh watches those more than I do. 

Edited December 11, 2019 by Lady Florida.

[Lady Florida.]

19 hours ago, Murphy101 said:

Wait. Women LIKE to exercise? Really?

I know some who love it. They get an exercise high similar to a runner's high. Sometimes I like it. Sometimes I hate to get started but feel good afterwards. Maybe if I looked forward to the endorphins afterwards I wouldn't have a hard time getting started, but I usually only see the hard beginning, not the feel good ending of exercise. But I do know several women who actually look forward to exercising.

16 hours ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Why do we have to think anything about the commercial?  <snip>  but really, the ad isn't there to make some big overarching statement about society or life etc. even though that seems to be the narrative that people try to give it in social media comments etc. 

It might not be there to make a statement and we might not think about it at first, but when people talk about systemic anything - systemic racism, systemic sexism, systemic isms, this is what they mean. The people who made the commercial probably didn't even realize what they were doing. That's how embedded these things are. It's there, constantly giving us messages we don't even realize we're receiving. And many people, rightly imo, want it to stop. 

[Katy]

Peloton isn't for regular people.  It's for in shape people who want to get into remarkable shape. In a cardiovascular sense, not a visual one.

More information on the Gin commercial: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/ryan-reynolds-aviation-gin-just-saved-the-actress-in-the-peloton-girl-ad-2019-12-07

[TheReader]

43 minutes ago, Lady Florida. said:

People incorrectly associate thin with fit. I need to lose weight. However for many years, until I had a baby at an "advanced maternal age" (that's what my records at my OB/GYN called it), the most I ever weighed was 108 lbs. soaking wet. And I am more fit now than I was then even though now I need to drop 10 - 15 lbs. Back then I ate whatever I wanted and most of what I wanted to eat was junk food. I didn't exercise although I wasted money by paying for a gym membership I rarely used. I can't have been the only skinny person who was/is terribly out of shape, but people only see weight. It's possible her character was already fit and wanted to take it up a notch but maybe not. Just because she's thin doesn't mean she's fit.

Oh, I actually totally get that, but was commenting based on the parts of the "uproar" I'd seen about a 116 lb woman spending a year to get to 112 lbs; my thought/reaction was that it wasn't odd that someone (whether thin & fit, or thin & unfit) would buy a bike, precisely because thin isn't always fit (and the flip, but since it was a thin woman in the commercial...). 

I do assume she already had *some* level of fitness, because, Peloton. It just doesn't seem like the beginner level "Hey, I get tired walking the easy mile to the corner store at the front of my neighborhood; I should get in shape" kind of purchase. It seems to me more like the "I'm already relatively fit, and I want to step up my game, train better, etc." kind of thing. 

But, yes, I completely get thin does not equal fit; I fall in that category myself. 

[Kassia]

43 minutes ago, Lady Florida. said:

I know some who love it. They get an exercise high similar to a runner's high.

 

That's me.  I get depressed if I don't exercise.  I need those endorphins.  And I love the results - I don't mean weight loss, I mean muscle tone, cardiovascular fitness, and less anxiety for me.  My resting heart rate is very low thanks to being fit.  

[SanDiegoMom]

19 hours ago, SKL said:

The reaction on this post shows that your reaction was not the typical one for people who have not been pre-warned to look for something sinister.

Seems to me that one or two influencers influenced a bunch of people and that got the ball rolling.  I doubt they all would have had that reaction had they not heard anyone else's reaction first.

 

 

1 hour ago, Lady Florida. said:

I know some who love it. They get an exercise high similar to a runner's high. Sometimes I like it. Sometimes I hate to get started but feel good afterwards. Maybe if I looked forward to the endorphins afterwards I wouldn't have a hard time getting started, but I usually only see the hard beginning, not the feel good ending of exercise. But I do know several women who actually look forward to exercising.

It might not be there to make a statement and we might not think about it at first, but when people talk about systemic anything - systemic racism, systemic sexism, systemic isms, this is what they mean. The people who made the commercial probably didn't even realize what they were doing. That's how embedded these things are. It's there, constantly giving us messages we don't even realize we're receiving. And many people, rightly imo, want it to stop. 

 

My husband and I have been watching a lot of hulu lately and stupidly bought the bundle for Disney and Hulu and now have ads (what??) . We miss our ad free hulu. However it meant that a couple of weeks ago we got to start seeing these Peloton ads.   The first time we saw it, BEFORE anyone started talking about it, we both looked at each other after the ad aired and started laughing.  It was just so off.  The pleading fearful looks (we understood what she was trying to go for, and figured she was just a bad actor) and then the fact that all the vlogging was for her husband? And all the gratitude about HIM and HIS gift changing her life?  I mean, both my husband and I have done our share of exercise over the years (marathons, triathlons, lots of goals being reached) and we always celebrated the person reaching the goal, not the person that gave us the bike.  So weird.

Not to mention that she didn't ask for the bike. I mean, maybe she did and they just couldn't address it in a commercial bc of time constraints, but on the surface it looks like hey honey, you look beautiful but I got you an exercise bike and I want you to chart your progress for the next year and let me know how hard you worked at it.

Speaking to the second statement - it really did feel like a throwback sexist type ad. A more modern take would show the woman as more, idk, tough? Resilient? Kicking butt rather than pleading for release? lol.  

Bottom line it just really felt completely OFF to us, before we read any of the social media comments. But it provided us a lot of entertainment and we still look forward to it when it comes on.  Rather than the creepy HP commercial with the weird kids telling everyone to stop texting and starting printing Xmas cards.  That one is so weird. 

[SanDiegoMom]

Here's an example.  I ran my first marathon about 8 or 9 years ago. Huge accomplishment for me, I didn't know if I could do it, I was definitely afraid.  My husband really encouraged me, he watched the kids for all my Sunday long runs, he helped me with training advice (he'd already run five by then), he made me smoothies after runs.  He was always there for me! And when I finished the race, it was all about me.  It wasn't about him supporting me.  It was my accomplishment that was celebrated.  

But it's Christmas and they are selling a bike, so... 

[hjffkj]

4 minutes ago, SanDiegoMom in VA said:

Here's an example.  I ran my first marathon about 8 or 9 years ago. Huge accomplishment for me, I didn't know if I could do it, I was definitely afraid.  My husband really encouraged me, he watched the kids for all my Sunday long runs, he helped me with training advice (he'd already run five by then), he made me smoothies after runs.  He was always there for me! And when I finished the race, it was all about me.  It wasn't about him supporting me.  It was my accomplishment that was celebrated.  

But it's Christmas and they are selling a bike, so... 

 

On the flip side, after our 5th kid I was really struggling to get back into the habit of exercising, which I love doing. I missed taking Kung Fu and got very stressed by not having time to exercise kid free. Dh was working 60 hrs a week in a physically demanding job(he's a martial arts instructor) and by the time he got home from work I was so exhausted I couldn't physically workout.  

He watched my depression kick in from lack of exercise and other stuff and decided he was going to get me working out again despite the fact that it meant he'd be even more exhausted. So, he started getting us both up earlier and working on Kung Fu with me, plus doing HIIT training with me. I groaned and was fearful because of the thought of how much pain I'd be in the rest of the day while having to still do all my normal responsibilities. Even though I groaned about it I was happy to be doing it once I got moving.

When I tested for my next belt we celebrated my accomplishment together. But I also celebrated his involvement in it. He selflessly gave me what little down  time and energy he had  to push me through something I loved greatly but was struggling to figure out how to accomplish it on my own. I would never make a blog about that journey because that isn't me. But I certainly sat with him one night and talked about many of the difficult moments that he help get me through.

So, I view the end of the commercial to be more about the wife's appreciation for her dh's involvement in her journey than him being the one celebrated.

Although, I do find the commercial silly I can understand the message they were trying to send in such a short time frame.

[Corraleno]

40 minutes ago, hjffkj said:

So, I view the end of the commercial to be more about the wife's appreciation for her dh's involvement in her journey than him being the one celebrated.

Although, I do find the commercial silly I can understand the message they were trying to send in such a short time frame.

What "involvement"? The guy in the commercial does not seem to have done anything other than write a check for $2,000, yet the commercial ends with the woman who did all the work thanking the guy who wrote a check for changing her life. Presumably if he was actually involved, she wouldn't have had to video herself everyday and surprise him a year later with a vlog of everything he missed!

It would be different if the commercial showed him there supporting her all year and congratulating her at the end for all her hard work and reaching her goals, but instead it's all about her gratitude to him for paying a ridiculous amount of money for a bike. And I think that was exactly the message it was designed to send — if you buy someone a Peloton, they will be incredibly, grovelingly grateful and you can take credit for their success! Where they went wrong was not understanding that the cynicism and sexism in the ad would be far more apparent than they intended.

Edited December 11, 2019 by Corraleno

[KungFuPanda]

On 12/10/2019 at 7:08 AM, marbel said:

This is what I thought. She came across fearful throughout, and at the end, while she was watching her husband watch the video, she looked like a battered wife, trying to please the guy and hoping this would make him stop hitting her. My husband thought the same.  It was all overdone. A few seconds of setup in the beginning, in which she expressed desire to have some exercise equipment, get fit, etc might have helped. 

I am not outraged about it. But I thought it was very poorly done. 

 

This is the part I don't get.  This wasn't some youtube upload.  It was a commercial with actors.  What's she fearful of?  The director?Messing up her lines?  I do not understand this level of backlash over a mediocre commercial that does no harm.  As witch hunts go, this one is especially odd.

[DesertBlossom]

2 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

What "involvement"? The guy in the commercial does not seem to have done anything other than write a check for $2,000, yet the commercial ends with the woman who did all the work thanking the guy who wrote a check for changing her life. Presumably if he was actually involved, she wouldn't have had to video herself everyday and surprise him a year later with a vlog of everything he missed!

It would be different if the commercial showed him there supporting her all year and congratulating her at the end for all her hard work and reaching her goals, but instead it's all about her gratitude to him for paying a ridiculous amount of money for a bike. And I think that was exactly the message it was designed to send — if you buy someone a Peloton, they will be incredibly, grovelingly grateful and you can take credit for their success! Where they went wrong was not understanding that the cynicism and sexism in the ad would be far more apparent than they intended.

It's a commercial, not a full length movie. People are assuming things that just can't be assumed from a 30 second commercial.