Peloton has responded to a plot in the new HBO series Max. Sex and the city restart, And so …, turning a commercial in less than 48 hours after the company’s shares continued to plummet in reaction to events on the television show over the weekend.
(Spoiler Warning: An important plot point from the first episode of And so …)
The plot point in question involved the sudden death of Mr. Big (Chris Noth), who suffers what appears to be a heart attack after enjoying a 45-minute Peloton workout. That training was led by a character played by a real-life Peloton instructor (Jess King).
Peloton says he approved of King’s appearance on the show, but knew nothing about Big’s death. “We didn’t find out about the plot,” said Peloton vice president of global communications Jessica Kleiman. The edge by email. “This was a casting opportunity for one of our instructors for an acting role, not an official brand integration or product placement.”
Now, the company has responded with a commercial with Noth and King, in which Noth suggests that the pair “take another walk.” A voiceover by Ryan Reynolds assures viewers that “regular cycling stimulates and improves your heart, lungs and circulation, reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease. Cycling strengthens the heart muscles, reduces the resting pulse and reduces the levels of fat in the blood ”, before concluding:“ it is alive ”.
Kleiman said The edge that the commercial was shot over the weekend “in collaboration with Ryan Reynolds and his marketing company, Maximum Effort, who created the ad,” and that it all “came together in less than 48 hours.”
It’s an impressively quick turnaround, so quick you’ll be forgiven for suspecting all the coming and going is a bit of orchestrated viral marketing, but Peloton and Ryan Reynolds have a preform here. When Peloton launched its infamous “Peloton Wife” ad two years ago, Reynolds snagged the same actress, Monica Ruiz, to appear in a commercial for his Aviation Gin, with the ad seemingly following the same story.
However, Peloton’s difficulties go far beyond the fictional plot. The company’s shares surged during the pandemic as more people were forced to exercise at home, but enthusiasm for its products has since cooled. The company also has extremely real and tragic problems related to its equipment. His treadmill was recalled after it caused numerous injuries and the death of a six-year-old boy who was pushed onto the machine.