Peloton Responds To Online Mockery Of Their Weird Ad

Peloton gave Folger's a brief respite this holiday season by releasing the early front-runner for Most Cringeworthy Christmas Ad of 2019. In case you missed it, Peloton's "The Gift That Gives Back" ad features a beautiful woman receiving the exercise bike (that costs $2,200) from her husband and then embarking on a year-long workout journey that by the next year leaves her just as beautiful, yet emotionally changed in a magical way.

The ad was, to put it lightly, not well received. At the time of writing, it has dislike-like ratio over 2-1, and it has been ruthlessly parodied and meme'd online. The negative press caused Peloton's stock to drop as much as 6%. To combat this, Peloton wrote in an email:

“We constantly hear from our members how their lives have been meaningfully and positively impacted after purchasing or being gifted a Peloton Bike or Tread, often in ways that surprise them. Our holiday spot was created to celebrate that fitness and wellness journey. While we’re disappointed in how some have misinterpreted this commercial, we are encouraged by -- and grateful for -- the outpouring of support we’ve received from those who understand what we were trying to communicate.”

They also shared three emails and a Facebook post they've received in apparent support of the ad, all of which read like they were written by an adman's conception of Real People. For example, here's Facebook user Heather Haworth saying, "I see a woman who, at the end of the year, is surprised and thankful for the gift that is Peloton."

They also shared emails from "Ally" and "Rich," both of whom offered words of encouragement in slightly uncanny ways. "Ally" said, "the first time I saw (the Peloton commercial), I thought, 'That is a sweetly portrayed ad.'" She also said she hopes the "awesome, skilled marketing team" at Peloton keeps their heads up. "Rich," in a bit of heartbreaking irony that's too on-the-nose to be parody, wrote, "My wife and I love your ad and if we could afford (a Peloton bike) we'd absolutely buy one ourselves." He added, "Every time your ad airs, my wife and I look at each other and say we wish we could get one."

So there you have it. The next time you think about mocking Peloton's ad, know that Real People are out there thinking "what a sweetly portrayed ad" and "I wish we could afford that and each time it airs my wife and I curse our tight financial situation." Not so funny now, is it?