Peloton responds to backlash over 'sexist' advert after losing $1.5bn in share value
'Our holiday spot was created to celebrate that fitness and wellness journey,' says spokesperson for company
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Your support makes all the difference.Peloton has said it is “disappointed” after its advertisement was criticised as “sexist”.
Earlier this month, the company released a 30-second video to promote its famed exercise bike, which costs £2,000 and has been praised by celebrities including Richard Branson and Sofia Vergara.
The advert showed a woman receiving one of its stationary bikes from her husband on Christmas morning, after which she proceeded to document her workouts on social media.
But the short clip swiftly sparked a backlash, with people calling it “out of touch” and “deranged”.
Viewers specifically took issue with the fact that the man in the video gives his partner exercise equipment as a holiday present.
“Nothing says ‘maybe you should lose a few pounds’ like gifting your already rail thin life partner a Peloton,” tweeted one person while others compared it to an episode of the dystopian Netflix series Black Mirror.
Others said it resembled a hostage video and compared the woman’s face to screengrabs of brainwashed characters from the film Get Out.
Since Peloton released the advert, which has now been viewed 2m times on YouTube, the company’s share price has dropped dramatically, falling by nine per cent on Tuesday and going down another six per cent on Wednesday.
The company has since defended its advert in a statement given to CNBC.
“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,” a spokesperson for Peloton told the publication. “Our holiday spot was created to celebrate that fitness and wellness journey.”
The representative added: “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.”
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