A controversial ad for Peloton Interactive91裸聊视频檚 expensive stationary bike is unlikely to dampen the company91裸聊视频檚 holiday sales, and may actually boost them thanks to increased publicity, experts say.
91裸聊视频淚 would actually say it91裸聊视频檚 going to have a positive affect on the company91裸聊视频檚 line,91裸聊视频� said David Soberman, a professor of marketing at the University of Toronto91裸聊视频檚 Rotman School of Management, speaking of Peloton91裸聊视频檚 Christmas ad.
The New York-city based company best known for its stationary bike offers a 91裸聊视频渂asics package91裸聊视频� which costs $2,950 for the bike, warranty, delivery and set up, according to its website. Shoes, accessories and a monthly membership that offers live classes via a video feed cost extra.
The advertisement, which was released in November but went viral on social media this month, depicts a husband giving his wife a Peloton bike for Christmas. She proceeds to record her exercise journey over the course of a year 91裸聊视频� first hesitantly joining a live class through the screen on her bike and eventually starting to cycle consistently. At the end, the couple sit on a couch watching a video the wife made of her journey, which concludes: 91裸聊视频淎 year ago, I didn91裸聊视频檛 realize how much this would change me. Thank you.91裸聊视频�
Critics slammed the ad as sexist, claiming the husband91裸聊视频檚 gift of an exercise machine insinuates that his wife is out of shape.
The video received about 20,000 downvotes and 16,000 thumbs up on Peloton91裸聊视频檚 YouTube channel. Comments under the video were turned off. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Soberman said it91裸聊视频檚 not a bad ad, though it fails to show the true value of the product by not demonstrating clearly what difference it made in the woman91裸聊视频檚 life over the course of the year.
But it doesn91裸聊视频檛 strike Soberman as offensive.
91裸聊视频淚 think one of the things that actually occurs in social media is that you can get a reaction from people who are not necessarily in your target market,91裸聊视频� he said, arguing Peloton91裸聊视频檚 target demographic 91裸聊视频� intense exercise buffs 91裸聊视频� won91裸聊视频檛 find the spot problematic, but will like it.
This group will recognize fitness isn91裸聊视频檛 just about appearance and weight, he said, but can be measured on many other seemingly invisible metrics, like endurance. They won91裸聊视频檛 be dismayed by an ad in which a thin woman receives a piece of exercise equipment and appears visibly unchanged after a year.
A truly offensive ad, he said, would upset even those within a company91裸聊视频檚 target demographic.
He recalls widespread outrage to a Nivea ad with the phrase: 91裸聊视频淲hite is purity.91裸聊视频� The company apologized and pulled the ad.
The negative response to Peloton91裸聊视频檚 ad seems to be overblown, said Alan Middleton, a marketing professor at York University91裸聊视频檚 Schulich School of Business in Toronto.
Some of the backlash centres on the gender roles, with the men bestowing the bike to his wife, he said.
But women appear to compose the company91裸聊视频檚 target demographic, Middleton noted, citing the company91裸聊视频檚 other ads and websites that predominantly feature female consumers. So in the context of a holiday advertisement that centres on a gift exchange, it made sense for the woman to receive the present, he said.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e trying to incite men to give a gift to their wives or girlfriends,91裸聊视频� he said.
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There91裸聊视频檚 a low level of risk that the backlash will hurt the company, said Middleton. Brands91裸聊视频� reputations can be damaged by negative publicity, he said, but in this case, it91裸聊视频檚 likely not a big enough issue.
It could help the company, Middleton added, by generating buzz in the daily news grind and on social media.
91裸聊视频淚t will put Peloton into people91裸聊视频檚 minds more,91裸聊视频� he said, adding he can think of a few people in his life who might ask their loved ones if they91裸聊视频檝e seen the ad, while mentioning they wouldn91裸聊视频檛 mind that gift this year.
The Canadian Press
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