James Devaney/GC Images
- Actor Chris Noth appeared in a Peloton ad after his “And Just Like That” character died.
- The ad also featured Ryan Reynolds and Peloton instructor Jess King, who was featured on the show.
- The company has been dealing with image issues after its shares slid following the episode’s debut.
Peloton took a creative route with damage control, releasing an ad seemingly directed as a response to the portrayal of the company’s popular exercise bike in HBO Max’s “And Just Like That.”
The company tweeted a cheeky new ad on Sunday featuring actors Chris Noth and Ryan Reynolds, which was produced by Reynolds’ marketing company Maximum Effort in less than 48 hours, a Peleton spokesperson told Insider on Sunday.
“We filmed a spot with actor Chris Noth and Peloton instructor Jess King, with a voiceover by Reynolds,” the spokesperson said in an email. “In the spot, we reinforce the narrative that Peloton and cardiovascular exercise are good for you, and help millions of real people lead long, happy and healthy lives.”
Mr. Big, Noth’s character in the show, was suddenly killed off 39 minutes into the first episode of the “Sex and the City” spinoff series, a controversial move that left fans of the franchise shocked. The cause of death: a heart attack brought on after a workout on a Peloton bike.
After the release of the episode, Peloton saw its share price drop from $46.14 a share to $38.51 by close on Friday, according to NBC News. Peloton’s shares have continued to fall as the economy continues to reopen and people return to gyms, with the company making its biggest one-day drop ever earlier this month.
The ad features Noth reclined on a sofa in a holiday-decorated apartment alongside Peloton instructor Jess King, who was also featured in “And Just Like That,” playing a fictional Peloton instructor, Allegra, whose class Noth’s Mr. Big takes before his untimely demise.
“To new beginnings,” King tells Noth in the ad. “You look great.”
“I feel great. Should we take another ride?” Noth responds, gesturing toward a pair of Peloton bikes behind them. “Life’s too short not to.”
“And just like that, the world was reminded that regular cycling improves your heart, lungs, and circulation, reducing your risk of cardiovascular diseases,” actor Ryan Reynolds says in a voiceover, listing the benefits of exercise.
Reynolds tweeted the video Saturday afternoon, with a caption reading: “Unspoiler alert. @OnePeloton”
Ryan Reynolds is no stranger to satirical advertising, especially with Peloton. In 2019, Reynolds released an advertisement for his gin label Aviation Gin, poking fun at a widely-criticized Peloton holiday ad about a husband gifting his wife a Peloton bike. The Aviation Gin ad featured the “Peloton girl” actress sipping on Aviation Gin, echoing a familiar phrase — “to new beginnings.”
Peloton had worked with HBO Max prior to the series’ debut to supply the bike and book King’s appearance on the show, unaware that its product would be used as a prop that would kill Noth’s character.
In an earlier response from Peloton, Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a cardiologist and member of Peloton’s Health & Wellness Advisory Council, said that Big riding his Peloton bike “may have even helped delay his cardiac event,” urging others to adopt a “healthy prevention strategy” to avoid cardiac conditions of their own.
Watch the ad below:
—Peloton (@onepeloton) December 12, 2021
Powered by WPeMatico
