Peloton Christmas advert of husband giving wife an exercise bike accused of sexism

New ad released for the holiday season

Clémence Michallon
New York
Tuesday 03 December 2019 18:29 GMT
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Peloton bike commercial:'The Gift That Gives Back'

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A new Peloton ad in which a husband gifts his wife an exercise bike for Christmas has sparked a backlash on social media.

The 30-second video, released ahead of the holiday season, sees the woman receiving the stationary bike on Christmas morning.

She then documents her workouts on the Peloton bike throughout the following year, recording videos to share her experiences.

“A year ago, I didn’t realise how much this would change me,” she says at one point.

The ad has been met with strong reactions on social media, where some have called it “sexist”, “out of touch” and “deranged”.

Viewers appeared to take issue specifically with the fact that the man in the commercial gives his partner exercise equipment as a holiday present.

“WTF Peloton. You have a 100lb woman in a commercial looking like a deer in the headlights, exercising on a bike to be a 90lb woman and that’s to be applauded? Hell NO! This crap is dangerous (anorexia), sexist and just plain stupid and out of touch. A bad message... FULL STOP,” one person tweeted.

“Not sure what’s more painful – trying to figure out the US healthcare system as I approach 26 or the misogyny in that deranged Peloton ad,” someone else wrote.

Some Twitter users, however, defended the video, saying they don’t personally view it as sexist.

The Independent has contacted Peloton for comment.

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