Peloton bike Christmas advert prompts outrage on social media as critics blast it as 'sexist'

Rebecca Speare-Cole4 December 2019

A Christmas advert for exercise bike company Peloton has been slammed as "sexist" and "out of touch".

The advert, which has been viewed more than a million times on YouTube, depicts a woman getting a Peloton bike for Christmas from her male partner.

She then records a video diary, documenting her year spent using the bike, before presenting it to him to say thank you.

She says: "A year ago, I didn't realise how much this would change me."

A Christmas advert from Peloton has been slammed on social media as "sexist" and "out of touch"
Peloton

Critics on social media have mocked the advert and branded it as "sexist".

Some people complained that the commercial sends a negative message because a man giving his wife an exercise bike for Christmas could suggest he wants her to lose weight.

Others said that the already slim actress looks exactly same, despite claims it "changed" her.

Sydney Chandler wrote that the advert is "dangerous, sexist, and just plain stupid and out of touch. A bad message."

Siraj Hashmi mocked the commercial, adding: "Nothing says 'maybe you should lose a few pounds' like gifting your already thin life partner a Peloton."

Comedy writer Jess Dweck suggested the premise is dystopian by comparing it to the TV series Black Mirror.

"The only way to enjoy that Peloton ad is to think of it as the first minute of an episode of Black Mirror," she said.

One Twitter account devoted to Limericks wrote: "The Peloton wife/has a beautiful life/And a general aura of fear."

It even spawned parodies of the commercial online, with one suggesting that the bike would lead to a divorce one year on.

US Twitter personality Clue Heywood also joked that the advert shows a 116lb woman's yearlong fitness journey to becoming 112lb.

But Matt Walsh defended the advert saying: "Unpopular opinion: the Peloton ad is pretty much just a normal commercial for an exercise bike and the collective freak out over it is way weirder and creepier than the ad itself."

Another Twitter user Alex Gaskarth joked: "What do I do if I actually want a peloton for Christmas?"

Peloton sells fitness equipment with bikes that are fitted with touchscreens priced at more than $2,000.

Users can then purchase a subscription to access classes streamed live and on-demand.

The Standard has contacted Peloton for comment.

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