"And Just Like That" X Peloton Scandal

Peloton permitted the new show “And Just Like That” to feature a Peloton bike, through product placement, without knowing the storyline or how the product would be used. When the episode aired in December 2021, it included a scene of a character (Mr. Big) riding a Peloton exercise bike and then dying of a heart attack following the workout. Peloton was unaware of this scene or the inclusion of a Peloton product in the death of a character. Peloton responded by claiming the character's reckless and unhealthy lifestyle was likely the cause of the death. Peloton’s cardiologist commented following the episode and addressed the health benefits, not dangers, of the company’s products, and also noted the importance of using the machinery correctly to prevent any injuries. Peloton quickly created an ad, featuring the actor who plays Mr. Big (Chris Noth) and a Peloton instructor, showing the actor whose character died healthy and happy. Following the ad, Noth was accused of sexual assault by two women, prompting Peloton to quickly remove the ad.

Peloton is a well-known fitness brand that produces high-end exercise machinery, so Peloton’s efforts in being featured in this show were driven by the idea that this new show likely has a similar audience that Peloton products target. Peloton wanted its products to be featured/used in the show in a positive manner in order to promote its brand and products.

In regard to fitness brands and exercise options, Peloton is on the pricier side of this market; Peloton targets individuals with the desire to work out, but who don’t have time to waste driving going to the gym, but do have the space and money to purchase a product that could solve the time commitment workout classes and going to a traditional gym pose. As Peloton grew, the company began producing alternative machinery to just their traditional exercise bike, such as treadmills, to accommodate more users with different needs/preferences.

The importance of understanding the impact speed and timeliness have on crises is essential for any company that’s facing backlash or criticism; typically, the faster a company can respond to an incident (appropriately and effectively) the faster the incident can be addressed, forgotten, and/or solved. While it’s important to note Peloton could’ve taken different steps to avoid the product placement of the Peloton bike in “And Just Like That,” Peloton reacted in real-time to the episode with a creative ad featuring a key figure from the show highlighting the positives of Peloton products. Again, Peloton had to react quickly after news of Noth’s sexual assualt allegations and the company did just this by removing the ad. Peloton’s reactive team varies greatly from the Dominos’ team we studied in class. Dominos’ lacked timeliness in their response, which only drew out the incident longer. Dominos lack of intervention regarding the inappropriate video allowed the video to remain on the Internet numerous days following the incident, allowing more consumers to see, and question, the video. Both of these cases emphasize the importance of companies having a basic response ready in order to contain or minimize a difficult situation as quickly as possible. Peloton was able to react quickly to their products being exposed in a negative light, while Dominos seemed to drag their feet. An important factor to consider is the role of technology, more specifically the familiarity and understanding of technology each company had at the time of the incident. The Dominos case took place in 2011 when technology and social media platforms were still on the rise and companies were learning how to utilize the Internet to their own benefit. In contrast, the Peloton case took place just a few months ago. It’s interesting to consider how each company would’ve handled their own respective crises if they took place at different times.

This case shows the importance of communication and planning. Peloton didn’t take the proper steps in clarifying how their product would be incorporated in the show and to ensure it was in a positive manner. Peloton could have prevented this entire situation if they would have been more invested in the opportunity itself; Peloton wouldn’t have allowed an episode to air if they understood the context in which the Peloton bike was being used. But, I think Peloton did a great job responding to the episode, and they did so in a variety of ways. They appealed to those concerned about the health effects by having a cardiologist speak and address the health benefits of the machinery while appealing to another audience with a creative ad. Peloton was able to address this unideal and preventable situation with urgency and creativity.