Peloton has been slammed for releasing a new holiday ad that was deemed sexist:
The women in the ad’s odd behavior toward the bike was interpreted as desperation and fear to get in shape to please her husband, who was seen as sending her a message by gifting the bike. If that’s what the ad was going for, then, yes, it’s sexist.
Peloton denies the sexism and claims there are plenty of people who liked the ad. “We constantly hear from our members how their lives have been meaningfully and positively impacted after purchasing or being gifted a Peloton Bike or Tread, often in ways that surprise them,” a company spokesperson told. “Our holiday spot was created to celebrate that fitness and wellness journey.
So, is exercise equipment gifting off-limits for both genders, or is it only OK to gift exercise equipment to men? One easy test of sexism is to reverse the roles. What if the wife had purchased the bike for the husband? Is that equally insulting? Stereotypically, men are perceived as valuing attractive wives more than the other way around. That stereotype is so ingrained, that it can impact the way we view the ad.
Still another issue with the ad is the purchase itself. If the husband is purchasing the gift, does that also imply that he’s responsible for the family finances? At a list price of over $2000, the Peloton is a significant purchase. Much like the automobile ads where one spouse surprises another with a new, the Peloton ad did leave me wondering about how the couple navigate their finances.
The complaints about the ad are almost endless. One Twitter user even complained that the Christmas tree in the ad was placed too close to the couple’s fireplace. But I am surprised by the level of negativity regarding the gifting of exercise equipment to a spouse. It’s not like the husband enrolled his wife in Weight Watchers. Obviously, this is a sensitive area, and the lesson learned is don’t gift your spouse exercise equipment.
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