Peloton exercise bike ad mocked as being 'sexist' and 'dystopian'

[Playball40]

Who would you like to see as showrunner?

I completely agree that threatening actor's lives is beyond the pale.

Chris Chibnall is destroying my beloved franchise, but The Doctor is stronger than any one man's gross incompetence. When the reigns are returned to a showrunner with talent and vision, Doctor Who will be rescued.

1. Chris Chibnall is not "destroying their beloved franchise"
2. Regardless, there is no need to threaten the ACTOR'S LIFE FFS.
3. The Tsuranga Conundrum...……..well ok, I got nothing.

 

[ruby sparks]

I said the regressive left, not 'the entire left wing'.....

It's still identity politics. Just sayin'. Be careful. There are some here who sometimes say they are against it sometimes. Just remember the mantra, 'treat people as individuals, not groups' and you won't go far wrong.

 

[Metaphor]

It's off topic, but even if there is nobody more suitable than Chibnall (in terms of writing and executive producing experience, in Britain, willing to take up the mantle), then it would be better to rest the show than to have Chibnall continue. Or it would be better to revert to the producer-led model of Classic Who with a script editor and writers commissioned by the producer.

Nu Who had ten glorious years between RTD and Moffat. Chibnall destroyed that in the space of ten episodes. He got everything he wanted from the BBC. The problem is he lacks the one thing a showrunner actually needs--talent.

Who would you like to see as showrunner?

I completely agree that threatening actor's lives is beyond the pale.

Chris Chibnall is destroying my beloved franchise, but The Doctor is stronger than any one man's gross incompetence. When the reigns are returned to a showrunner with talent and vision, Doctor Who will be rescued.

1. Chris Chibnall is not "destroying their beloved franchise"
2. Regardless, there is no need to threaten the ACTOR'S LIFE FFS.
3. The Tsuranga Conundrum...……..well ok, I got nothing.

 

[laughing dog]

Apparently non-random small samples provide rigorous and reliable information about entire amorphous populations.

No, I took a census at a regressive left meeting. All of them believed in the patriarchy, and some of them also wrote 'censuses are patriarchy' on their response form.

Another use of a non-random sample, even if it is a failed attempt at satire or sarcasm.

 

[Toni]

But the woman in the Peloton ad has an unusual reaction to it, and that invites speculation.

She is nervous because spinning classes are notoriously tough, and it is embarrassing for some if they can't make it through the class. Which then plays into my original response to the commercial. Why did a guy buy a $2,500+ exercise spinner for his wife... a person that apparently wasn't into cycling or spinning or potentially not even in great cardiac shape?!

I don't know who the add is aimed at exactly, the males to buy one for the females, to the females to convince them they want one even though they don't cycle? But it is definitely advertising to people that don't think they want one. Her reaction was shock with a hint of happiness when she sees the Peloton trainer... which is talking to people that wouldn't have thought of buying one. Men and women alike can be thinking, "I can relate to her, I wouldn't have wanted that for Xmas." Then she has an enormous religious transformation by using it, though clearly not wanting to at first. People love the idea of arriving at the end of the montage, without having to actually do the work. Damn, I need one of those things!

This isn't the same sort of Peloton commercial you see while watching professional cycling.

I dunno. I've been thinking that maybe I need a Pelaton as soon as I make room for it in my basement.

Kidding.

Mostly. It's pretty far down on my spending list priorities. I live in an old house, aka a money pit. And this whole winning the lottery thing isn't working out as I had planned. I'm beginning to think that's a scam, too.

Nothing to do with this commercial but I need something for the harsh winters. Too much ice to reliably be able to get in a decent walk.

 

[Metaphor]

I said the regressive left, not 'the entire left wing'.....

It's still identity politics. Just sayin'. Be careful. There are some here who sometimes say they are against it sometimes. Just remember the mantra, 'treat people as individuals, not groups' and you won't go far wrong.

I don't ask people to defend any ideas they have not themselves suggested or agreed to.

If I accuse somebody of believing in patriarchy theory and they don't actually believe it, then I will cheerfully withdraw my claim.

 

[Derec]

I dunno. I've been thinking that maybe I need a Pelaton as soon as I make room for it in my basement.

Kidding.

Mostly. It's pretty far down on my spending list priorities. I live in an old house, aka a money pit. And this whole winning the lottery thing isn't working out as I had planned. I'm beginning to think that's a scam, too.

Nothing to do with this commercial but I need something for the harsh winters. Too much ice to reliably be able to get in a decent walk.

Peleton is obviosuly something for either the top 5% who can easily afford it or those who like to spend frivolously. There are much more reasonably priced exercise equipment.

 

[Toni]

I dunno. I've been thinking that maybe I need a Pelaton as soon as I make room for it in my basement.

Kidding.

Mostly. It's pretty far down on my spending list priorities. I live in an old house, aka a money pit. And this whole winning the lottery thing isn't working out as I had planned. I'm beginning to think that's a scam, too.

Nothing to do with this commercial but I need something for the harsh winters. Too much ice to reliably be able to get in a decent walk.

Peleton is obviosuly something for either the top 5% who can easily afford it or those who like to spend frivolously. There are much more reasonably priced exercise equipment.

I know. I’m mostly joking. But I do see the allure of home exercise equipment being advertised by pretty people. I don’t give a rat’s ass about jewelry or food advertised on television and ads don’t move me as I contemplate the fact that I will have to replace my dryer and washer in the coming year. I’m satisfied with my shampoo and conditioner and I drink very little. There just aren’t very many commercials that tempt me. For some reason exercise equipment does just as the ads for Surface computers did (I resisted that temptation too). Reality is that all my free money is going into much needed home improvement projects for my money pit so don’t worry, Derek. I’m safe from the siren call. But you’re sweet to be concerned.

 

[Koyaanisqatsi]

I'm late to the game, but this idiotic commercial has been blown waaaaay out of proportion and is really just a marketing failure. All they had to do was (is) dub in the woman saying, "You remembered!" Or "It's the one I wanted!"

Fixed.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I'm late to the game, but this idiotic commercial has been blown waaaaay out of proportion and is really just a marketing failure. All they had to do was (is) dub in the woman saying, "You remembered!" Or "It's the one I wanted!"

Fixed.

The commercial isn’t aimed at people that would actually use it as anything but a towel rack.

 

[Koyaanisqatsi]

I'm late to the game, but this idiotic commercial has been blown waaaaay out of proportion and is really just a marketing failure. All they had to do was (is) dub in the woman saying, "You remembered!" Or "It's the one I wanted!"

Fixed.

The commercial isn’t aimed at people that would actually use it as anything but a towel rack.

Clearly not, judging from the aspirational angle they took in the VO and subsequent visuals. Their only mistake was to think that the viewing audience was full of people who know how to "read" visually, which, in spite of the fact we stare endlessly at little screens these days, fewer and fewer people know how to do.

If everything isn't a Marvel film, the average viewer just does not have any clue what they're being shown. Everything has to be fully explicated verbally or else we get this nonsense.

Any crack--any "air"--any pause that allows the audience to pounce with their own imposition--their own insertion--is immediately taken.

We are being inundated by the "everyone wants to be a director" syndrome that used to be exclusive to movie making, then TV, and now every fucking idiot with an iPhone.

Warhol could not have been more prescient, only instead of ten minutes, it's 140 characters.

 

[Arctish]

I'm late to the game, but this idiotic commercial has been blown waaaaay out of proportion and is really just a marketing failure. All they had to do was (is) dub in the woman saying, "You remembered!" Or "It's the one I wanted!"

Fixed.

There's an easier fix.

The woman's reaction to the gift is fine. Her Highlights and Thank You video is a little over the top, but whatever. Some people like to record and dramatize the most trivial events in their lives. It's that scared face she makes when she says she's about to start her first workout that's the problem.

She says 'Okay, first workout" as we see her holding her cell phone high, presumably recording the Momentous Event. Then there's the close up of her Nervous Nellie face as she says "I'm nervous but excited. Let's do this". All they have to do is edit out the scared look and her saying she's nervous. Go directly from "Okay, first workout" to "Let's do this", and the weird vibe disappears. She's just a woman using a stationary bike and the only people who care are interested in the Peloton.

 

[ruby sparks]

The woman's reaction to the gift is fine. Her Highlights and Thank You video is a little over the top, but whatever. Some people like to record and dramatize the most trivial events in their lives. It's that scared face she makes when she says she's about to start her first workout that's the problem.

She says 'Okay, first workout" as we see her holding her cell phone high, presumably recording the Momentous Event. Then there's the close up of her Nervous Nellie face as she says "I'm nervous but excited. Let's do this". All they have to do is edit out the scared look and her saying she's nervous. Go directly from "Okay, first workout" to "Let's do this", and the weird vibe disappears. She's just a woman using a stationary bike and the only people who care are interested in the Peloton.

Yes, I agree there is that aspect to it.

In some ways, one question is whether it is reasonable to say that this particular woman (as portrayed) represents stereotypical woman generally by being in this particular ad. You could say that she does, at least to some extent, that the ad, including the man's role, has certain types of 'traditional gender role' tropes in it. I would go along with this, at least to some extent (caveats would be that when she comes in the front door of the house at one point, she's wearing what I guessed to represent 'professional woman working attire', and also, some of the 'virtual personal trainers' were female, in an arguably 'empowered women empowering a woman' way).

Now, when I saw the Philadelphia Cream Cheese ad with the dad giving his baby an accidental free ride on the suchi rail, I thought, ok he, that guy, is a bit of a dork, and a bit of an 'incompetent man/dad' trope. But I think it was ott to single that ad out for sanctions. These days, there are a wide variety of individual ads featuring people in a wide variety of roles (many crudely stereotyped because in some ways that's how advertising works) some positive and some negative.

There are also other ads where men are portrayed as either wussy or silly.

Here's one. Competent wife, dumb husband:

[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=30&v=lhTVWZWZVDY&feature=emb_logo[/YOUTUBE]

Do all ads have to be empowering? Do we have to 'fix' them all? That one is surely another candidate for censure, and possibly even banning.

 

[Metaphor]

The woman's reaction to the gift is fine. Her Highlights and Thank You video is a little over the top, but whatever. Some people like to record and dramatize the most trivial events in their lives. It's that scared face she makes when she says she's about to start her first workout that's the problem.

She says 'Okay, first workout" as we see her holding her cell phone high, presumably recording the Momentous Event. Then there's the close up of her Nervous Nellie face as she says "I'm nervous but excited. Let's do this". All they have to do is edit out the scared look and her saying she's nervous. Go directly from "Okay, first workout" to "Let's do this", and the weird vibe disappears. She's just a woman using a stationary bike and the only people who care are interested in the Peloton.

Yes, I agree there is that aspect to it.

In some ways, one question is whether it is reasonable to say that this particular woman (as portrayed) represents stereotypical woman generally by being in this particular ad. You could say that she does, at least to some extent, that's it's a representation of a trope.

Now, when I saw the Philadelphia Cream Cheese ad with the dad giving his baby an accidental free ride on the suchi rail, I thought, ok he's a bit of a dork, and a bit of an 'incompetent man/dad' trope. But I think it was ott to single that ad out for sanctions.

There are also other ads where men are portrayed as either wussy or silly.

Here's one. Competent wife, dumb husband:

[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=30&v=lhTVWZWZVDY&feature=emb_logo[/YOUTUBE]

That wife is not 'competent'. She's a fucking bully.

 

[ruby sparks]

Yes, the woman is portrayed as a little bit 'weak'. I reckon ads sometimes play on or try to appeal to our weaknesses. After all, we need to be constantly reminded that we need to buy stuff to make us better, happier, more successful people. Is that not generally the whole idea in a nutshell?

We might even consider the ad to be appealing to a male/patriarchal weakness, the idea that a man can make his woman, the mother of his children, happy, and be a better and more appreciated and successful partner by buying her expensive stuff (ie by 'providing for her').

And that house is literally chock full of expensive stuff. It seems to represent the sort of house where both partners are in that typical 'middle-class' situation of having gainful, professional employment and have lots of disposable income. One is not left with the impression that only the man earns the money that pays for everything.

 

[ruby sparks]

And let's not forget, some, possibly many women actually like traditional gender roles, possibly especially mothers (and it's probably not accidental or irrelevant that this woman is portrayed as a mother and that the child is 'with her') and even more like to mix a bit of traditional gender role into a life that is in other ways not traditional.

That's what The Guilty Feminist podcasts are more or less all about.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Guilty_Feminist

Typically, women on the show will say, "I'm a feminist, but.... [insert thing that they nonetheless like about traditional gender roles, eg 'I confess I still like it when a man holds a door open for me', etc]."

Newsflash: many women these days still like to be treated well, so that they can feel special.

Or how about, "I'm a feminist but....now that I'm also a mother, I like being more the primary carer and I like that my partner takes on more of the provider role"?

 

[Metaphor]

And let's not forget, some, possibly many women actually like traditional gender roles, possibly especially mothers (and it's probably not accidental or irrelevant that this woman is portrayed as a mother and that the child is 'with her') and even more like to mix a bit of traditional gender role into a life that is in other ways not traditional.

That's what The Guilty Feminist podcasts are more or less all about.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Guilty_Feminist

Typically, women on the show will say, "I'm a feminist, but.... [insert thing that they nonetheless like about traditional gender roles, eg 'I confess I still like it when a man holds a door open for me', etc]."

Newsflash: many women these days still like to be treated well, so that they can feel special.

Or how about, "I'm a feminist but....now that I'm also a mother, I like being more the primary carer and I like that my partner takes on more of the provider role"?

The fact that feminism is so rigid and judgmental that women feel guilty about being primary carers should have given these women pause about calling themselves feminists. This is echoed in Roxane Gay's 'bad feminist' narrative. She's a 'bad feminist' because, among other things, she likes the colour pink.

Roxane, if feminism is so stifling and prescriptive that it makes you a bad feminist for indulging your personal preferences, it's feminism that's bad, not you.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I'm late to the game, but this idiotic commercial has been blown waaaaay out of proportion and is really just a marketing failure. All they had to do was (is) dub in the woman saying, "You remembered!" Or "It's the one I wanted!"

Fixed.

The commercial isn’t aimed at people that would actually use it as anything but a towel rack.

Clearly not, judging from the aspirational angle they took in the VO and subsequent visuals. Their only mistake was to think that the viewing audience was full of people who know how to "read" visually, which, in spite of the fact we stare endlessly at little screens these days, fewer and fewer people know how to do.

Who says the target audience wasn't successfully advertised to?

If everything isn't a Marvel film, the average viewer just does not have any clue what they're being shown.

That is usually how commercials work... they don't tell you "You won't have sex ever again if you won't use our product"... but the commercial insinuates it very strongly.

 

[ruby sparks]

If everything isn't a Marvel film, the average viewer just does not have any clue what they're being shown.

That is usually how commercials work... they don't tell you "You won't have sex ever again if you won't use our product"... but the commercial insinuates it very strongly.

That reminds me of a joke involving a guy being shown Rorcharch inkblots by a psychologist. In every one, he sees something sexual. Psychologist tells him he may have an obsession. Guy says, 'Me? You're the one with all the dirty pictures!'. I may have told that joke before.

I think koy is largely right. I reckon at least some of the 'messages' contained in (designed into) most ads these days go under our (including myself in 'most people's') radar. Some of these marketeers have gone to university and some have even studied psychology.

I agree that sex is probably a biggie, but I think it's just a component, albeit possibly often a large one, of the general, basic, underlying message in most if not all commercial ads: "Buy stuff; it'll make you happy".

Obviously, it's a big lie, arguably one of the biggest ever.

 

[Koyaanisqatsi]

Who says the target audience wasn't successfully advertised to?

So you think the targeted audience was white controlling men who don't want their wives to be fat? If that were the case, then they need to fire their marketing team, because the ad was clearly focused on an already fit woman fulfilling her dream of becoming an elite athlete.

If everything isn't a Marvel film, the average viewer just does not have any clue what they're being shown.

That is usually how commercials work

That's not what I was referring to, but nevermind.

they don't tell you "You won't have sex ever again if you won't use our product"... but the commercial insinuates it very strongly.

I know, it's how I make my living. Only this commercial does not do that. It is very clearly focused on an aspriational message; on a personal journey.

Here, I can show you how they could fix it with a three second ADR (additional dialogue recording). Just after she says, "A Peloton!?" at the very beginning, all they are missing is her saying, "You remembered!" And then the commercial is all about her and her journey and what she wanted for herself with the husband just paying attention and being supportive of her.

Just watch the ad again, only keep in your head, "A Peloton!? You remembered!" and it all perfectly fits.



You can also tell that they were struggling to shorten what they had shot, which is why the ADR that IS in the piece just after she says, "A Peloton!?" is forced and awkwardly placed. "Give it up for our first time rider" is an expositional phrase that is crammed into that section in order to set up the ad's marketing storyline, which was to say that this is a piece of equipment that a total amature--first time rider--can use to turn them into elite athletes, which also means elite athletes can use it too.

The emotional sentiment they were going for (and missed, because they couldn't fit it in and evidently decided to go with the expositional phrase as a necessary component) was of an attentive husband giving his wife (the target audience) support in her goals. She goes through a LOT all on her own, showing that the only things she had been missing previously was the equipment and the supportive cheerleading husband.

Again, had they simply added "You remembered!" instead of "Give it up for our first time rider" none of this would be an issue.

Expositional lines--particularly ones that are forced to fit--are dead giveaways for too many cooks in the kitchen saying, "No, but we need THIS to be the prominent line!"