Peloton is no stranger to bad advertisements. In 2019, an ill-conceived “sexist and dystopian” holiday ad prompted comparisons to a hostage video and wiped nearly $1.5bn from the value of the company.
And this week, in an unexpected collision of two pop culture icons, the company’s flagship product took on a starring role in the Sex and the City reboot, And Just Like That, as the bike that killed Mr Big.
In the shocking series premiere, Carrie Bradshaw’s longtime flame, who has become a devotee of the luxury bike, has a heart attack after finishing his 1,000th ride and dies in his wife’s arms. The death of the beloved character shocked fans, some of whom asked what the company had done to the series’ writer/director, Michael Patrick King, to warrant such a role.
But Peloton says its bike didn’t kill Big. In fact, a company representative said, it may have kept the character, who had a history of heart troubles – physical and emotional – alive for longer.
“I’m sure SATC fans, like me, are saddened by the news that Mr Big dies of a heart attack. Mr Big lived what many would call an extravagant lifestyle – including cocktails, cigars and big steaks,” Suzanne Steinbaum, a cardiologist and member of Peloton’s health and wellness advisory council, told the Los Angeles Times. “These lifestyle choices and perhaps even his family history, which often is a significant factor, were the likely cause of his death. Riding his Peloton bike may have even helped delay his cardiac event.”
The company knew the bike would be featured in the show, BuzzFeed News reported, along with a cameo from the Peloton instructor Jess King, but was not aware of its role in Mr Big’s death. “Due to confidentiality reasons, HBO did not disclose the larger context surrounding the scene to Peloton in advance,”a spokesperson, Denise Kelly, told the outlet.
Whatever role the bike played in Big’s untimely demise, the characters don’t seem to be holding it against Peloton. “He was on that bike for over a thousand rides,” Miranda says in the second episode. “He got the OK from his cardiologist. Exercise is good for the heart.”
Of course, Big’s death might not have had anything to do with Peloton at all. Chris Noth, who has played Big since 1998, told the Guardian he was hesitant to return to the role again, but was persuaded by a conversation with the show’s writer and director, Michael Patrick King. “It was a long conversation, it continued through the pandemic and he took in a lot of my ideas and we came up with a way for me to work into it.”
