Peloton capitalises on shock death in TV reboot

It's every brand's worst nightmare; no one wants their product to kill off a beloved character on a hit TV show. 

But that's exactly what happened to Peloton, when writers of the Sex and The City reboot And Just Like That... decided that Mr Big, Carrie Bradshaw's on-and-off love interest since the pilot episode in 1998, would tragically die on one of its workout bikes. 

Timely and well-executed, just four days after the episode aired, Peloton made it appear like it was in on the plot, despite issuing a statement to make it clear it wasn't aware that its bike would be used in the show.

Peloton brought the character back from the dead in a comic ad that went live yesterday (12 December) on the Instagram account of Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds with the teaser text "Unspoiler alert".

In the film Mr Big actor Chris Noth is reclining on a sofa with a female companion, who is revealed to be the instructor of the Peloton class that preceded Mr Big's death.

"To new beginnings", he toasts, making it clear he "feels great", with the Peloton bike on full show. "Shall we take another ride? Life's too short not to", he invites his companion, as the camera zooms out to show two bikes facing each other. 

Inserting himself into the narrative, Reynolds' voice reaffirms: “and just like that… the world was reminded that regular cycling stimulates and improves your heart, lungs, and circulation, reducing your risk of cardiovascular diseases.”

Curiously, this isn’t the first time that Reynolds has been praised for swiftly responding to Peloton being in the news. 

Back in 2019, after Peloton faced criticism over its holiday ad, Reynolds poked fun at the controversy, with an ad for Aviation Gin. 

Enlisting Monica Ruiz, the central character in the original ad, "The gift that doesn't give back" shows the actress recovering from the scandal with some help from gin martinis.