'The perfect storm': Peloton's downhill ride of heartache

Peloton stock suffers after two characters on different television shows suffer heart attacks, but a solution might simply be better public relations. Wiki Commons

For junior communication studies major Kaylee Rupprecht, the Peloton is not just a piece of workout equipment. This bike is an oasis for a sweat-inducing workout with a variety of class opportunities and a plethora of influencer-like instructors, with Rupprecht's favorite being Cody Rigsby.

Typically when Rupprecht returns home to Napa Valley, her routine includes clipping in to take 30-minute Pop Rides with Rigsby. With his booty-popping dance moves, his witty banter and his encouragement of "You got this, boo!" shouting from the screen, the workouts feel challenging yet joyful as she pedals along. Rupprecht said her trusty bike has even instilled her with a newfound appreciation for Britney Spears.

But now, Rupprecht and many other Peloton users have developed anxiety about hopping on the bike again. Recently, two different characters on fictional television shows have suffered heart attacks while riding a Peloton bike, causing stress among frequent riders.  

"It definitely made me reevaluate for just a second if the Peloton is even good for me," Rupprecht said. "I had to remind myself that it's a TV show. It did make me worried for a second, since I love to do this all the time, and now I'm wondering if it's bad for me."

Concerns about Peloton safety started circulating in December 2021 when a fictional character on "And Just Like That" — the reboot for the hit television series "Sex and the City" — suffered a heart attack and died after taking a Peloton class. With the character being none other than Mr. Big, played by Chris Noth, fans were spiraling over this storyline leading to the death of a beloved character and also concerned about getting behind the handlebars.

Suzanne Steinbaum, who serves as a cardiologist at Peloton, quickly made a statement after the episode aired confirming to customers that Pelotons can prevent cardiac events and blaming Mr. Big's heart attack on a lifetime of indulgent behavior.

“Mr. Big lived what many would call an extravagant lifestyle — including cocktails, cigars, and big steaks — and was at serious risk as he had a previous cardiac event in Season 6,” Steinbaum wrote. “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.”

Peloton also put out a very successful advertisement on social media a few days later with Noth and Peloton instructor Jess King, although it was removed several days later since Noth was receiving sexual assault allegations. 

Seems like all the fires were put out, right? Well, not exactly.

In January, a fictional character on the Showtime series "Billions" suffered a heart attack after taking a class on a Peloton. Even though the character did not die in this storyline, Peloton had to — once again — make a statement promoting the cardiovascular benefits of the bike and clarify that they did not give any approval for this production to use their bike. 

Rupprecht told The Panther the doubts people are casting over Peloton’s safety do not align with the actual benefits of the bike. 

"I feel like (these storylines) frame Peloton in a really strange light, because it is inherently something that is good for us and (the bikes) promote a balanced lifestyle," Rupprecht said. "It seems unjustified to tie that to someone dying of a heart attack when (Peloton) actually promotes a healthy heart."

So, the question that now arises: how will this brand survive? With Peloton’s stock price plummeting, there have been rumors that production of bikes has reached a halt and that  the company has had to increase the prices of their bikes as a result. With gyms reopening, many users feel the need to cancel their Peloton subscription. 

Robin Moore, a public relations professor at Chapman, said this situation could be coined "the perfect storm" through a marketing lens.

"Peloton now has a perception problem," Moore said. "They need to work on getting back that positive perception. How they get there is an integrated marketing strategy with (public relations), social media and advertising. They really need to do a lot of marketing to maintain their brand reputation of being safe and far more beneficial than harmful."

Although the company has been quick with reaching the community, Moore told The Panther that nipping it in the bud at the initial strike of controversy is not the end-all cure. Moore suggests consistent monitoring of social media, third party endorsements from physicians not associated with the company and testimonials from real customers to keep the brand afloat.

"I love the idea of testimonials from healthy users," Moore said. "People who have had heart attacks before who can attest to using the bike to prevent heart attacks — that's what you want.”

In order to calm the critics momentarily, Peloton sent an email to their members Jan. 31 that announced a new heart monitor band riders can wear to track their heart rate while on the bike — for a cost of $90. Ava Izadi, a sophomore communication studies major, said this publicity stunt may appear to critics as though the company is giving into the claims tying them to heart issues.

"If I was on their (public relations) team I would be a little nervous, because I feel like advertising a heart monitor confirms you can get heart palpitations from using their machine," Izadi said. "As a (public relations) person, I would be scared doing that would cause more backlash because people would be like, 'Why do you think all of a sudden we need heart monitors?'”

Even though Peloton maintains a fanbase of 1.8 million followers on Instagram, the company is still facing its steepest climb yet, and many former users wonder if they will make it back to the top.