Peloton resurfaces age-positive ad amid recent controversies

After dealing with several controversies in recent weeks, Peloton has resurfaced an ad that it first released in 2020. 

The ad was reposted on Monday night, just as Peloton spoke out after "Billions" character Mike "Wags" Wagner, played by David Costabile, suffered a heart attack after using the product on an episode of the TV show. The company has also faced recent challenges including a drop in stock prices last week and the recent news that investor Blackwells Capital wants Peloton to fire its co-founder and CEO John Foley, according to Reuters.

Peloton shared the age-positive ad from 2020 onto both Facebook and Instagram. The video features Dr. Mae Sakharov, a now-79-year-old college, graduate school and career counselor from Philadelphia.

FOX Business reached out to a Peloton spokesperson to ask why the ad was recently reposted, but did not receive a response by time of publication. 

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In a statement previously provided to FOX Business, a Peloton spokesperson addressed the use of its bike on "Billions" – saying how it was not done in conjunction with the company. However, it notes that even the show references the fact that cardiovascular exercise is good for someone at risk of a heart attack. 

"We get why these fictional TV shows would want to include a brand that people love to talk about, but Showtime's use of Peloton's Bike+ and reference to a Peloton Instructor was not a brand, product, or instructor placement, and we did not agree for our brand and IP to be used on this show or provide any equipment," the statement reads. "As referenced by the show itself, there are strong benefits of cardio-vascular exercise to help people lead long, happy lives."

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The ad in which Sakharov appears shows her riding a Peloton bike and talking about fitness.

"Quite frankly, I’d throw out all the furniture and keep the bike," Sakharov says in the ad. "Screw the furniture. Get rid of it all. I’ll have the bike."

"I’ve been biking ever since I was a kid," she says later in clip. "I realized way back, you’re cycling for yourself."

Sakharov also talks about what she enjoys about Peloton and that the bike is "part of my routine."

"You meet really great people, because they have similar interests," she says. "Some of them are new riders. Some of them are people like me, who’ve been exercising a long, long time. You want to encourage them."

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Later in the ad, Sakharov says she wants to encourage other older people in their fitness journeys.

"I want people my age not to be intimidated by their age, to think that they can’t do things, because they can," she says.

At the end of the video, a tagline in writing says: "We’re all on our own journey but we’re never alone."

The ad was originally posted on Instagram on March 4, 2020. 

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In an email to FOX Business, Sakharov said she still enjoys her Peloton, even two years later.

"I loved my bike then and now," she said. "[I] have had no issues or problems."

She explained that she was chosen for the ad as an older rider. At the time, she was 77.

"It was a good experience and hopefully encouraged other ‘Oldsters’ to exercise," Sakharov said of the ad.

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Ticker	Security	Last	Change	Change %
PTON	PELOTON INTERACTIVE INC.	9.55	-0.79	-7.64%

Peloton captioned the Instagram video, which was viewed 543,000 times, writing, "That’s #dr_maemae to you, thank you very much. New leaderboard name…same killer streak. #onepeloton #peopleofpeloton."

FOX Business’ Tyler McCarthy contributed to this report.