A TV Character Had A Heart Attack On A Peloton, And Now The Company Is Mad
After a rough 2021, the new year doesn't seem to be getting better for Peloton as it deals with another PR issue, this time from the popular TV show, Billions. In December 2021, a Peloton exercise bike appeared in a TV show in which a key character using the equipment suffered a heart attack and died. That singular scene caused the company's stock to drop by 11%.
Product placement has existed for decades, and while some brands pay for their products to be featured, there are cases where a product appears in a TV show or movie without the knowledge of the manufacturer. In situations where the brand is involved in the product placement, it is usually to portray the product in good light. However, where the brand isn't aware, there is a chance the opposite happens which can in turn negatively affect the company. It is no surprise Apple has a rule that its products should only be used “in the best light” in the media.
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The latest snafu Peloton is dealing with has to do with the Showtime TV series, Billions, which just had a new season premiere. In the first episode, a major character by the name Mike “Wags” Wagner, suffered a heart attack after working out on a Peloton bike. However, unlike the character in the other TV show who died after working out on his Peloton exercise back, the Billions show character survived the heart attack. Following the broadcast of the show, Newsweek reported that <a href=«https://twitter.com/onepeloton/status/1485340686178308097?ref_src=» https: screenrant.com>Peloton released a statement on Twitter
acknowledging the use of its product on the show, but clarifying in the same breath that it didn't agree for its brand or intellectual
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