![]() (No instructors were laid off.) The quarterly report released in May showed that revenue tumbled 24% compared to last year, and Peloton lost $757 million last quarter. In February, Peloton announced its CEO John Foley was stepping down, and it was cutting 2,800 jobs. But a return to gyms, product recalls, and a series of PR disasters-including episodes of And Just Like That … and Billions in which characters suffer heart attacks after riding the bike-have taken a toll. The company was a pandemic juggernaut, growing its revenue from $915 million in 2019 to $4 billion in 2021. The instructors’ stars have continued to rise even as Peloton’s has begun to lose some of its sheen. ![]() “My original intent was really to reduce the friction instructors were starting to feel here,” she says, explaining that they were waiting a long time to hear back about brand partnership opportunities. Instructors benefit from that cultural cachet.Ĭhief content officer Jennifer Cotter, who cut her teeth managing talent at HSN (formerly known as the Home Shopping Network), was brought in three years ago to help navigate the instructors’ growing fame. The Peloton bike (or lightly fictionalized versions of it) has featured prominently on shows like Emily in Paris and Curb Your Enthusiasm as a signal of wealth and privilege. Peloton charges nearly $2,000 for its newest bike-and that’s before the cost of cycling shoes, weights, and a monthly subscription for classes. And they hold sway over a particularly affluent audience. ![]() They’re so sought-after, in fact, that some now have their own agents and earn a sizable portion of their income through endorsement deals and partnerships, appearing in traditional advertising and posting sponsored content. Having built considerable followings on social media, they’ve also become influencers, able to drive fans who admire their lifestyle to buy the items they’re hawking. But these days, that’s just the baseline. These instructors may film eight Peloton classes a week and spend hours planning workouts, creating playlists, and writing scripts for future sessions. “I can get a little impatient if I’m doing the exact same thing every day.” “I’ve opted into the slash generation,” she says, referring to the phenomenon of millennials with multiple income streams. She recently spent time in London hosting an upcoming Netflix dance competition. She’s also built her own brand, and fans can purchase $25 socks or $78 sweatpants with the Love Squad logo on her website. She has partnered with Nissan, NARS, and massage-device maker Therabody. Love, a former dancer, was already working with both the Nets and Adidas when she joined Peloton as a cycling instructor in 2016, but since then, her opportunities have grown significantly. Even after the game resumed, they kept hovering around her. Love, one of Peloton’s most popular instructors, flashed a smile at the group and made a gesture suggesting they could huddle in the stands as she introduced a breakdancing team. These women were hoping to take a picture with Ally Love, the team’s in-arena host. John Legend and Chrissy Teigen were there, sitting in prime seats, but the couple wasn’t their target. During halftime at a Brooklyn Nets game in December, a cluster of 20- and 30-something women made a beeline for the court.
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