For Peloton, a second consecutive appearance on television in a negative way could be another serious test.
American fitness equipment manufacturer Peloton has regained attention with an appearance in a hit TV series. A month after the incident with the Sex and the City hero, Peloton appeared in a similar situation to Billions.
The show's main character, Mike Wagner, also survived a heart attack while exercising on a machine. True, unlike Mister Big, he survived. The creators of the series could not help but beat the scene from “Sex and the City”, which made a lot of noise. After recovering in the next episode after suffering an attack, Mike says: "I'm not going to leave, like Mr. Big."
It is noted that the episode with Peloton was filmed before the series with Mr. Big was released, but the creators of “Billions” decided to add a line about the precedent already in post-production.
For Peloton, the second consecutive appearance on television in such a negative way could be another serious test. After the release of the episode with Mister Big, the company's shares fell significantly. A new drop occurred last week when the company announced the need to cut production amid falling demand. CNBC, citing its sources, said that the company may completely suspend the production of bicycles and treadmills. After that, Peloton securities fell by more than 20%, although they later won back part of the fall.
Peloton said they did not give permission for the brand to be mentioned in Billions. “We did not provide the Billions with any equipment. As stated in the series itself, cardiovascular exercises are of great benefit. Exercise helps millions of real people live long and happy lives,” a company spokesperson commented on Twitter.
In 2020, Peloton shares have become one of the fastest growing stocks in the market. Against the backdrop of restrictions on visits to physical fitness centers, paper soared in price by 440%. However, since 2021, the decline has begun. After another disastrous week, the company's capitalization dropped to $8.8 billion.