Was Bowflex an Unexpected Beneficiary of the 'Peloton Wife' Ad?

Perhaps thanks to that holiday ad highlighting the trials and tribulations of a stereotyped, societally acceptable Peloton Wife on a $2,400+ stationary bike, Bowflex's motivational ads with regular people that launched this summer are getting noticed again. [kickout id="1"] Twitter users expressed how much they related to or appreciated the Bowflex ads from the summer, directly comparing them to the Peloton holiday fluke. One user was pleased that there was a woman in the Bowflex ad that looks "more like the average body type" (and, unbelievably, actually perspires)! Another user was shocked that Bowflex used "normal looking" people for their ads—and she liked it. [kickout id="6" label="https://twitter.com/majeske/status/1201710768732942336"] The five 30-second spots that make up the campaign were the manifestation of Bowflex’s new brand platform. They feature "real-life" people—or, at least people who look less like professional models and more like the average shopper at the local mall. The actors represent a wide assortment of races, ages, body types, genders and social classes, emphasizing that Bowflex is made for everyone who is willing to embark on a fitness journey—be they new parents, busybodies, dog lovers, workout newbies or people who hit the snooze button too much. The message of "Stronger Every Day" is authentic and effective: if they can, you can too. [kickout id="5"] Bowflex, owned by fitness conglomerate Nautilus, chose New York independent shop Fig as its first creative agency of record back in July. The decision was partly due to the upsurge of at-home smart fitness DTC brands, like Tonal and Mirror, with the ambition to refresh Bowflex from a high-end fitness product to a more inspirational and inclusive brand. [kickout id="2"] Per a spokesperson for Bowflex, the campaign is a rallying cry for all of us who struggle to find the energy and motivation to work out, offering us the inspiration and encouragement we need to get started and keep going: "It shows that Bowflex truly gets our daily challenges and will be there along the way to support our fitness journey." Bowflex ads target the 99%, while Peloton brands itself as a pricey home exercise bike for the elite. While the Bowflex ads may not be as meme-able, they arguably portray that not all marketers are in the dark. Credits for Love Journey, Start of a Journey and If I Can, You Can/Anthem 30: Fig Mark Figliulo, Founder Scott Vitrone, Chief Creative Officer Judith Carr-Rodriguez, Partner and CEO Caroline Krediet, Chief Strategy Officer Robert Valdes, Chief Content Officer Ben Grube, Creative Director Brian Eden, Creative Director Jill Landaker-Grunes, Executive Producer Joseph Street, Senior Producer Adolfo Alcala and Dave Canning, Creatives Kristen King, Executive Director Client Services Katie Gallagher, Senior Account Director Lexie Baughman, Account Executive Production - Reset Adam Hashemi, Director JP Colombo, Head of Production Megan Moore, Executive Producer Mark Berger, Line Producer Editorial - Cartel Lauren Bleiweiss, Executive Producer Greer Bratschie, Producer Adam Robinson and Leo Scott, Editors Zach Kaigler, Assistant Editor Sound - Heard City Sasha Awn, Executive Producer Michael Vitacco, Mixer Post-Production - Blacksmith Ashley Goodwin, Executive Producer Mikey Pehanich, Colorist Music - Storefront Music Adam Elk John "Scrapper" Sneider Kirsten Messier It Just Keeps Getting Better, performed By Joe Keene Music - Tuesday Collective Theodore De Gunzburg, Executive Producer

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Was Bowflex an Unexpected Beneficiary of the 'Peloton Wife' Ad?

The fitness brand's casting of average people runs in contrast to recent bike-related buzz

Mónica Marie Zorrilla

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Mónica Marie Zorrilla