Social spin brand Peloton entered in the UK in the autumn with a £50m total investment fronted by a £7m launch campaign aimed at bringing virtual cycling to the British mass market and disrupt the fitness landscape.
With the objective of driving brand awareness, boosting understanding of the core proposition and driving sign-ups, sales and subscriptions, the launch campaign was created in harness with Dark Horses (a sports agency linked to creative agency Lucky Generals).
The core campaign objective is to demonstrate what it feels like to ride a Peloton.
The work is fronted by a 30-second hero commercial, launched on 17 November, called ‘Inside a Class’.
The spot features a Peloton instructor facing directly towards the camera and two ‘home riders’ who crank up their effort according to the trainer’s inspirational instruction.
The lead ad is supported by additional spots starring UK based Peloton instructors Leanne Hainsby
and Ben Alldis.
On the ground Peloton is opening its first showpiece studios in the UK: with a flagship space in London’s Covent Garden.
This 20,000 square foot studio, built on the site of the former and famous Sanctuary Spa in Covent Garden, is essentially a ‘super pop-up’.
Called ‘Peloton House’, it was created in harness with PR agency Mission, and offers a space where interested parties can sign up in-person or online for a free trial on a Peloton bike (which have all been installed as if situated in a room in a house).
The plan is to open another six showrooms across London: in Canary Wharf, Spitalfields Market, St Pancras, Westfield, the King’s Road and Marylebone High
The launch campaign is planned to evolve over six months and spans national television, digital OOH, experiential, online and social channels and it was followed by a socially led Black Friday/Cyber Monday offer
The media buying is handled by Essence.
“Our challenge was, how can we demonstrate what Peloton is in a way that feels authentic and gets across the message about Peloton and how it works, while maintaining the energy we think the product delivers and the brand has,” said Peloton’s international managing director Kevin Cornils.
“A whole part of our go-to-market strategy is getting bums on bikes and introducing people to what Peloton is. It’s so unique you have to try it,” he adds.
“As we launch in the market the number one priority [for the showrooms is as a] marketing tool. Second is sales. Once people get on the bike and try it out they’ll like it. Our whole sales team is geared up around selling the experience of the brand and the product. Sales we feel will follow.”
Cornhills said that Peloton in the UK is primarily investing in channels that have worked for the ‘long term’ in the US to generate a mass market following. With television driving awareness and reach, backed by social and experiential to drive word-of-mouth advocacy.
Yet, despite the mass market campaign focus, Peloton’s purchase target in the UK is a smaller, more focused segment: ABC 1 adults (30-to-50) who already invest in fitness, but are time-poor and are seeking an easier, more convenient way to work out.
Comment:
The US-based business is now valued at $4bn and is shaking up the North American fitness landscape – where it boasts celebrity fan endorsers such as Hugh Jackman and Michael Phelps.
It is aiming to do the same in Europe by getting its unique product and proposition in front of as many minds and eyeballs as possible.
Peloton’s core proposition, at its simplest, is to disrupt the fitness sector staring by bringing spin classes to people’s own houses through an exercise bike that has a large screen tablet on the bars so users/subscribers can live-stream or download social classes and interact with other members.
The proposition isn’t cheap: bikes cost just under £2000 in the UK with subscriptions adding an additional £39 per month.
Still, in the long term its cheaper than gym membership and physical classes.
This UK launch campaign follows in the footsteps of the brand’s ground breaking US marketing work which initially launched with ‘On To The Next’ in August (see case study) and was followed by a 2018 ‘His & Hers’ festive campaign (see case study).
Links:
Peloton UK
Peloton USA
https://www.facebook.com/onepeloton/
https://twitter.com/onepeloton
https://www.instagram.com/onepeloton/
https://www.youtube.com/user/PelotonCycle
Dark Horses
Leave a comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.