Late July saw workout studio SoulCycle roll out a new campaign which offered to exchange used Peloton bikes for 47 free in-studio classes as part of its umbrella ‘Souls Reunited: F#ck It, Let’s Ride’ platform which champions the return of in-person workouts as pandemic restrictions ease and seeks to drive new and returning membership signups.
This limited-time offer started on Wednesday, 27 July and was available for the first 100 eligible people to sign up. To qualify for the swap, entrants must have fully owned a fully-paid Peloton Bike or Peloton Bike+, live within 20 miles of one of SoulCycle’s 83 studios and not have taken an in-studio class after 16 March, 2020. The winners will see SoulCycle collect their used Peloton Bikes free of charge and then recycle them.
‘Souls Reunited: F#ck It, Let’s Ride’ launched with a US TV commercial in June created in collaboration with VCCP New York. The 30-second spot features a group of people smiling and supporting one another through a cycling workout and it aims to remind viewers of the invigorating experience, supportive camaraderie and sense of accomplishment that comes with working out together.
“Riding in a studio is an unrivaled experience, adding a much needed dose of intoxicating energy and an electric atmosphere into our workout routines, and we missed this during the pandemic,” said SoulCycle CEO Evelyn Webster.
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During the early stages of the pandemic, brands and products supporting home workouts experienced huge booms: Peloton, for example, saw its revenue rise 172% YoY in June 2020 as lockdowns kept people inside and gyms were forced to close their doors. But as restrictions ease and consumers grow more confident in social groups, shared environments and crowds, SoulCycle’s offer to recycle Peloton Bikes and swap them for classes champions the value of the shared experience and also alludes Peloton’s recent setbacks.
This offer led initiative demonstrates how SoulCycle’s approach to boost in-person workouts is more aggressive and bolder than most of the typical tactics employed by the majority of gym brands (which more typically range from free pizza or complementary merchandise) to bring back customers after a devastating few pandemic years for the industry.
This isn’t SoulCycle’s first marketing burst of this kind: in May 2021 it launched a campaign called ‘Mind Altering Fitness’ as a way to keep its customers feeling present and motivated beyond the studio walls in an initiative tied to studio reopenings, Mental Health Awareness month and the brand’s 15th anniversary.
Following the high profile coverage of its production and sales struggles and its marketing misteps, Peloton is aiming to get back on track through a new campaign called ‘Motivation That Moves You’ which sought to act as a brand refresh and to emphasises a sense of community and a viral starring Chris Meloni which rolled out on National Nude Day.
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