While to most people, the Peloton commercial has just become a meme, to Monica Ruiz, it is so much more.
In the commercial, Ruiz plays the wife of a husband who buys her a Peloton stationary bike for Christmas. She documents her fitness in the ad. She doesn’t love riding her bike. But she works through it.
The commercial ends with a scene of her and her husband watching the videos together.
While the commercial was released in November, it did not become popular until the last two weeks, once people noticed the alleged sexist undertones (you can read more on the backlash at the Deseret News).
As the Peloton wife, Ruiz has had to watch as the world has made fun of anything and everything about the advertisement, including her own facial expressions and lines.
In a recent statement to Deadline, Ruiz talked about her experience with the ad going viral.
“I was happy to accept a job opportunity earlier this year from Peloton and the team was lovely to work with,” Ruiz said. “Although I’m an actress, I am not quite comfortable being in spotlight and I’m terrible on social media. So to say I was shocked and overwhelmed by the attention this week (especially the negative) is an understatement.”
After the backlash received because of the ad, Peloton also released a statement expressing “disappointment” that the advertisement was “misinterpreted.”
“We constantly hear from members how their lives have been meaningfully and positively impacted after purchasing or being gifted a Peloton Bike or Tread, often in ways to surprise them,” a spokesperson told CNBC. “Our holiday spot was created to celebrate that fitness and wellness journey. While we’re disappointed in how some have misinterpreted this commercial, we are encouraged by — and grateful for — the outpouring of support we’ve received from those who understand what we were trying to communicate.”