HBO had no input into the viral “And Just Like That” Peloton ad that was released over the weekend. Neither did series creator Michael Patrick King.
So says Ryan Reynolds, who spearheaded the ad through his Maximum Effort marketing company. “We hope HBO and all involved see this for what it was — a fun way to extend a beloved character into a conversation that was already happening,” Reynolds tells me.
HBO and Michael Patrick King declined to comment.
In the first episode of HBO Max’s “Sex and the City” reboot, Mr. Big (Chris Noth) drops dead of a heart attack after completing his 1,000th ride on a Peloton class led by his favorite instructor, Jess King. Shortly after the show aired, Peloton’s stock dropped. The fitness company went into spin control, releasing a statement from its cardiologist that insisted Big’s death shouldn’t be attributed to working out but to his “extravagant lifestyle — including cocktails, cigars and big steaks.”
The Reynolds-produced ad, which was shot in Tribeca, features Noth and King cozy and chatting on a couch. The idea was hatched by the “Red Notice” actor and Peloton CMO Dara Treseder. “The episode aired, she emailed and we were off!” Reynolds says.
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Reynolds provides voiceover at the end of the 38-second spot to explain why cycling is good for you, but his appearance wasn’t part of the original plan. “Even though we edited for less than 12 hours, we went through quite a few permutations,” he explains. “Ultimately, we wanted to include the litany of benefits of biking because we thought it was funny and my VO was the scratch read and we just ran out of time.”
From start to finish, the ad was cut and delivered in less than 36 hours, beating Reynold’s previous record-holder — an ad for his Aviation Gin starring the controversial Peloton Wife in 2019.
Reynolds cracked, “Working on a new collab with Peloton and Aviation called Spinning while Ginning. Think people are going to love it.”
