# Topic of the Day



## Dean_Gretsch (Dec 6, 2019)

I wonder if the person who came up with the infamous commercial had to forfeit their holiday bonus


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## Designer (Dec 6, 2019)

?


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## Jeff15 (Dec 6, 2019)

Whats a Peloton...?????


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## K9Kirk (Dec 6, 2019)

If that is to mean "free exercise" I think it's funny because I'm of the belief that a lot of people waste so much money on gimmicks, etc.


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## Braineack (Dec 6, 2019)

no problems with that commercial whatsoever.

The person who should get fired is the man-hating woman behind the Gillette toxic-masculinity ad which lost the company millions of dollars.


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## Dean_Gretsch (Dec 6, 2019)

Designer said:


> ?





Jeff15 said:


> Whats a Peloton...?????





K9Kirk said:


> If that is to mean "free exercise" I think it's funny because I'm of the belief that a lot of people waste so much money on gimmicks, etc.





Braineack said:


> no problems with that commercial whatsoever.
> 
> The person who should get fired is the man-hating woman behind the Gillette toxic-masculinity ad which lost the company millions of dollars.



Sorry, I thought the " scandalous " commercial was more well known. It features a rather thin woman getting an exercise bike as a gift ( the company name is Peloton ), and how it changes her life over the next year. In today's over-sensitive culture, there was blowback because apparently it offended some people somehow. The last time I checked, the stock had plummeted. At least it is getting people talking about health and exercise


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## Braineack (Dec 6, 2019)

it's only scandalous to fat feminists that can't get a husband, let alone anyone to buy them anything.

I'd be ecstatic if my wife bought me a rack, bar, and plates for xmas.


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## K9Kirk (Dec 6, 2019)

My 2 cents. The people that complain about trivial crap like that have low self esteems and to boost those self esteems they search for "crimes of the feelings" so they can publicly denounce it and have all the other thin skinned cry babies agree with them so they can have at least a false sense of self worth. This PC bs is pathetic and main stream media supports it. Where's Al Bundy when you need him?!


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## limr (Dec 6, 2019)

This thread is on thin ice - the picture has nothing to do with feminism or being/not being PC. 

Y'all can stop now.


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## Derrel (Dec 6, 2019)

Peloton... will the trade name become a generic? You know in the same way that Thermos became synonymous with vacuum jug? I mean I have never once in my life heard a person say, "We need to stop off at the convenience store because I need to get my vacuum jug full of coffee before we head out to the boat ramp." But something I have heard several times would be something along the lines of , "My wife got me a nice Stanley Thermos for Christmas, because she knows how much I like my hot coffee at work."


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## limr (Dec 7, 2019)

Derrel said:


> Peloton... will the trade name become a generic? You know in the same way that Thermos became synonymous with vacuum jug? I mean I have never once in my life heard a person say, "We need to stop off at the convenience store because I need to get my vacuum jug full of coffee before we head out to the boat ramp." Or , "My wife got me a nice Stanley Thermos for Christmas, because she knows how much I like my hot coffee at work."



Doubtful. Things like Thermos, Kleenex, Xerox became synonymous with the name of the object because they dominated the market very early in the existance of those products. Anyone who made copies did it on a Xerox machine, or blew their noses with tissues that cane out of a box that said Kleenex. They were commonplace products. By the time other brands made inroads, the linguistic association had already been made. 

Stationary bikes have been around for years, and the Pelaton brand is hot right now but it does not dominate the market. Nor are they ubiquitous, so much so that people would assume that if you have a bike at home, it must be a Pelaton. They are priced out of a lot of people's range for such equipment, and there are so many other affordable machines that are already in millions of people's homes.


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## Derrel (Dec 7, 2019)

My question was not posed in seriousness.


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## Jeff15 (Dec 7, 2019)

I still don't know what you are all talking about...................


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## Designer (Dec 7, 2019)

Dean_Gretsch said:


> Sorry, I thought the " scandalous " commercial was more well known. It features a rather thin woman getting an exercise bike as a gift ( the company name is Peloton ), and how it changes her life over the next year.


Oh. I've not seen that commercial.


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## snowbear (Dec 7, 2019)

Nice shot, though I haven't seen the commercial, either.

I've nothing of real value to add, but ...  Add "PC" to the generic terms list - IIRC, PC was the model of the early IBM home computers.

There was a fast-food restaurant near my office in the '80s, called "World's Fastest Deli."  Their featured sandwiches were named after famous cars: '57 Chevy, Mercedes Gull Wing, etc.  If you bought their DeLorean, you got a free Coke. (young'uns: Google John DeLorean)


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## limr (Dec 7, 2019)

Derrel said:


> My question was not posed in seriousness.



I know.


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## terri (Dec 7, 2019)

Braineack said:


> it's only scandalous to fat feminists that can't get a husband, let alone anyone to buy them anything.
> 
> I'd be ecstatic if my wife bought me a rack, bar, and plates for xmas.


My my.  You should relax...smile more!    Maybe buy your own rack to work out your aggression?


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## Original katomi (Dec 7, 2019)

Added to generic terms like above there are differences from country to country.
 We tend to call the clear sticky tape, sellotape I understand that some call it scotch tape.


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## smoke665 (Dec 7, 2019)

The company obviously forgot how overly sensitive the world has become. Within hours social media went viral with comments calling the ad sexist. Once the herd mentality kicked in they even went after the guy who played the husband claiming it was obvious that he was an abusive person. The resultant slide in the company's stock price shaved 1.5 billion off the companies value before coming to rest. The poor abused woman in the ad was so distraught that she's now the star of a new Gin commercial.


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## Derrel (Dec 7, 2019)

I have seen a few Peloton ads on YouTube lately. I don't watch regular television anymore , only YouTube. The latest Peloton campaign is to plant the seed to give one as a Christmas gift to your spouse. Yeah instead of a diamond ring get her an exercise bicycle... instead of what he really wants , give him a Peloton ...yeah,sounds like an advertisement dreamed up by a couple of high school kids. But then again one year my former father-in-law gave his wife a table saw for Christmas. He has never lived that down, despite over 40 years of distance between that bad decision and today.


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## Derrel (Dec 7, 2019)

Original katomi said:


> Added to generic terms like above there are differences from country to country.
> We tend to call the clear sticky tape, sellotape I understand that some call it scotch tape.



As I understand it the inventor of that category we call cellophane tape, gave samples to his friends to try out. One of them said yeah it's good tape but don't be so scotch with the adhesive. And so the man decided to call his invention Scotch tape. But yes as I understand it, that type of tape is properly called cellophane tape  or as you refer to it in your country, sellotape.

Scotch tape is of course the original and leading brand of cellophane tape, much like Thermos was the original brand of vacuum jug.


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## smoke665 (Dec 7, 2019)

@Derrel Our oldest son has always been a very no nonsense, pragmatic individual. For their first Christmas after he and DIL married, he bought her a set of cookware. Now granted they were an expensive set of cookware, but I suspect that, had the whole family not been present she would have tested the durability of a few on his head.  We weren't privy to the discussion that went on after everyone left, but suffice to say the cookware disappeared, and an assortment of more fitting (and way more expensive) gifts took their place. 20 years later they're still going strong, and to the best of my knowledge he hasn't made the same mistake again.


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## limr (Dec 7, 2019)

smoke665 said:


> The company obviously forgot how overly sensitive the world has become. Within hours social media went viral with comments calling the ad sexist. Once the herd mentality kicked in they even went after the guy who played the husband claiming it was obvious that he was an abusive person. The resultant slide in the company's stock price shaved 1.5 billion off the companies value before coming to rest. The poor abused woman in the ad was so distraught that she's now the star of a new Gin commercial.



This discussion was over on the first page.  Let it go. This is not the place to discuss this.


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## Original katomi (Dec 8, 2019)

It was interesting to know the originality of the tape, 
Gender differences can be a horror or amusing 
A wife can but hubby tools for his diy no problem 
He buys her a hover or cookware then it’s the dog house.
As for trying to buy dresses..... hay just paper the dog house and move in lol
Of course vouchers are good


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## otherprof (Dec 9, 2019)

Dean_Gretsch said:


> View attachment 183359
> 
> I wonder if the person who came up with the infamous commercial had to forfeit their holiday bonus


I didn’t understand the complaints. Someone gets a piece of exercise equipment as a gift, actually uses it, and feels better being in (not having a) better shape. And . . . ?  What if they had shown a person who was overweight to begin with being happy because they lost a lot of excess weight using the equipment?  I can imagine the “body image” complaints from the same people who were offended by this ad.


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## Braineack (Dec 9, 2019)

Derrel said:


> I have seen a few Peloton ads on YouTube lately. I don't watch regular television anymore , only YouTube. The latest Peloton campaign is to plant the seed to give one as a Christmas gift to your spouse. Yeah instead of a diamond ring get her an exercise bicycle... instead of what he really wants , give him a Peloton ...yeah,sounds like an advertisement dreamed up by a couple of high school kids. But then again one year my former father-in-law gave his wife a table saw for Christmas. He has never lived that down, despite over 40 years of distance between that bad decision and today.



I see a company that perfectly understood their market audience.

These bikes start at $2,200. They aren't cheap.

Most people in healthy relationships don't and just go spend $2,200 without discussing it with the significant other.   

When I watched the ad, my presumption was that she suggested at one point to her husband that she wanted one.  This was reinforced by her excitement from receiving the bike and then proceeding to be devoted to it for a year.

I'm willing to bet their market research showed that pelotons were often gifts, and also their users document their progress.  This again, is reinforced by looking at peloton's YT channel with various spotlights and journeys of their users.

Of course a for profit company is trying to plant the seed that you should buy a peloton for xmas -- as is every other company in the world doing right now.  Hell, apparently a Lexus makes a nice xmas gift. A quick google search says the global health club market is $87 billion, it also says the global photography market is $79 billion... These bikes are unique where they include at home classes, with video, so you can interact with your trainer from home -- something great for a mom -- as seen in that ad.

Working out takes incredible commitment & dedication, while at the same time being one of the most miserable experiences you can subject yourself to. Being healthy is not negative, being supportive of your spouse is not negative, it is meaningful and positive.


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## smoke665 (Dec 9, 2019)

limr said:


> This discussion was over on the first page.



Apparently not as the comments continue. FYI my post that you quoted was not my opinion, but a summation of the facts of what transpired, as reported here, Yikes, People Really Hate That Peloton Ad which generally corresponds to other articles written on the subject, and was posted in answer to questions from others on what the OP was about.


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## K9Kirk (Dec 9, 2019)

limr said:


> Derrel said:
> 
> 
> > Peloton... will the trade name become a generic? You know in the same way that Thermos became synonymous with vacuum jug? I mean I have never once in my life heard a person say, "We need to stop off at the convenience store because I need to get my vacuum jug full of coffee before we head out to the boat ramp." Or , "My wife got me a nice Stanley Thermos for Christmas, because she knows how much I like my hot coffee at work."
> ...



I agree with everything you said but with Peloton's marketing/how they make the Peloton to appear like nothing else can compare, they may break the mold with the TV magic can imprint the name, "Peloton" in people's minds if they keep making big, fancy commercials designed to stick in people's minds. The TV industry has learned that people are very visual. To prove the point they hardly even say anything about a vehicle in a car commercial anymore, no specs about it, no nothing, just a cool car in some made up fantasy world and it sells like hot cakes. That's almost unbelievable but it works and they know it. Repetition of the Peloton commercials could 'possibly' be the key to making it a generic name but time will tell. If anyone wants to get to that point in time faster to how it turned out I suggest getting a Peloton to pass the time faster. lol! Just a joke, I don't work for Peloton.


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## Braineack (Dec 9, 2019)

K9Kirk said:


> To prove the point they hardly even say anything about a vehicle in a car commercial anymore, no specs about it, no nothing, just a cool car in some made up fantasy world and it sells like hot cakes.



kinda like how people buy iPhone with specs that are years behind everyone of its android competitors?


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## K9Kirk (Dec 9, 2019)

Braineack said:


> K9Kirk said:
> 
> 
> > To prove the point they hardly even say anything about a vehicle in a car commercial anymore, no specs about it, no nothing, just a cool car in some made up fantasy world and it sells like hot cakes.
> ...



I'm not into phones like a lot of people are, I have a cheap smart phone that I only use when I get out on the road in case of an emergency but I would say yes to that. When it comes to products many are purchased simply because of it's brand name. How else are they going to hold their heads high around plastic people who's only religions are vanity and technology.


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## Braineack (Dec 9, 2019)

K9Kirk said:


> How else are they going to hold their heads high around plastic people who's only religions are vanity and technology.


They can workout shame people...


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## limr (Dec 9, 2019)

Let me take this opportunity to clarify for *everyone*.



smoke665 said:


> limr said:
> 
> 
> > This discussion was over on the first page.
> ...



The conversation _about whether or not someone should be offended at this ad_ is OVER.

If you'd like to carry on about marketing strategies, the potential of Pelaton becoming a generic noun, or of the merits of their equipment/subscription model, blah blah blah, that's fine.

But enough about whether people are too sensitive/not sensitive enough, or making assumptions about why someone might have a reaction to the commercial that doesn't exactly match yours.

We ALL know that is a hot button topic. Do not push it.


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## limr (Dec 9, 2019)

K9Kirk said:


> I agree with everything you said but with Peloton's marketing/how they make the Peloton to appear like nothing else can compare, they may break the mold with the TV magic can imprint the name, "Peloton" in people's minds if they keep making big, fancy commercials designed to stick in people's minds. The TV industry has learned that people are very visual. To prove the point they hardly even say anything about a vehicle in a car commercial anymore, no specs about it, no nothing, just a cool car in some made up fantasy world and it sells like hot cakes. That's almost unbelievable but it works and they know it. Repetition of the Peloton commercials could 'possibly' be the key to making it a generic name but time will tell. If anyone wants to get to that point in time faster to how it turned out I suggest getting a Peloton to pass the time faster. lol! Just a joke, I don't work for Peloton.



It's true that they could make people's first thought "Pelaton" when they think about getting a workout bike, but there's already a functional word to describe the object, and if there's no need to replace it, then people won't. When there is no really functional term, or when that term is cumbersome, that's when people look to the names that dominate the market. 

The other thing to consider is the need for people to talk about the thing. People in offices had a need to discuss making copies; people with colds needed to talk about 'disposable handkerchiefs.' People who are focused on health and fitness need to talk about exercises and equipment, but not all of them are going to choose a stationary bike, so the group of people who are looking for a functional term is much smaller.

Probably the most recent example is "to google." Google was not the first search engine, but they began to dominate fairly early in the game, just as the need to refer to an internet search was become more and more pressing. There was no real functional term for the action - not one that emerged as the clear 'winner' anyway. Do an internet search. Search the internet. Use the search engine. Surf the web. And so, as Google became more dominant and the need for an easy, precise term increased, it morphed into a generic noun (much to Google's dismay. They even got Sweden to remove it from it's official vocabulary when the word that translates into "ungoogleable' made it into the Swedish lexicon  'Ungoogleable' removed from list of Swedish words after row over)

Finally, I think because Pelaton is not just about the bike itself, but about the bike plus the subscription for online classes, that it's a different enough thing that people won't want to use it as a generic for any stationary bike, period.

Now, if that market expands and there is more competition for the "bike plus virtual exercise classes" model, instead of it just being a fad, then perhaps "pelaton" will become a generic for that kind of experience, since it's really the first of its kind - or at least the first of its kind that has gotten this kind of wide-spread attention. There's already at least one company trying to compete - I think it's called Echelon? Which I think is a mistake - the name, anyway. It sounds too much like Pelaton. But I think the competition is good. Over 2K for the bike, and then $39 a month for the classes. That puts it out of a lot of people's reach. Which is another thing that would have to happen for it to become a part of the lexicon - distribution, common need. Right now, it's only a fraction of people who can afford this kind of thing, so the group of people wanting or needing to talk about it on a regular basis is quite small.

Anyway, that's my linguistic 2 cents


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## FrederickZeFrog (Dec 10, 2019)

Jeff15 said:


> Whats a Peloton...?????


My thoughts exactly


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## Dave442 (Dec 11, 2019)

I can't believe that a company went and stole a peloton for their stationary cycle. Forty years ago I was into road racing and today watching a road race with my grandkids I'm there pointing out the peloton and then the breakaway and then the final sprint. Sorry to see that when they Google peloton it is going to take them to a stationary bike.  p.s. I have not seen the commercial in question.


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## Designer (Dec 11, 2019)

Dave442 said:


> I can't believe that a company went and stole a peloton for their stationary cycle. Forty years ago I was into road racing and today watching a road race with my grandkids I'm there pointing out the peloton and then the breakaway and then the final sprint. Sorry to see that when they Google peloton it is going to take them to a stationary bike.  p.s. I have not seen the commercial in question.


I just saw the commercial yesterday.  I don't see what the controversy is.  

As to the name; the exercise regimen is about a group of cyclists all together, hence the name, even though everybody is in their own house, they are still with the group.  (hopefully) Ha-ha.


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## Derrel (Dec 11, 2019)

The trademark name versus generic name Google for the verb Google it is a good example of a latecomer becoming a generic word at least in common parlance. No one says Alta Vista it. But Google it? I have heard that almost every day for the past 3 years. As far as I know Google was about 13 to 15 years later than Alta Vista.

I really do not think Peloton will become a generic term, but then time will tell.


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