Peloton — When Visibility Isn’t Enough

 Peloton had momentum — but not the routine to match. This is the story of a brand that forgot to maintain its pool… and paid for it. 

What is The Pool Theory: How Smart Leaders Build Brand Trust Before They Need It?

Your brand's reputation isn't built in a moment — it's built over time. And in today’s fast-moving world, waiting to communicate until you have to is a dangerous strategy.

The Pool Theory is a modern framework for proactive visibility — created for leaders, entrepreneurs, and organizations who want to build trust before the spotlight hits.

This audiobook walks you step-by-step through how to assess your current visibility, spot your blind spots, strengthen your authority, and create a sustainable rhythm for showing up with clarity and confidence — no matter what comes your way.

Whether you're a founder raising capital, a policy-facing business navigating public perception, or a personal brand building long-term influence, this audiobook will help you:

✔ Clarify your message and visibility goals
✔ Build media and stakeholder relationships that matter
✔ Prepare for high-stakes moments before they arrive
✔ And create a presence that earns trust — even when you're not in the room

Includes access to a free companion workbook with worksheets and reflection prompts at thepooltheory.com.

Don’t wait for a crisis to show the world who you are. Start filling your pool now — before you’re thirsty.

When Visibility Isn’t Enough: Peloton — From Darling to Doubt and Back Again
In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Peloton was the brand on everyone's lips.
The connected fitness company, once seen as a premium niche product for urban professionals, suddenly became a global phenomenon. Locked-down consumers wanted meaningful movement at home, and Peloton delivered more than just workouts — it offered community, accountability, and lifestyle identity. Instructors became celebrities. Social media was filled with Peloton stats, memes, and milestones. The waiting list for a bike stretched for weeks.
At the height of its momentum, Peloton’s market capitalization soared past $50 billion. Its marketing was polished, emotionally resonant, and ever-present. The company was widely seen as a model of direct-to-consumer brand building. And it wasn’t just selling equipment — it was selling a belief system.
For all intents and purposes, Peloton’s pool was overflowing.
But behind the scenes, cracks were forming.

From Growth to Overreach
Riding the wave of unprecedented demand, Peloton made a series of aggressive moves:
• It over-forecasted long-term demand, assuming the pandemic-fueled growth would become a permanent norm
• It invested heavily in manufacturing infrastructure, including acquiring a factory and increasing production capacity
• It scaled operations rapidly, expanding headcount, ad spend, and R&D without the systems needed for long-term rhythm and feedback
At the same time, Peloton’s metrics focused heavily on visibility and subscriber counts, rather than sustainability, sentiment, and community health.
There was little room for nuance. The brand was sprinting. And when the cultural moment shifted, Peloton wasn’t ready to adjust.

The Backlash Begins: A Series of Brand Hits
As lockdowns eased and gyms reopened, Peloton began to feel the pressure. Growth slowed. The backlog became a liability. Then came a series of damaging public moments:
• In December 2021, HBO’s reboot of Sex and the City aired a now-infamous scene in which the character Mr. Big dies of a heart attack immediately after a Peloton ride. The scene went viral, and although fictional, it triggered a wave of concern and speculation about the brand’s health implications.
• Peloton’s response came quickly but felt forced—a hastily produced ad featuring Mr. Big actor Chris Noth trying to ‘laugh off’ the incident. Days later, Noth was accused of sexual assault, and the company had to pull the ad, making the situation even worse.
• The company faced product recalls on its Tread+ treadmill after multiple injuries and a child’s death, further damaging public perception.
• Leadership instability followed. CEO John Foley stepped down, layoffs began, and Peloton lost nearly 90% of its market value over a two-year span.
The brand hadn’t just lost momentum — it lost control of its narrative.

Where the Pool Started to Dry Up
Peloton’s visibility had never been higher — but visibility is not the same as trust. Nor is momentum a substitute for strategic, sustainable routine.
In many ways, Peloton’s brand routine had not matured with its audience or its scale. What started as a tight, purpose-driven communications strategy became bloated, reactive, and overly focused on speed. Their internal feedback loops weren’t built to process nuance. Leadership messaging lacked empathy during layoffs. Product launches felt disconnected from community needs.
The result wasn’t total collapse. But it was a public downgrade of a brand once seen as untouchable.

The Foundation Still Held
Here’s what makes Peloton’s story different from a full-blown brand implosion: they didn’t disappear.
Despite the setbacks, Peloton retained:
• A highly engaged, emotionally connected subscriber base
• Strong brand awareness and cultural relevance
• A valuable content platform and passionate instructor network
• A deep reservoir of goodwill among customers who still wanted to believe
That’s the difference between hype and brand equity.
Peloton had built enough of a pool — even if they neglected to maintain it — that it could survive the drought.

What Peloton Could Have Done Differently — Through the Pool Theory Lens
Peloton’s brand was built fast and at high altitude. But with a better rhythm and routine, they could have prevented many of the deeper trust fractures.
What could have helped:
• Clearer brand pacing: A communications routine that emphasized reflection, thought leadership, and user success stories — not just product hype.
• Metrics that measured sentiment, not just scale: Including community trust, instructor connection, and narrative consistency.
• More intentional crisis preparation: Scenarios for reputation risk (including fictional portrayals and public image management), and a more measured PR playbook.
• Leadership visibility rooted in empathy: Peloton’s founder was charismatic, but public responses lacked the emotional intelligence needed during recalls and layoffs.

The Pool Theory in Action — and Maintenance Mode
Peloton didn’t fall because it was weak.
It stumbled because it mistook momentum for maintenance.
Brand equity must be preserved, refilled, and rebalanced regularly. That means building systems of feedback, voice alignment, and brand storytelling that endure even when the cultural moment changes.
Peloton is still rebuilding. And because of the foundation it laid — even imperfectly — it has the chance to return.
The lesson is this:

You can fill your pool fast.
But if you don’t watch the levels, test the structure, and refill with purpose — it won’t last.