Peloton taps Beyoncé for multi-year partnership

Two powerhouse brands are getting together to form one superhero team. Peloton, the popular fitness purveyor that recently reported a quarterly sales surge of 232%, has tapped Beyoncé, the Grammy award-winning singer who boasts 156 million Instagram followers, for a multi-year collaboration that includes themed workout experiences and special free memberships for students at historically Black colleges and universities in the U.S. "Peloton and I both believe that the power of music can help uplift, motivate and inspire those on their fitness journeys," said Beyoncé in a statement, noting that she has been a member of the brand for several years. She is also the most-requested artist by Peloton members, according to the New York-based company. The new partnership is focused around the annual fall homecoming period, and will feature workout experiences such as indoor cycling, running, bootcamp and yoga. Two-year digital memberships, which can be used without Peloton bikes and treadmills, will go to students at 10 colleges including Bennett College, Clark Atlanta University, Howard University and Texas Southern University. Peloton will work with the schools on building recurring programs for future internships and employment. In addition, Beyoncé will work with Peloton on new classes featuring music, movement and wellness. While Peloton has become exceedingly popular—particularly during the pandemic as consumers turned to at-home fitness—the brand is not known for its affordability, though it recently introduced a lower-priced bike. Executives have spoken out about expanding membership with new offerings; in June, Peloton announced the “Peloton Pledge” of using $100 million to fight racial injustice. Last month, Dara Treseder, Peloton’s senior VP and head of global marketing and communications, told Ad Age that part of why she joined the brand over the summer was due to such values and support for Black-owned businesses. By partnering with Beyoncé in an official capacity, Peloton is also distancing itself from a lawsuit filed last year by several members of the National Music Publishers Association alleging theft of music from the likes of Rihanna, Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga.

Peloton taps Beyoncé for multi-year partnership

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