Topic of the Day

[Braineack]

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...

 

[limr]

Let me take this opportunity to clarify for everyone.

This discussion was over on the first page.

Apparently not as the comments continue.

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.

 

[limr]

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

 

[FrederickZeFrog]

Whats a Peloton...?????

My thoughts exactly

 

[Dave442]

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.

 

[Designer]

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.

 

[Derrel]

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.