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“3 Public Relations Lessons to Learn from Peloton’s Handling of its Treadmill Recall
– Cheri Collis White
May 10, 2021
The first email I received from Peloton the following day after its May 5 massive treadmill recall was the email announcing the Strive Score, a new heart rate monitor feature that allows you to better track your workouts.
Three days later, Peloton sent me an email inviting me to “Celebrate Island and Pacific Heritage Month with us.”
You know what I didn’t get? No mention or formal communication addressing the buzz in the national news media and in the Peloton world: the treadmill recall that killed a child and that graphic video showing another child trapped underneath a Peloton treadmill.
Full disclosure. I have a Peloton bike. I’m all in. I’ve fully embraced the Peloton community. Heck, I even got the T-shirt and have thought about buying the treadmill or at least getting on the waitlist. This is why I’m stunned at the company’s handing of this.
Crisis communication and the handling of a PR disaster or nightmare can be complicated. The last thing a company wants to do is prolong the negative story and fall victim to the churning of the 24-hour news cycle.
But there are certain communication strategies that a company can use to allow it to move forward while addressing the problem in a straightforward, thoughtful and honest manner.
3 ways Peloton should have addressed its handing of the treadmill recall. And, since we’re only in Day 5 of the crisis, there’s still plenty of time to act on some of these:
1. Accept responsibility and apologize — It’s PR 101. Peloton confirmed the child’s death, but initially refused to order a product recall. It took nearly three weeks for the company to spring into action. Peloton CEO John Foley later acknowledged that the company was wrong to not only fight the recall request, but to initially delay the recall.
The news media now has a story it can dig its teeth into, and it’s one that fires on all journalistic cylinders: 1) the untimely death of a child and 2) how the company mishandled the entire product recall situation. Meanwhile, there’s the visual: that hard-to-watch video of a child pinned under a treadmill keeps being replayed on a loop all over the news and social media.
Foley, as the company spokesperson, needs to openly discuss the public’s concerns and outrage. In March, it seems Foley addressed the death. This week, however, I haven’t seen Foley or any Peloton spokesperson on the national news or even holding a news conference, which brings me to the next item:
2. Get out ahead of the story — If you don’t speak out, then others are forced to speak on your behalf — and they don’t always have your best interest at heart.
In Peloton’s case, it’s bad optics when federal safety regulators and agencies such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission make statements about your product as well as your company’s failure to head to their recommendations. Now Peloton has another bashing headline to grapple with. In addition to a dead child.
3. Communicate immediately to core customers — This goes hand-in-hand with your handling of the story. Not only should you communicate with the public. You need to have a strategic communication plan that’s timely in its approach.
Peloton is still emailing me “Weekly Picks,” which are designed to inspire users and make them aware of its myriad cycling classes and instruction offerings. The company does a great job at this.
But there are other stakeholders taking part in Peloton’s massive classes. Core customers, prospective customers, vendors and retailers also need to be communicated with because each one is armed with its own unique set of questions and concerns. Maybe it’s already reaching out and doing these things. If it is, the company has yet to reach-out to me.
I’m jumping on my bike again today and I’m still hoping to hear from Peloton.
What’s your point of view? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
