MARKET SHARE Industry Professionals Ride It Out Together With #PromoPeloton During the pandemic, industry members started gathering (virtually) for one hour a week to keep in touch and hold each other accountable to their fitness goals. Two years later, the group has grown to more than 115 members, and #PromoPeloton participants continue to meet on Thursday mornings. The people of the promotional products industry are known for sticking together, both in business and in heart. So when the coronavirus pandemic kept many employees at home and physically distanced, a few industry members found a way to ride it out together. Two years later, the #PromoPeloton group is still going strong. #PromoPeloton is the hashtag and name given to a group of people in the industry who meet virtually to participate in Peloton bike rides and workout classes together. A fun way to get moving, hold one another accountable and also to keep in regular contact, #PromoPeloton started with 12 participants and has since grown organically to more than 115 members. The group’s growth was spontaneous. It began with a post that Josh Goodelman, VP at Hauppauge, New York, supplier Liqui-Mark, shared to a Facebook group in the summer of 2020. The post asked if anyone was interested in joining him for a Peloton bike ride. “A few people commented and said, ‘let’s ride together,’” says Johanna Gottlieb, VP of sales for Chicago-based distributor HALO Branded Solutions, a #PromoPeloton ride organizer and lover of cycling. On Peloton machines, the creation of a hashtag allows a group of people to follow each other via the bike’s leaderboard with just a few taps. The hashtag #PromoPeloton was created, and soon after, Gottlieb created a private Facebook group that she moderates with Lisa Sachs, national sales manager at Mason, Ohio, supplier IMAGEN Brands. The group rides together frequently, including every Thursday morning. For group members, the rides came to represent a sense of unity, especially during a tough time, Gottlieb says. “There was friendly competition, chatter and encouragement,” Gottlieb wrote in an August 2020 Facebook post. “There was real and virtual sweat…SO MUCH SWEAT. There were Peloton high-fives. There were sore legs. There was inspiration and motivation and, most importantly, we had fun!” Peloton isn’t just an avenue for industry pros to stay connected and in shape. The company is also a major believer in the power of branded merchandise, as evidenced by its expansive online store, which offers apparel and accessories. Peloton Apparel sells curated promotional products to tie the brand together and allow evangelists of the connected stationary cycles to show their affinity. Peloton’s products include branded activewear and accessories, and allow customers to show pride for the company while they’re powering through a workout and otherwise. Here are three Peloton products that riders love. Water Bottle This Nalgene-branded Peloton 32oz WideMouth Bottle is a BPA-free, plastic water bottle with a leakproof wide mouth. It features a design by artist Erwin Hines to recognize Black History Month, and includes “Together we are power” on one side and the Peloton logo on the other. Hair Scrunchie The Peloton Scrunchie Set comes in a pack of three silk hair scrunchies, and each include a tag with the Peloton logo on it. Racerback Tank The Agility Racer Tank from Peloton is lightweight and breathable, and made with sweatabsorbing fabric. It features “Together we go far” on the front chest and Peloton written down the center back, and is designed to be layered. Renda is an associate editor at PPAI. 72 | MAY 2022 | THINK
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