Peloton x lululemon partnership. Is it a good move? [Part 1]

Peloton needs cultural strategy…Desperately!

Peloton is a lovemark brand in my life — personally and professionally. As a devoted Peloton fan and a cultural strategist, any news about Peloton will get my attention. I am in love with brands that have resonant meanings for their consumers and communities. As announced last-week, Peloton and lululemon will kick off a new global partnership. The shared press release state that, through this partnership, “Peloton will become the exclusive digital fitness content provider for lululemon, and lululemon will become Peloton’s primary apparel partner.”

But….Is this partnership a win-win scenario for both brands? Who will benefit more? Will this partnership resolve the different bottlenecks that Peloton has been experiencing for a while?

Drivers & Possible Synergies of the Partnership

The general consensus around the internet is that this partnership will benefit both of the parties. I respectfully disagree! But, before jumping into my cultural analysis as to why not, let’s tease out the drivers and possible synergies of this partnership.

Drivers of the Partnership.

Both brands are having problems about growth. This pain point is one of the main drivers of this partnership with the motto of “Let’s help each other and grow together!” Basically, they are trying to solve each other’s problems. The pandemic and the associated hyper growth in some industries led both brands to extend their offerings to categories that they don’t have much experience with and expertise in. The post-pandemic shifts have dampened this growth, demanding both brands to seek new revenue pockets, like the freshly-announced partnership.

Read the rest of the blog on my Substack — Cultural Faultlines