Sitting atop her $2,245 Peloton exercise bike, a petite brunette woman wears a smile on her lips but an SOS signal in her eyes.
"I'm a little nervous...but excited," she says to her phone camera in an ad that people online have said doesn't look unlike a hostage video.
The commercial, set to Tal Bachman's 1999 one-hit wonder "She's So High," tells the tale of a husband who buys his wife a Peloton for Christmas. She seems completely surprised — she apparently hadn't asked for one and/or has never cycled before — and takes videos of her fitness journey, eventually premiering it for her spouse.
"A year ago, I didn't realize how much this would change me," she says in the end, giving no indication of how she has changed.
The holiday ad for the luxury stationary bike company was released online in November. But this week, it took the world by storm and was hate-tweeted into virality.
Nothing says “maybe you should lose a few pounds” like gifting your already rail thin life partner a Peloton
Like, can someone please save her?
I *knew* I'd seen that #peloton face before!
The ad was a laughingstock. And speaking of stocks, Peloton's dropped 10% after the video went viral.
Despite the widespread mockery, Peloton defended its ad, saying it's "disappointed in how some have misinterpreted" it. The company also said it also received an "outpouring of support" from people who actually liked it.
“We constantly hear from our members how their lives have been meaningfully and positively impacted after purchasing or being gifted a Peloton Bike or Tread, often in ways that surprise them,” a spokesperson for Peloton told CNBC. “Our holiday spot was created to celebrate that fitness and wellness journey."
The representative added, "While we’re disappointed in how some have misinterpreted this commercial, we are encouraged by — and grateful for — the outpouring of support we’ve received from those who understand what we were trying to communicate."
The spokesperson also sent CNBC three emails and one Facebook post from people who apparently liked the ad.
"I love this ad, because, in it, I see me," the Facebook post says.
Peloton did not immediately respond to BuzzFeed News' request for comment.