First, there were gym memberships, then there were fitness classes, and then there was Peloton.
Even before the pandemic, Peloton had a loyal following. With hectic work schedules, the idea of being able to take a stadium-style spin or treadmill class right from the comfort of your own home was appealing to many. I mean, what sounds better than rolling out of bed and being able to get a 45-minute workout in without having to get in a car and drive somewhere? That right there is Peloton’s bread and butter.
Any brand that has a loyal following also has a widely recognizable logo. Peloton’s logo is no exception. It is simple, attractive, and memorable, and given that it was released the same year as the brand was founded, the name “Peloton” and the logo are synonymous.
Both the logo and the Peloton name are critically acclaimed across the globe and it’s all for good reason. When a company’s logo is just as iconic as the brand itself, there are lessons we all can learn. That’s why we’ve compiled everything you need to know about Peloton’s story and how their logo came to be so you can implement some of these key lessons into your own logo’s development.
Keep reading below to take a deeper dive into all things Peloton.
Meet Peloton
Founded by five friends in the United States, Peloton was born in 2012. The name “Peloton” was inspired by the French word, “platoon.” Platoon translates to mean a group of riders in a race and given that one of the founders, John Foley, was a cycling enthusiast, the name was a natural fit. Beyond meaning a group of cyclist riders, platoon also translates to mean a small group of soldiers, and the Finnish translation for platoon is fearlessness. With a mission of wanting to form a cycling community, no matter what definition you choose to accredit Peloton’s name to, the definition works.
When Peloton was first launched, it was launched as a company that offered interactive fitness training and specialized home gym equipment. One year after the company was founded, in 2013, Peloton released its first spin bike prototype. As the prototype was created, Peloton raised more than $300,000 as part of a Kickstarter campaign.
During that time, fitness enthusiasts couldn’t fathom the idea of having an in-class cycle experience from the comfort of your home – but the Peloton founders refused to give up on their groundbreaking idea. Once the Kickstarter campaign concluded, investors began to come on board to offer funding and in 2014, Peloton went through a Series B funding that got them $10.5 million. This funding round resulted in another funding round of $75 million which helped the Peloton brand reach the next level of their growth.
Beyond their namesake gym equipment, Peloton’s revenue is also generated through their fitness subscriptions. With a few different price point options, Peloton users gain access to thousands of fitness videos, live-stream events, and programming that they can use. With your profile, you also get access to a personalized member profile that recommends classes to take and lets you see your activity and fitness history. Your member profile also includes daily fitness logs, badges, and achievements.
The biggest thing with Peloton though is that the brand was built on the mission of building a community. Members can take classes together with other members virtually and help lift each other up and motivate fellow fitness enthusiasts.
Peloton’s Evolution
Based in New York City, Peloton has grown to become the “Netflix for fitness,” but few know the story of how Peloton went from a simple idea to a worldwide brand. Below we look at Peloton’s evolution from 2012 to today.
2011-2012: Peloton is founded
When John Foley had an idea for an interactive fitness company, he presented this idea to four of his friends: Tom Cortese, Graham Stanton, Hisao Kushi, and Yong Feng. Together the five of them founded Peloton on January 3, 2012. When the company was first founded, it was founded to bring together technology and gym equipment, and live classes, so people could have access to the fitness they loved in the comfort of their homes.
2013: The prototype is created
After the five friends agreed this was a company they all believed in, they went on to create a prototype, which they did in 2013. This first bike prototype was not what the bike looks like today, but it did its job in getting investors to see their vision.
2013-2015: Funding takes off
At first, investors didn’t jump at the idea because the concept was entirely new, and they weren’t sure if consumers would love it. So, for initial funding, Peloton turned to Kickstarter. The founders saw Kickstarter as the perfect way to not only raise funds but also spread the word about their product (in a free manner). John and his team only set a goal of $250,000, but that goal was surpassed when they raised over $307,000.
The next year, in 2014, the team went through a round of Series B funding. During this round, they raised $10.5 million, and that money was used to update the Peloton bike, ultimately making it more consumer-friendly. This same year, Peloton opened its first studio location in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. It was here that members could take Peloton classes in a studio setting if they didn’t want to take them from the comfort of their homes.
In 2015, the team went through another round of funding which raised $30 million. This time the funding was used to finance solutions related to delivery issues and to fund additional retail locations and bike production. Beyond the $30 million, Peloton also raised $75 million for expanding its software engineering team.
2018: Peloton releases Tread+
Peloton took on the treadmill market in January 2018, expanding its fitness offerings. While at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Tread+ was introduced. What set this treadmill apart was that it streamed classes on a large 32-inch interactive screen that had a sound bar directly attached to it.
2019: Peloton goes public
September 26, 2019, was a big day for Peloton because it was the day they went public. For this IPO, Peloton raised $1.6 billion, and with their entrance into the NASDAQ, Peloton stock was able to be immediately traded.
2020: Peloton capitalizes on the COVID-19 pandemic
While some businesses struggled with the COVID-19 pandemic, that was not the case for Peloton. Since people were forced to stay at home, fitness studios and gyms suffered, and Peloton had the opposite problem. There was an increased demand for at-home gym equipment and classes, and more and more people sought out Peloton’s products.
2020 – Today: Peloton expands their offerings
With the demand skyrocketing from the COVID-19 pandemic, Peloton launched new products to their Peloton line. This included the Bike+, which was a higher-end bike, and Tread, a lower-end treadmill. In addition, Peloton revisited its prices and lowered the cost of its older bike models to appeal to more consumers.
Roadblocks Along the Way:
With a new company navigating a new market, it isn’t always smooth sailing. And for Peloton, that was the case. Over the last decade, Peloton has navigated delivery issues and faulty products that were dragged through the press and media. What Peloton always did though was respond promptly. They are a company that has always pivoted and taken responsibility for any issues that have come up because of its product. Their customer service and responsiveness are two of the reasons why customers are so loyal to the brand.
Another area that Peloton has had to navigate is its pricing. The first Peloton bike was priced at $1200, which was an affordable price point for many consumers. The issue was though that the sales were lower than expected. Peloton took this as a sign that their consumers thought that a low price equated to a low-quality bike. This led Peloton to increase its bike price to $2245. While navigating the price point was a roadblock for a short period, yet again their responsiveness and ability to pivot worked and sales skyrocketed with this higher-priced bike.
The Meaning of Peloton’s Logo and Peloton’s Logo History
Designed by Eric Hwang, Peloton’s logo was first introduced with the company’s launch, back in 2012. He strategically chose to incorporate graphic details that portrayed the brand’s message – their name. As Eric developed the logo, he opted for minimal, bold, monochromatic colors, legible typography, and a symbol that conveyed that Peloton was part of the fitness industry.
Creating Peloton’s logo was not Eric’s first design stint. Before he designed the logo, he worked as both a graphic designer and photographer in New York City. Other brands he designed for include Pronto, Hummingbird, Access Opportunity, and Unite Us.
Even though Peloton has been around for about a decade and the brand has evolved, the logo design has always remained the same. But it makes sense why the company wouldn’t update the logo – it works. Peloton members have an attachment to the brand and as a result, they have an attachment to the logo.
At first glance, you may simply describe the logo as being black and white, but it’s so much more than just a couple of colors, a letter, and an emblem. Below we take a deeper dive into this iconic logo.
2012 – Present: The first (and only) version of the Peloton logo
Peloton’s logo was introduced in 2012 and the logo was introduced with two simple features – a wordmark and a graphic. Eric took the core mission of the company (to offer fitness in the form of at-home spin classes) and combined it with the company’s initial. The “P” and a spin pedal were combined to form the globally recognized symbol.
The “P” pedal reads like a wordmark and is displayed in a monochromatic color scheme. In some instances where the logo is used though, the logo appears in a fuchsia color tone. Together all these elements form an attractive, minimal, modern logo that is legible and scalable no matter the medium.
Peloton’s logo font
Peloton’s logo includes one font. The font choice was chosen due to its bold features. Just like the logo, the font was also designed by Eric Hwang who combined elements from the Futura and Brandon Grotesque fonts. What Eric created was a sans-serif, all capital letter, font that not only resembles those two fonts, but also Radikal Bold, Noah Head Extra Bold, and Orquidea Sans Demi Bold. Peloton’s logo font is unable to replicate, and this exclusive font is impossible to find to use on your own.
Peloton’s logo color
Peloton’s logo consists of two prominent colors, and one color you’ll see on occasion. The prominent colors are black and white and together those colors portray feelings of calmness, confidence, and loyalty. Let’s look at each of those colors individually though.
Black was chosen as the logo’s main focal point and was chosen due to its bold nature. Black is often a color of mystery and conveys a wide array of emotions from sadness to anger, to fear on the one hand while also conveying opposite emotions of power, prestige, elegance, wealth, and formality on the other hand.
Another prominent color is white which balances out the black coloring. The choice of white conveys a sense of humility, safety, and trust while giving the logo a clean appearance. White is a common choice for logos because the color embodies purity, peace, and goodness.
A less common Peloton logo color is fuchsia, but you will see it on occasion on a secondary logo. This bright color can convey different emotions than monochromatic color choices. Fuchsia is a brighter color that embodies passion, energy, and willpower. Beyond that, fuchsia is a color that conveys maturity, assurance, and cheerfulness which provides Peloton members with a different feeling than they previously got with the simple black and white logo.
Peloton’s logo symbols
Peloton’s logo has one symbol, an abstract bike pedal. To create this pedal, Eric combined a circle with two diagonal lines The circle was an intentional symbol choice because circles symbolize community, wholeness, and totality. Just like the circle was an intentional choice, also were the diagonal lines which symbolize direction, tension, and action. When these symbols are combined to create a pedal symbol, the pedal can convey feelings of excitement, direction, and fitness – the core pillars of the Pelton brand.
Peloton Today
If you looked at Peloton today, you would still find a company that is thriving and developing – all while keeping its same original logo, which is trademarked today to Peloton Interactive, Inc. Since launching in 2012, its offerings and services have increased to now sell home stationary bikes, home treads, other home gym equipment, bike and tread accessories (like headphones, shows, weights, mats, and heart rate monitors), apparel, and a digital, interactive app.
Beyond the United States, Peloton also operates in the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, and Taiwan. In 2021, Peloton ended the year with $4 billion in revenue and with 6000 employees worldwide. While five friends founded the company, the current CEO is Barry McCarthy.
Lessons Learned from Peloton
If a company hasn’t had to change its logo in ten years, there is something each of us can learn from the brand. The first takeaway is to keep your logo unique and memorable because it is what consumers will use to identify your company. You want a logo that isn’t confused with another brand and one that is easily recognizable by your customers. As tempting as it may be, stay clear of templated images, stock images, and clip art to ensure your logo is both unique and memorable.
Secondly, keep your logo simple. Don’t add in too many design elements that will distract the consumer. The simplest logos often have the best results! Next, you’ll want to ensure your logo is relevant to the market you’re in. You want whatever logo you design to be relevant to the industry you are in or at least give consumers a hint about what your company is. Finally, keep your logo versatility. That means that no matter what marketing platform or channel it is on, the logo can always be used without losing its features and design elements.
