Peloton's Head of Marketing Dara Treseder: Everything a brand says ‘has to be backed by action’

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When Dara Treseder greets me on a video call, the first thing I notice is her energy. It feels as if Peloton's Head of Global Marketing and Communications is radiating the reassuring vibe of a cool-down stretch on her company's fitness app. “I don't seek balance,” she tells me. “I seek harmony. Sometimes I'm a little out of balance, but I'm going to have overall harmony. I'm intentional and clear on the goals I'm trying to accomplish and even when I fall short I don’t give up.”

Treseder joined Peloton in August, entering as one of its top marketers after a period of explosive growth for the brand fueled by a pandemic-inspired makeover to how we approach fitness. What was once seen as a niche bike company has transformed into a fitness empire with more than 3.1 million members and emerged as one of the pandemic’s superstar brands. The company just had its first profitable quarter and is in the headlines as a savior for those of us missing gyms, human contact and some good ol’ motivation. The brand and its instructors manage to be simultaneously intense and loving, leaning into language like “strength” and “power.” 

The company recently launched its first major ad campaign under Treseder, We All Have Our Reasons, spotlighting its community, which she calls “one of the most valuable elements of our brand.” That’s a departure from its previous marketing that focused on generating awareness for its products and services.

“It's really important now that we start to show the fullness of our experience,” she says. “These are real people in their real homes, sharing their real experiences.”

Like all brands, Peloton has had its public challenges: the company recently announced a recall affecting 27,000 bikes sold between 2013-2016 and it was widely criticized for its Peloton Wife ad of 2019 (though the ad did not appear to impact Peloton’s sales -- it may have driven them). But coming off a strong 2020, it's riding high. Treseder will be key to maintaining that brand halo going forward.

One of the biggest changes Treseder says she’s seen in her career that’s taken her from Goldman Sachs and Apple to CMO roles at GE Ventures and the 3D printing company Carbon has been the role people expect brands to play in our world. 

“There used to be a time when brands and businesses sold products and didn't comment on anything outside of the day-to-day business. But those days are long gone, and for good reason,” she says. “Today our customers, partners, and employees hold us to a higher standard. People want to know, ‘Who are you and what do you stand for?’ We’ve been on this journey for a while, but 2020 has given us 20/20 vision; we now see more clearly that the communities we serve require this of us.” Below she shares more of her story. 

1. What has had the most impact on your perspective as a marketer?

Coming to the realization about the importance of having that balance between the art and the science of marketing. There's very much the artist side of me, the storyteller, who loves to connect with consumers on a very deep level, and be a part of culture. And I think that's so important. And at the same time, you also have to be data-driven because that's how you make the right big bets and communicate with the rest of the business. That’s how you show the return on marketing investment. 

I had an “aha” moment very early in my career. I was given feedback that I should pursue a career in marketing because I naturally enjoy bringing the art and science of marketing together. I enjoy putting insights, data, and stories in conversation together. That's when the magic really happens. 

2. What’s changed the most about your job as a marketer over the course of your career?

There used to be a time when brands and businesses sold products and didn't comment on anything outside of the day-to-day business. But those days are long gone, and for good reason. Today our customers, partners, and employees hold us to a higher standard. People want to know, “Who are you and what do you stand for?” 

We’ve been on this journey for a while, but 2020 has given us 20/20 vision; we now see more clearly that the communities we serve require this of us. They are rightly demanding that we authentically stand up for what we believe. And they are holding us accountable. 

Everything we say has to be backed with action. And it also has to be aligned with our purpose and what we are trying to do. We can't show up the way everybody is showing up. We have to own who we are and show up in a way that really makes sense for us and for our brand.

3. What’s the hardest part of a marketer’s job today?

Threading the needle between what you need to say, when you need to say it, how you need to say it, where you need to say it, and with what level of frequency, urgency, and tone. Threading all of those things together is so important. Why? Because there's so much changing in the world; there is so much uncertainty and ambiguity. We are in the middle of a pandemic. We don't know when the pandemic will end. It changes how we market and what we talk about. We are dealing with this uncertain reality.

Systemic racism has been around for a while, it didn’t just show up in 2020. But for the first time in a major way businesses and corporations are being asked, “How are you going to reckon with this? What are you willing to do about this?” 

As a marketer you have to think about everything that's going on in the cultural landscape. And then you need to still figure out, “What are we going to say from a business perspective?” So threading that needle of understanding how to show up while driving business objectives is critical. You don't want to be tone deaf and you don't want to strike a wrong chord, so you've got to be really thoughtful. You have to have a pulse on what’s going on, and you have to bring in qualitative and quantitative data to help you with discernment about your marketing and communications strategy. You also have to understand what's going on in the world around you in the communities that you serve, what matters to them. How do you speak to them in a way that they can hear you? 

4. Tell us about the marketing campaign you’re most proud of working on in your career.

The most recent Peloton campaign “We All Have Our Reasons.” I couldn't be more proud of this campaign. In the past, Peloton’s marketing and advertising was really focused on the products and the services we offered, and that made sense because back then we were disrupting an industry. We had to generate awareness and understanding of our platforms and how they work. But since those early years, Peloton and our community have really grown significantly. We're millions strong now, and it's really important now that we start to show the fullness of our experience. “We All Have Our Reasons” is a campaign that celebrates our members, and this is really the first time we were using real riders in a paid, major advertising campaign. These are real people in their real homes, sharing their real experiences.

We're showcasing one of the most valuable elements of our brand -- our community of members. And this was the first time we’ve ever done this. This campaign shows the different communities within our One Peloton community from our Black Girl Magic squad, which I'm part of, to essential workers such as nurses and teachers, to our military and veteran communities. Through the lens of nine real members, we showcase the power of community. And I love that because as a member, even for me personally, it meant so much. Two of the women who were featured in the ad, Brittany and Yom, are real members of the Black Girl Magic community that I'm a part of. And seeing that representation on such a big stage meant so much to me. And I know this isn’t unique to me because we’re hearing similar feedback from our members across the world.

5. What’s a marketing campaign you wish you’d thought of and why

P&G’s “Thank You, Mom” campaign. I enjoyed seeing how a brand that didn’t have an obvious connection with the Olympics found a simple, clear connection that resonated so deeply across different disciplines, geographies, and cultures. An often neglected aspect of the Olympics are the families of the athletes, the sacrifices they make. The campaign not only recognized these contributions; it honored them. Marc Pritchard is a very talented CMO and I enjoyed seeing him lead his team to bring this campaign to life. 

6. What’s your must read, watch or listen for all marketers?

I am actually really enjoying the Pivot podcast with Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway. I think that there is a nice combination of business, tech, and culture. It's great hearing two very smart people engage in authentic dialogue about what's going on in the world around us. To unpack the complexity of the times we are living in, I like to listen to other people share their opinions and perspectives, even if they are different than mine. I like to ask myself, “How are other people receiving what's going on? How are people experiencing this and thinking about it?” I've made listening to these types of conversations part of my routine. I think that's actually a good way to get a pulse on what's going on. And as a mom of two young children, I can listen to podcast episodes while I juggle my other responsibilities. As a marketer, especially as you become more senior and people look to you to make decisions, you need to have judgment and discernment. And you can’t do that in a vacuum. You have to swim in information. Podcasts with rich dialogue, like Pivot, are a good way to get unfiltered perspectives. 

7. What’s an under the radar brand you’re watching and why?

Carbon, the company I came from. I think it's cool what Carbon is trying to do, disrupt manufacturing and using 3D printing technology. The company is starting to really impact our lives. One of the partners, Resolution Medical, won Fast Company’s Innovation by Design award for the swabs, Crafted with Carbon Technology, that were produced during the pandemic. We've seen so much innovation and technology in the digital world. And you're starting to see what happens when digital translates into the physical world. The potential for impact is massive. Even though I don't work there anymore, I'm excited to see how this technology and innovation impacts our world and human experience.

8. Name a product you can’t live without (that doesn’t connect you to the internet) and tell us why.

I love Moleskine notebooks, I love to write in them. It’s relaxing. It’s inspiring. It’s healing. At times when I need to just think and not be distracted by anything else, and I go for a walk with my Moleskine, write down my thoughts, and reflect on thoughts I’d previously written. I write about everything. From things I’m trying to accomplish at work to how I'm trying to improve as a mother, as a wife, as a human, as a leader. I have a collection of these Moleskine books. I've been writing in them for over a decade. Sometimes, my 5-year-old daughter, who is learning how to write and read, likes to leave me messages in my little Moleskine notebooks. My favorite thing is discovering these messages. Today, the message she left me was, “Mom is cool!” It made my day! 

9. Finish this sentence. If I weren’t a marketer, I would be…

I would probably be a performer, probably an amateur musical theater performer. I would perform in my local community theater and maybe even teach there. I love to sing. My husband and children put up with my regular unsolicited performances. These days my kids even join the act. It’s a ton of fun!

10. Finish this sentence: The marketer I most want to see do this questionnaire is…

Deirdre Findlay