Peloton names fourth chief marketing officer in 5 years

Peloton Interactive has named Megan Imbres as chief marketing officer effective July 7, according to a press release. Imbres is Peloton’s fourth top marketer since 2020, underpinning the turbulent transition the company has had as sales have struggled following a pandemic-era boom.

The executive’s previous experience at Apple, Amazon and Netflix brings direct-to-consumer and entertainment know-how that aligns with how Peloton is looking to grow its business. Imbres replaces Lauren Weinberg, who departed the maker of connected fitness equipment in April amid a shakeup that saw Peloton split marketing between two functions: a CMO and chief communications officer.

Imbres, an avid cyclist and competitive triathlete, will spearhead Peloton’s global brand and product marketing, growth marketing, creative, consumer insights and member engagement, reporting to CEO Peter Stern. She is credited with more than two decades of experience in direct-to-consumer marketing, data-driven performance marketing, brand development and creative strategy.  

Prior to joining Peloton, Imbres spent nearly three years as managing director of Apple Marcom LA, a communications group that supports the iPhone maker’s burgeoning services segment. Her work entailed developing campaigns and activating around cultural moments including the Apple Music-sponsored Super Bowl Halftime Show and streamer Apple TV’s partnership with Major League Soccer. 

Before Apple, Imbres was global head of brand marketing for Amazon’s advertising unit and head of brand and content marketing at the ill-fated mobile streaming startup Quibi. She also had a six-year stint at Netflix, where she helped establish the platform’s Originals brand. 

Peloton is trying to shift away from a reliance on classes tied to pricey hardware like bikes and treadmills while broadening its appeal to different sets of subscribers. One of the biggest marketing efforts overseen by Weinberg during her brief tenure was a campaign starring the NFL’s Watt brothers that aimed to win over more millennial men to Peloton.

In addition to new marketing leadership, Peloton is promoting Francis Shanahan, previously senior vice president of connected fitness software, to the newly created role of chief technology officer, reporting to product chief Nick Caldwell. As CTO, Shanahan will lead Peloton’s engineering and technical teams and innovation in areas like customer-facing artificial intelligence.