If you think you’ve seen the woman at the center of Aviation Gin’s new holiday ad before, it’s probably because you have. That’s Grace from Boston, aka the lead character in Peloton’s recent viral spot, and...well, she’s not doing great.
Ryan Reynolds shared his distilled spirits line’s latest commercial on Friday, a few days after Peloton’s ad took the internet by storm. While Peloton’s original spot documented Grace’s indoor cycling journey, Aviation pressed pause on all of that to show us how she really felt: stunned and exhausted, Grace hits the bar and grabs martinis with friends.
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Peloton’s unfortunately miscalibrated spot followed Grace through a year of at-home stationary biking, starting with her husband’s tactless decision to gift his wife workout equipment. The internet went berserk, wondering why one’s spouse would ever think it’s a good idea to surprise them with an exercise bike for the holidays (y'all, there are so many other gift options). It was also hard to ignore how unhappy and terrified Grace looked as she inexplicably vlogged her entire Peloton journey, though the character insisted the bike changed her life for the better.
Aviation ingeniously cast Monica Ruiz, who plays Grace, to reprise the character, People reports. The ad opens on Ruiz as Grace, sitting at the bar and staring off into space. Two concerned friends look on as she snaps out of her daze and says, “This gin is really smooth.”
Her friends nod, offering to get her another one — “You’re safe here,” one says in a dead serious voice — and the trio toasts to new beginnings. Ruiz downs her cocktail in one gulp and a friend passes hers over, deadpanning, “This is going to be a fun night.”
The other chimes in with the last line, an obvious dig at Peloton: “You look great, by the way.”
Reynolds has masterminded plenty of big ads for Aviation Gin, but it’s pretty clever of the brand to create a new viral sensation by tapping into one of the season’s biggest. It’s a simple pitch, with a simple caveat: let Aviation Gin help you take the edge off this holiday season — exercise bike not included.