Good morning. Today, a former pandemic darling strives for a second wind; RFK Jr. elevates allies’ companies after vowing to end conflicts; and a brand best known for blenders and vacuums swims into skincare.

Peloton slashed its marketing costs for a fourth consecutive quarter in its effort to acquire new members more efficiently, Katie Deighton reports for CMO Today.

The fitness company cut marketing and advertising to $61 million in the latest quarter from $113 million a year earlier, the company said as it reported its results. Revenue fell, but its net loss also shrunk.

The earnings report came nearly two weeks after the company’s chief marketing officer, Lauren Weinberg, exited after 16 months in the role.

Weinberg had been the third marketer to take on the CMO job since 2020, when lockdown living gave Peloton a huge boost that encouraged the company to overextend itself.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. vowed to avoid conflicts of interest in health policy, saying food marketers and drugmakers have exerted too much influence. But some companies run by his allies in the Make America Healthy Again movement are now getting a boost from the government, Kristina Peterson and Corrie Driebusch report.

When Kennedy announced last month that HHS would work with food companies to strip some artificial dyes from the American diet, for example, he was joined by Vani Hari, an activist known as the Food Babe who co-founded Truvani, a company that makes plant-based protein powders, snack bars and supplements. Target started selling some of her products in April.

Hari is “an extraordinary leader,” Kennedy said after her remarks.

Kennedy “made a point of the evils of government doing the bidding of business in food and nutrition and medical areas—this starts to look kind of like the same thing,” said Noah Bookbinder, president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, also known as CREW.

An HHS spokesman said, “It appears that the WSJ is taking issue with private citizens exercising First Amendment rights.”

Blender-and-vacuum powerhouse SharkNinja is taking steps to expand into skincare as part of its larger push beyond kitchen and home goods, Denny Jacob writes.

The new products include light therapy devices and power-operated brushes used to clean and exfoliate skin, according to William Blair analyst Phillip Blee, citing several patent filings.

The potential new products, as well as the company’s added spending in research and development, could open up markets far beyond its traditional business. CEO Mark Barrocas said on a recent earnings call that the company expects the Shark and Ninja brands will each expand into at least one new product category annually.

Another patent shows SharkNinja working on an electric styling iron for hair. And the company recently launched its first product in the cooler category, which it said has completely sold out.

• Early opponents of corporate influence in healthcare are spotting parallels in another trusted profession where private equity is making a push: accounting.
• AI is changing the way we search online. Advertisers are already falling behind.
• IBM has used AI to replace the work of a couple hundred human resources workers. It has also hired more programmers and salespeople as a result, and it promises higher total employment.
• WeightWatchers, whose dieting and wellness programs were once a central part of U.S. fitness culture, filed for bankruptcy to adjust to the increasing use of drugs for weight loss.

Watch: How airlines are trying to win over passengers who usually take private jets. [WSJ Video]

YouTube creators are building a new studio system in L.A., building sets for schools, restaurants, classrooms and jails. [THR] 

Substack said it reached 5 million paid subscribers in March, up more than 1 million since November, as readers followed new writers moving over from traditional media. [FT]

A judge ruled that Larry David, Naomi Osaka, Tom Brady and other celebrities who promoted FTX before the crypto exchange’s collapse aren’t liable for investors’ losses. [THR] 

Shopify said it is helping merchants stay ahead of fluid trade policies, but downplayed broader economic negative effects that tariffs have had on business. [WSJ] 

Krispy Kreme paused its expansion at McDonald’s restaurants, citing concerns with the partnership’s sales and profitability. [Restaurant Business]

Expedia’s first quarter was hurt by weaker-than-expected travel demand to and from the U.S., a trend it warned is continuing in the current quarter. [WSJ]

The founder and CEO of 1-800-Flowers.com, for which he often starred in ads, is stepping down. [WSJ] 

Amazon is now taking orders for pet prescriptions. [CNBC]