Heated Rivalry thirst traps: The Canadian export that won’t quit

First it was Hudson Williams for Peloton.

Now it’s François Arnaud for Under Armour.

It seems U.S. fitness brands can’t get enough of the Canadian actors who portray the beloved fictional hockey players in Heated Rivalry … and the internet is eating it up.

Both campaigns bear certain hallmarks that push them from equipment and sportswear advertisement into clear thirst-trap territory: close-ups on chiselled abs, artistic beads of sweat and coquettish looks into the camera.

Everyone involved understands two things: Sex sells, and these particular stars are used to being objectified by men and women of all ages, in countries around the world.

Part ad, part advocacy

François Arnaud is openly bisexual, and the Under Armour advertisement alludes to that by depicting both a man and a woman growing increasingly agitated as they not-so-subtly watch him work out.

“The ad is bisexual,” said Joe Recupero, an associate professor of sports media at Toronto Metropolitan University. “I thought this is a really cool ad because when do you ever see ads directed at the bisexual community?”

He also commended Under Armour for releasing the ad after Pride month, at the risk of perhaps turning off some of its target demographic.

“It’s very cheeky … because it’s subtle, but it’s not so subtle.”

Under Armour is also clear about wanting Arnaud not just for his talent and looks but for what his Heated Rivalry character represents.

“The character he portrays ultimately finds his greatest success when he stops trying to fit someone else’s mould and embraces who he truly is. That’s a lesson that resonates deeply with us,” Matt Dornic, the company’s chief communications officer, said in a statement.

Peloton’s message was more focused on self-love when it launched the Hudson Williams campaign in April.

“Our goal with this campaign was to capture that feeling of total freedom,” chief marketing officer Megan Imbres said in a news release.

Captivated audience

The Peloton campaign — which featured Williams half-dancing and half-walking on a treadmill, lifting weights and working out with a trainer — quickly went viral. Heated Rivalry superfans made pilgrimages to downtown Toronto to see the ad on the big screen over Sankofa Square.

Arnaud’s Under Armour ad is receiving a similarly enthusiastic response, garnering nearly 75,000 likes on its Instagram post during its first day online.

“Finally, the bisexual deities have answered our prayers,” said one top commenter. “Oh, I love the way he holds up our flag,” said another.

One self-declared bookstagrammer said, “I would like to personally thank all the marketing teams across the country.”

Overexposure?

It has been eight months since Heated Rivalry premiered on Crave, and the stars of the show are still a favourite subject of gossip blogs, fan accounts and traditional media stories.

Season 2 isn’t scheduled to air until April 2027. Until then, the most devoted fans are “reheating” or rewatching the series multiple times.

WATCH | Heated Rivalry’s creator says show is about celebration:

Why Heated Rivalry is hopecore coded

Heated Rivalry creator Jacob Tierney tells The National’s Ian Hanomansing he wanted the show to be a celebration of queer joy when audiences are more used to seeing punishment in storylines involving queer love and sex.

But Recupero said he doesn’t think the public is anywhere close to reaching Heated Rivalry fatigue.

“I keep waiting for the bottom to drop out and the fandom to cool down and for oversaturation,” he said. “I think this is going to be something people are really looking at and studying about when is the oversaturation point? And I don’t believe we’ve hit it yet.”