Sydney Sweeney Releases Second Novig Ad Amidst Prior Backlash

Actress Sydney Sweeney has released a new commercial for the prediction market platform Novig, appearing topless weeks after her initial advertisement for the company drew criticism. The new ad features Sweeney strategically covering herself with footballs, continuing a campaign that previously generated backlash regarding the portrayal of women in sports.

What Happened

On Sunday, Sydney Sweeney released a new commercial for Novig, a prediction market platform, in which she appears topless while strategically covering herself with footballs. In the advertisement, Sweeney states, “There are grown men making spreadsheets to bet on what color underwear I’m wearing. I mean, I’m flattered?” She then makes a reference to betting on a war before concluding, “Novig is … just sports,” according to Fox News.

This new campaign follows weeks after an initial Novig advertisement featuring Sweeney generated significant backlash from female athletes and critics. These individuals accused the company of sexualizing women in sports, as reported by Fox News. The original ad, displayed in Times Square, showed Sweeney posing nearly nude with sports equipment, promoting the platform as “just sports.”

Key Details

• Sydney Sweeney’s new Novig advertisement shows her topless, using footballs for strategic coverage, according to Fox News.
• In the new ad, Sweeney comments on the nature of sports betting, stating, “Novig is … just sports,” as cited by Fox News.
• The release of this new ad follows weeks after her initial Novig campaign elicited criticism from female athletes and other critics regarding the sexualization of women in sports, according to Fox News.
• The initial campaign featured Sweeney in a nearly nude pose with sports equipment, promoting Novig as “just sports,” Fox News reported.
• Olympians and professional athletes, including swimmer Ariarne Titmus, gymnast Gracie Kramer, and British sprinter Amy Hunt, were among those who criticized the original ad, as stated by Fox News.

Why It Matters

The release of a second advertisement featuring Sydney Sweeney in a similar provocative style, following widespread criticism of the first, highlights a deliberate marketing strategy by Novig and Sweeney. This approach underscores a calculated decision to maintain a consistent brand image despite public feedback from segments of the sports community. The repeated use of such imagery, even after backlash, suggests a perceived benefit in terms of visibility or brand alignment, rather than a retraction or modification of the campaign’s core message or aesthetic. It further illustrates ongoing debates within the industry regarding celebrity endorsements, marketing ethics, and the portrayal of women in advertising, particularly in regulated markets like prediction platforms.

Adrienne Uthe, founder of Kronus Communications, previously stated to Fox News Digital that such ads may not be “materially damaging to Sydney Sweeney in any way, shape or form” and that Sweeney has chosen to make sexuality part of her brand. Novig itself defended the original advertisement as a “fun idea” created with “confidence, humor and a playful edge,” according to Fox News.

What’s Next

The immediate aftermath of this new campaign saw support from fans, with comments on Sweeney’s social media post including “Keep going girl” and “Here comes the wave of angry people,” according to Fox News. No further strategic shifts or campaign details were reported in the provided source material.

Originally reported by Fox News·Published 11 Oct 2026, 19:59