Sydney Sweeney launched a new topless commercial for prediction market platform Novig on Sunday (11), confronting previous backlash over her promotional work. The actress and business partner appears wearing only white underwear while strategically covering her chest with footballs.
The advertisement directly addresses online speculation about her wardrobe choices following weeks of debate surrounding her role as brand ambassador. Sweeney uses the clip to remind users that the application restricts financial predictions solely to athletic competitions.
Sydney Sweeney confronts sports betting criticism in new commercial
In the promotional video posted to her official Instagram profile, Sweeney addresses viewers directly before holding up sports equipment to conceal herself. “There are grown men making spreadsheets to bet on what color underwear I’m wearing. I mean, I’m flattered?” Sweeney states in the clip. She follows the remark by referencing individuals who wager their retirement savings on armed conflicts, contrasting those habits with the company’s rules by concluding, “Novig is … just sports.”
Read also: Sydney Sweeney loses 200,000 followers over Novig campaign
The new release serves as a direct follow-up to the controversy surrounding her debut promotional campaign for the brand, which premiered on September 9, 2026. That initial campaign, featuring Sweeney posing nearly unclothed alongside athletic gear under the slogan “Just Sports”, drew public pushback from multiple prominent competitors. Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus, a four-time Olympic gold medalist, described the advertisement as a “kick in the face” to female athletes who have dedicated their lives to sports, while American gymnast Gracie Kramer argued that the imagery framed women in athletics through the male gaze.
Sprinter Amy Hunt also stated that the original material presented an inaccurate reflection of professional women in sport. Sweeney subsequently defended her appearance by sharing historical photographs of female athletes who posed naked for the Body Issue publication, citing appearances by tennis star Serena Williams, mixed martial artist Ronda Rousey, and soccer player Megan Rapinoe.
Keep reading: Sydney Sweeney sparks debate with daring sports campaign, responds to online accusations
Key figures and timeline of the Novig campaign
- September 9, 2026: debut of the initial Just Sports advertising campaign across digital channels.
- September 16, 2026: installation of campaign promotional images on billboards in Times Square, New York.
- 40 million: total online views registered by the debut advertisement prior to the release of the new video.
- 200,000: estimated number of Instagram followers the actress reportedly lost during the initial controversy.
- 21 years: minimum legal age required for individuals to place wagers on the prediction market platform.
Equity stake in Novig and previous brand controversies
Industry observers noted that the bold marketing approach aligns with Sweeney’s commercial portfolio. Adrienne Uthe, founder of Kronus Communications, explained that female agency includes allowing women to make decisions regarding their visual representation that others might oppose. Television host Billy Bush also supported Sweeney’s business strategy, pointing out that she secured equity in the prediction market company before the first commercial reached tens of millions of views. The incident follows a separate 2025 controversy involving Sweeney and clothing brand American Eagle, whose “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” campaign drew online scrutiny over wordplay perceived by some critics as genetic references.
Novig currently operates as an exchange for sports predictions in the United States, competing against platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket. Sweeney holds an equity partnership in the business alongside her role as spokesperson, though the exact percentage and total financial value of her ownership stake remain undisclosed.
