Using controversy as a marketing tactic is a time-honored tactic, but Sydney Sweeney does it better than most. After generating uproar—and a ton of buzz—with last year’s American Eagle “great jeans” ad campaign, Sweeney stoked outrage to new heights this week with a provocative video for sports prediction market startup Novig. In the minute-long social media ad, Sweeney talks up the platform while wearing no clothes, and barely covering herself with a football and various other sports gear.
Unsurprisingly, the campaign has sparked debate over the sexualization of women in sports. At the same time, though, the ad titled “Just Sports” stands out both for its eye-popping performance—tens of millions of views across X and Instagram—and for the unusual business arrangement that underlies it: One where Sweeney obtained a share of the company rather than a simple endorsement check.
