Powerade Responds to Controversial Sydney Sweeney Ad with New Campaign

Powerade has launched a new advertising campaign that appears to address and counter the recent controversial ad by sports prediction market Novig, which featured actress Sydney Sweeney. The new Powerade campaign focuses on celebrating women athletes across various sports.

The series of videos released by Powerade showcases female athletes in disciplines such as track and field, swimming, and tennis. Each video concludes with the slogan, "Never *Just Sports," and the brand's Instagram account used the caption, "There is no just in sports" along with the hashtag "PowerYourLegacy."

Novig's September ad, titled "Novig is Just Sports," featured Sweeney nude and covered by sports equipment. This ad drew criticism from many, including female athletes, who viewed it as an attempt to sexualize women's sports and undermine the progress made in the field.

Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus and sprinter Amy Hunt were among those who publicly criticized Novig and Sweeney for the ad's content. Novig CEO Jacob Fortinsky defended the ad, stating that Sweeney was acting and the advertisement was meant to communicate a story relevant to their prediction market focused on sports. He added that Sweeney is an equity holder in Novig.

Novig subsequently released another ad featuring Sweeney, where she states, "There are grown men making spreadsheets to bet on what color underwear I’m wearing."