Sex doesn’t sell, but controversy does. At least for brands with humiliation kinks, nothing’s more desirable than the entire internet erupting in rage over your campaigns.
After gaining recognition for portraying Eden in the dystopian patriarchal world of The Handmaid’s Tale, Sydney Sweeney is still “under his eye” by monetizing the male gaze in Novig‘s sports betting advertisement campaign, “Just Sports.”
Although Sweeney says there’s “no politics,” her naked body is portrayed like it’s the sport being bet on. A week after releasing the controversial campaign on Sept. 9, Novig hit $1 billion in trading volume, generating profits by selling sports predictions at the expense of objectifying women.
“Sydney was driving a lot of the visuals and the messaging,” said Novig co-founder and CEO Jacob Fortinsky at an event with Front Office Sports.
As a Novig equity holder and strategic partner, Sydney Sweeney holds authority over their branding. Aware of her own image being male-centered and conservative-leaning, Sweeney strategically used herself to appeal to young men, who are at high-risk for problem gambling.
“I also have such a creative authority that is really amazing to be able to sit at a table and be a part of every discussion,” Sweeney explained in an interview with Complex about her collaboration with Novig. “Whether it’s from casting, marketing, budgeting, who we’re going to sell this to, what market.”
What’s more concerning than the ad itself is Sweeney’s involvement in the campaign’s creation. Her strategy exploits the male gaze for corporate gain, supporting the patriarchy with just those two footballs she’s holding up.
Marketing executive Andrea Javor theorizes in the Los Angeles Times that Novig’s campaign does target women, just not as consumers. When developing their controversy, they targeted women who would be infuriated by the ad’s messaging because “conversation [is] the ultimate currency.”
“As a marketer, I give credit to the strategy. But as a woman who spent two decades fighting to move the industry past a sexist era, it’s depressing to watch the door we worked so hard to open get kicked shut by the very gender it was meant to liberate,” Javor wrote.
Controversies risk losing potential customers, but so long as that controversy says socially relevant, these heated debates emerging online become free promotions for the brand’s actual audience, turning their calculated high-risk marketing strategy into a high reward.
But no one is shocked at this point. Controversy as a marketing strategy to maximize profits is expected by Sydney Sweeney.
In 2025, despite public outcry, “Sydney has great jeans” became a successful marketing campaign that generated $400 million dollars in market value for American Eagle at the expense of her “great genes” seemingly promoting white supremacy. During these heated online debates, reports uncovered her Republican voter registration.
“Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the HOTTEST ad out there,” President Donald Trump wrote in a Truth Social post in celebration of the American Eagle ad.
No matter how much backlash these brands receive, there are no consequences for their exploitative marketing campaigns.
Brands keep selling, customers keep buying, and the internet keeps talking, making their controversies a success — but at what cost?
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Richard Williams
Women will never be respected due to the exploitation such as that disgusting commercial. Will not use this sight.