Olympic sprinter joins athletes challenging Novig ad over portrayal of women

An Olympic sprinter and a gymnast have responded to Novig’s advertising campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney by posting images of their own athletic performances, according to NBC Washington. Their messages challenge the portrayal of women in a promotion that the sports prediction company says is intended to emphasise its focus on sport.

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NBC Washington reported that Olympic 100-metre semifinalist Bree Masters shared photographs of herself competing and contrasted them with the campaign’s depiction of women. Gymnast Gracie Kramer posted competition footage with a similar message. Both responses put sporting performance at the centre of their objection, using their own careers to answer the advertisement.

The campaign features Sweeney with sports equipment covering her body. NBC Washington reported that the athletes’ criticism concerned representation of women in sport, while Novig described the deliberately provocative presentation as part of its creative approach. The disagreement centres on the imagery chosen to sell a sports product, rather than any competition result.

Novig announced the campaign on September 9, describing it as its first national brand advertisement. Its announcement also confirmed that Sweeney had become a strategic partner and equity holder, making her involvement broader than an appearance in a commercial. In that release, Sweeney characterised the concept as playful and intended to concentrate attention on sports.

The partnership developed after Sweeney approached the company as a prospective investor, Inc. reported, citing chief executive Jacob Fortinsky’s interview with The Wall Street Journal. Fortinsky said she helped develop both the creative material and its messaging. Separately, Novig’s announcement described a platform dedicated to sports outcomes, distinguishing its product from prediction markets that also cover other subjects.

Novig said the campaign would appear nationally across digital advertising, social media, online video and outdoor placements during football season, with more material and promotional activity planned for the autumn. The company also said participation on its platform is restricted to people aged 21 and over. Those plans were set out in its launch announcement, before the athletes’ responses reported by NBC Washington.