Sydney Sweeney's nearly nude ad is drawing backlash — but she might have the last laugh

Sydney Sweeney, known for her provocative work, is again at the center of controversy after appearing in a nearly nude ad campaign for upstart sports prediction app Novig. The ad, which shows Sweeney almost completely naked save for some strategically placed sports equipment, has generated more positive than negative posts online, according to data firm Peak Metrics.

The campaign has drawn backlash, with critics including female Olympic athletes like Ariarne Titmus, who expressed indignation on social media. Advertising agency JOAN London's Nicky Vita deemed the campaign "a bit lazy," noting that it "just: Sexy girl talking to men while looking super sexy."

Despite the controversy, Novig CEO Jacob Fortinsky sees the campaign as a significant bet for the football season, stating it accounted for most of the company's marketing dollars. Social media mentions of Novig spiked more than ninefold after Sweeney's campaign, with nearly half of the posts about it being neutral and nearly twice as many favorable as unfavorable.

While there is a risk that the campaign could hurt Novig's brand credibility, especially among women, the company's recent $75 million Series B funding round has bolstered its financial standing. Novig has seen a boost in awareness, but translating this publicity into sustained customer interest remains a question mark.