Soft Porn Core: Sydney Sweeney's New Ad Slammed for Being 'Gross' and 'Desperate' Amid Claims Her Career Is 'In the Toilet'

Sydney Sweeney is facing a fresh wave of online criticism after appearing nude in a provocative new advertising campaign for sports prediction platform Novig. The campaign, which uses sports equipment to cover Sweeney while repeatedly promoting the slogan 'just sports,' has divided viewers, with some calling the advert excessive, desperate and more like soft pornography than a conventional sports commercial.

The backlash has also reignited wider criticism of Sweeney's recent career and marketing choices. Some online commenters are claiming the Euphoria star's acting career is 'in the toilet' and accusing her of increasingly relying on sexualised advertising to maintain relevance. Those claims are opinions expressed online rather than an established assessment of her career, but they have become part of the latest debate surrounding the actress.

Sydney Sweeney's Provocative Novig Ad Goes Viral

The new campaign features Sweeney appearing nude while using footballs, basketball equipment, hockey gear and other sporting items to cover herself.

The concept is intended to promote Novig's identity as a sports-only prediction market, distinguishing the platform from competitors that offer contracts involving politics and other events. Sweeney repeatedly reinforces the company's sports focus throughout the advert.

Sweeney is not simply a paid celebrity appearing in the campaign, either. She has joined Novig as an equity partner and strategic partner, meaning she has a financial stake in the company.

She has also said she was closely involved in developing the creative direction. In comments reported by Entertainment Weekly, Sweeney described the idea as playful and said her involvement went beyond simply turning up for a photoshoot.

Critics Call the Campaign 'Gross' and 'Desperate'

Despite the campaign's deliberate attempt to generate attention, some viewers have reacted negatively.

A discussion on Reddit quickly filled with criticism, with commenters describing the advert as 'gross,' 'desperate' and overly sexualised. Some questioned why a company advertising a sports prediction platform needed to feature its celebrity partner in such revealing poses.

Others argued that the campaign represents a shift away from Sweeney's ambitions as a serious actress, claiming she is increasingly monetising her appearance instead.

However, those comments should be treated as social media opinion rather than evidence that Sweeney's acting career is actually failing.

Is Sydney Sweeney's Acting Career Really 'In the Toilet'?

The claim that Sweeney's career has collapsed is difficult to substantiate.

She remains one of Hollywood's most recognisable young actresses and has continued to secure major film and television opportunities. She starred in the boxing biopic Christy, has been involved in Netflix's live-action Gundam project and continues to command significant attention for her commercial partnerships.

Her latest advertising work may be attracting more controversy than some of her acting projects, but that does not necessarily mean her Hollywood career has stalled.

Instead, Sweeney appears to be building a business identity alongside her acting career, including her lingerie company SYRN and her equity involvement with Novig.

The Ad Continues a Pattern of Controversial Campaigns

The Novig campaign is not the first time Sweeney has become embroiled in an advertising controversy.

Her 2025 American Eagle campaign, which used the phrase 'Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,' sparked a major online debate over its use of the word 'genes' and accusations that the campaign carried eugenic undertones. American Eagle maintained that the campaign was about jeans, while critics and supporters turned the controversy into a wider political and cultural argument.

Sweeney later said she regretted remaining silent during that controversy, saying her lack of response had 'widened the divide.'

The actress has also faced criticism for other provocative promotional campaigns, including advertising connected to her SYRN lingerie brand.

Sydney Sweeney Is Clearly Leaning Into Her Own Image

Whether the Novig campaign is viewed as empowering, humorous or simply excessive depends heavily on the viewer.

Sweeney has increasingly taken control of projects involving her image rather than allowing brands to dictate how she is presented. Her involvement in Novig's ownership and creative direction suggests the latest campaign is not simply something that happened to her.

That may make the criticism even more complicated.

For supporters, Sweeney is using her fame and sexuality on her own terms while turning her public image into a business asset. For critics, the advert represents an increasingly narrow form of celebrity marketing in which her appearance is becoming more important than her acting.

Either way, the controversy has once again demonstrated Sweeney's unusual ability to dominate online conversation, even when the discussion is about an advert rather than a new acting performance.