Sydney Sweeney appeared in a daring advertisement for a betting company on Wednesday, September 9, using only athletic props to cover herself and quickly drawing accusations of promoting the objectification of female bodies.
Amid the backlash, however, another report from last month has surfaced, putting one of her own businesses under scrutiny.
Highlights
- Sydney Sweeney’s lingerie brand is reportedly struggling to gain traction despite her star power.
- Her latest Novig advertisement sparked criticism over its provocative concept.
- Sweeney previously faced backlash over her controversial American Eagle campaign.
The actress’s size-inclusive lingerie line, SYRN, is said to be tanking as she continues lending her star power to other companies.
“It’s been a disaster,” a source said.
Sydney Sweeney criticized for prioritizing self-image over the customers she serves at SYRN
When SYRN launched in January, Sweeney said the brand was created to “understand women instead of talking at them.”
However, according to a March 25 analysis of its marketing efforts by The Robin Report, a leading digital publication offering strategic insights and commentary on retail and apparel, that was not the case.
“SYRN feels exclusionary,” the outlet said, adding, “It does not invite women in; it asks them to emulate and fawn over the founder.”
“It’s as if the underwear is not actually the product; Sweeney’s body is.”
A source later opened up to In Touch about the brand’s sales.
According to them, the company's marketing team has been holding meetings to brainstorm new sales strategies as the products struggle to gain traction.
“They thought it would be a sellout based on Sydney’s brand, but clearly her saleability is waning rapidly,” the insider alleged.
The actress “cut through the noise” to take center stage in her latest ad campaign
Novig offers prediction markets for fans of football, baseball, soccer, tennis, and more, while also allowing trading, making one wonder why the company required Sweeney to strip down to promote it.
Sweeney answered the question herself.
“The campaign was about embracing a fun idea,” she said, per Variety, explaining that the concept was simply to “cut through the noise and put the focus entirely on sports,” but not without embracing “confidence, humor, and a playful edge.”
Sweeney demonstrated that playful edge as she sat atop a basketball hoop sans clothes and later lay down on a pool table, remarking, “You can’t trade this. I look good here.”
Sweeney faced backlash for endangering young platform users and degrading women
“This ad is tacky and nothing else,” one netizen said.
“Not to mention the fact that a lot of minors love sports and will see this ad,” another responded.
Some critics went further, accusing Sweeney of leaning into the image associated with her Euphoria character, Cassie Howard.
“Girl, you’re not on HBO anymore. You can be yourself now,” one user wrote, while a second noted, “She is the only cast member to not have outgrown the show.”
A separate comment, meanwhile, asserted that Sweeney’s campaign damaged efforts to challenge degrading portrayals of women.
“In a world where we have women fighting with everyone to stop objectifying us, we have her!”
Sweeney previously starred in a controversial campaign for American Eagle
In fall 2025, American Eagle, a globally renowned denim brand, decided to launch a back-to-school promotional drive targeting Gen Z shoppers.
To star in it, they chose Sweeney.
The move, however, backfired as soon as the first advertisement dropped in July, with viewers accusing the actress of promoting white supremacy by embracing a play on “genes” and “jeans.”
“Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color,” Sweeney said in the commercial.
“My jeans are great,” she ultimately added.
“She brought divisiveness in a time and place where no one can possibly bring humanity together,” a Redditor voiced at the time.
“Dabbling in racism is profitable for sure,” another remarked.
Sweeney’s collaboration with the brand remained intact despite the fiasco, and she returned to promote it again earlier this year.
"Is she allergic to wearing clothes," a netizen asked about Sweeney
