Sydney Sweeney has reportedly recovered from the social media fallout surrounding her controversial Novig campaign. While the actress briefly lost thousands of Instagram followers after the revealing commercial sparked widespread criticism, new data suggests the backlash ultimately proved temporary. The campaign also significantly boosted Novig’s online visibility, drawing millions of views and increased public interest.
Sydney Sweeney reportedly gained her lost followers back after nude Novig ad sparked backlash
According to USA Today, Sydney Sweeney’s Novig ad triggered a wave of online debate after its September 9 release. The commercial featured the “Euphoria” actress appearing mostly nude while strategically covered by sports equipment, including footballs and a basketball hoop. The video has since surpassed 63 million views on Instagram, with additional millions across YouTube.
The campaign drew criticism from several athletes. Former UCLA gymnast Gracie Kramer, Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus, and Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham all publicly questioned the advertisement. The backlash also affected Sweeney’s social media presence in the days that followed.
Social Blade data, cited by the outlet, showed Sweeney lost approximately 137,000 Instagram followers on September 13 and another 66,000 the following day. However, the decline did not last long. By September 19, she had regained those followers and added even more, pushing her total above 26 million. Her account reportedly ended the period with roughly 80,000 more followers than before the commercial debuted.
The controversy also benefited Novig. The company’s Instagram following reportedly climbed from around 37,000 before the campaign to 93,000 by September 22, marking a 151% increase. Google search interest for the prediction market also surged, briefly surpassing competitors Polymarket and Kalshi in U.S. search popularity.
Although the campaign generated substantial attention, the report noted that Novig remains much smaller than several competitors in overall trading volume. Even so, the report concluded that the commercial dramatically increased public awareness of the company. Consequently, the viral controversy succeeded in putting the Novig brand in front of a much wider audience.
