Novig triples Sydney Sweeney ad spend as trading volume surges
Novig is expanding its controversial Sydney Sweeney advertising campaign after the sports-focused prediction market saw trading volume triple. The second iteration of the ad puts more emphasis on what separates Novig from broader competitors such as Kalshi and Polymarket. The campaign originally featured Sweeney taking an equity stake in Novig in exchange for her endorsement. The expansion comes amid ongoing athlete-led backlash that has already narrowed where the ads can run safely.
Novig must now prove that the Sweeney equity-for-endorsement model converts funded accounts at rates that justify doubling down despite restricted distribution. Kelly Stafford and other female athletes have narrowed safe sports broadcast and social channels, raising customer-acquisition costs exactly when Novig needs scale most.
If the tripled volume does not translate into sticky funded accounts this quarter, venture capital will treat contingent-pay celebrity structures as broken and push rivals toward Polymarket's $15 million fixed annual cash model. Kalshi and DraftKings are watching to decide whether to copy equity deals, match cash burn, or abandon celebrity marketing entirely. The outcome locks in talent cost structures across prediction markets for the next funding cycle. Novig's silence on conversion data so far suggests the verdict is still open.