Powerade Responds to Novig Ad With "Never Just Sports" Slogan

Sports drink company Powerade has launched its own response to Novig's advertising campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney. The new digital outdoor advertisements from Powerade present the slogan "Never Just Sports," directly countering Novig's "Just Sports" tagline.

Novig's campaign, launched in September, which features Sweeney in a state of undress, has drawn criticism for the sexualization of women in sports advertising. Novig has nevertheless continued its campaign, citing increased trading activity and app downloads as evidence of its success.

Powerade's campaign aims to reframe Novig's slogan, emphasizing that women's sports have always been more than just the sport itself. "When the conversation around how women are portrayed in sports started to pick up, we felt it was important for Powerade to share our perspective and reinforce what’s always been at the heart of our brand: athletes," said Leah Macko, Powerade's vice president of brand marketing, in a statement.

Industry experts suggest Powerade seized an opportunity to turn a competitor's controversy into a statement of its own values. Laura Crompton, director for the Americas at Hopscotch, a PR and communications agency, noted that Powerade's history of supporting women's sports lends credibility to its message.