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Kelly Stafford has joined the backlash against Sydney Sweeney
Kelly Stafford, wife of Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, shared an Instagram video criticizing Sydney Sweeney’s controversial Novig sports betting advertisement.
In the ad, Sydney Sweeney is wearing nothing but her birthday suit while she covers herself with various pieces of sports equipment. Sweeney, an equity holder in Novig, reportedly came to the company with the idea and drove the creative direction of the ad.
Kelly Stafford added her voice to the chorus of backlash against Sydney Sweeney for her Novig ad
Kelly Stafford, the wife of Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, reshared a clip from fitness influencer Daniel Hong discussing how young girls learn to equate attention with self-worth through appearance-based social media metrics.
“My girls are going to grow up in a world where they’re going to learn really quick that attention has value, especially for girls,” Hong said in the clip.
“Appearance can get you attention: likes, comments, followers, money, opportunities. Attention and value are not the same thing.”
Stafford clearly agreed with Hong’s sentiement, as she replied by commenting “THIS THIS THIS THIS.”
The argument that Hong is making and Stafford is apparently agreeing with is that Sweeney’s conduct is teaching young women to value hollow ideals such as attention and clicks.
Sweeney’s Novig ad featured her using strategically placed sports equipment to cover herself while promoting a sports prediction platform.
“The campaign was about embracing a fun idea. The concept is simple: cut through the noise and put the focus entirely on sports. The campaign brings that idea to life with confidence, humor, and a playful edge,” Sweeney said of the ad.
The campaign has since drawn criticism from female athletes, with multiple Olympic athletes across the world posting publicly about their frustration with Sweeney.
“I absolutely f-ing hate Sydney Sweeney’s new sports ad,” wrote water polo Olympic silver medallist Tilly Kearns.
“I can’t describe how infuriated I feel when I watch this,” four-time Austrailian Olympic gold medalist Ariarne Titmus wrote on Instagram.
“Not only is it a kick in the face to every woman who has dedicated her life to perfecting her craft, but every woman who enjoys sports for what it really is – teamwork, friendship, dedication, excellence, unity,” she continued. “How do we live in a world where monetising a woman’s body and sexualising women’s sport is still a thing?”
Sweeney seemingly responded to the backlash by posting historical ESPN magazine covers featuring nude athlete photography, defending the use of the human form in sports media.
She has not, however, directly addressed Stafford’s comments or the broader criticism about the message the campaign sends to young women watching.