Why POWERADE says women’s sports have never been ‘just’ sports

POWERADE is weighing in on the growing conversation around the portrayal of women in sports advertising, launching a new campaign that puts female athletes and their achievements firmly at the centre.

Built around the message that women's sports have never been "just" sports, the creative spotlights the training, determination and resilience behind female athletes, as well as the influence they have beyond competition. The campaign debuted through a digital out-of-home (DOOH) placement in Times Square and is being extended through POWERADE's social channels.

Speaking to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, a POWERADE spokesperson said the campaign comes as conversations around the representation of female athletes continue to evolve.

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"At a moment when conversations around how women athletes are portrayed are evolving, we felt it was important for POWERADE to add its voice," the spokesperson said.

As a brand deeply rooted in sport, we believe women's sports have never been 'just' sports. This creative is an opportunity to celebrate the determination and resilience of female athletes and recognise their impact beyond the field of play.

The campaign arrives amid heightened scrutiny of how women are depicted in sports marketing, following backlash to a recent campaign starring actor Sydney Sweeney for US sports prediction market Novig.

Released in September, Novig's "Just sports" campaign featured Sweeney in little to no clothing, with sports equipment strategically positioned around her body. The creative prompted criticism from female athletes including Australian Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus, British sprinter Amy Hunt and gymnast Gracie Kramer, who argued that it sexualised women and detracted from the skill and achievements of female athletes.

Several athletes subsequently responded on social media with footage of themselves competing, training and celebrating sporting achievements, pushing their own message around what women in sport look like.

While POWERADE did not directly reference Novig or Sweeney, its campaign comes as the portrayal of women in sports advertising faces growing scrutiny. According to the spokesperson, the evolving conversation informed POWERADE's decision to keep its creative centred on the athletes themselves.

"Athletes have always been at the heart of POWERADE, and we understand the power representation has to inspire," the spokesperson said.

"Our approach was to keep the focus on the athletes themselves, celebrating the training, determination, resilience and achievements that define their journeys. This creative reinforces our belief that there's no 'just' about what it takes to be an athlete."

Beyond a cultural moment

POWERADE said the campaign also builds on its previous work with female athletes, including two NCAA March Madness campaigns with Flau'Jae Johnson and its Paris Olympics campaign featuring Sha'Carri Richardson and Katie Grimes.

The brand said the recent debate around the portrayal of women in sports has brought renewed attention to representation, particularly as female athletes take on an increasingly prominent role in wider cultural conversations.

For POWERADE, however, the spokesperson stressed that its involvement in women's sports was not intended as a response to a single cultural moment.

"Supporting women in sports isn't a response to a single cultural moment for us. We've consistently partnered with female athletes across some of the world's biggest sporting stages, from NCAA March Madness to the Olympic Games," the spokesperson said.

The brand plans to continue that focus into 2027 through partnerships with the US Women's National Team and the FIFA Women's World Cup. Rather than measuring the campaign solely through awareness, POWERADE said it also hopes the work will encourage discussion around the representation of female athletes and their ability to inspire others.

Meanwhile, Times Square was selected to create what the brand described as a "marquee moment" for its message, with social media extending the conversation and providing more opportunities to showcase women competing at the highest levels.

"Ultimately, we hope both channels help contribute to an important cultural conversation," the spokesperson added.

The latest debate follows another advertising controversy involving Sweeney earlier this year. In July, American Eagle launched its "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans" campaign, built around a play on the words "jeans" and "genes" and featuring the actor discussing inherited traits such as hair and eye colour.

The campaign drew criticism online from some who argued that the wordplay, coupled with Sweeney's appearance, carried uncomfortable associations with eugenics and conventional beauty ideals. American Eagle later said the campaign "is and always was about the jeans", adding that it would continue celebrating how people wear its products.

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