On July 23, clothing retailer American Eagle released their controversial ad campaign starring actress Sydney Sweeney. The main video that garnered controversy consisted of a camera panning over SweenEy as she starts a monologue about genes [..] The ad caused an internet-wide argument regarding eugenics (a discredited scientific theory that less desirable traits should be bred out of the human race), risque ads, and even went as far as to cause a conversation surrounding right-wing politics in advertising." -- AMara Deanes, 8th Grade
On July 23, clothing retailer American Eagle released their controversial ad campaign starring actress Sydney Sweeney. The main video that garnered controversy consisted of a camera panning over Sweeney as she starts a monologue about genes. In the monologue, she says, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue.” The video ends with the tagline of the campaign written in bold blue letters, “Sydney Sweeny has great jeans.” The ad caused an internet-wide argument regarding eugenics (a discredited scientific theory that less desirable traits should be bred out of the human race), risque ads, and even went as far as to cause a conversation surrounding right-wing politics in advertising.
“The company's creative choices have prompted some to say the ad campaign promotes eugenics, a discredited scientific theory popular among white supremacists that the human race could be improved by breeding out less desirable traits,” reported NPR.
The ad, which has since been removed from all official American Eagle social media channels due to the backlash, plays on the homophones “genes” and “jeans.” This sparked a conversation that the campaign was pushing eugenics since Sweeney, a conventionally attractive blonde, blue-eyed woman, was the face of the campaign.
This comes after President Donald Trump went on a conservative podcast and called immigrants entering the US “murderers” and claimed it was “in their genes.” This is not the only instance. He’s said immigrants are "poisoning the blood of our country" during campaign rallies. He has also mentioned his racehorse theory, explaining that some people are predisposed to succeed because their parents did, and those successful people should create offspring together.
“The company's creative choices have prompted some to say the ad campaign promotes eugenics, a discredited scientific theory popular among white supremacists that the human race could be improved by breeding out less desirable traits,” reported NPR.
The ad, which has since been removed from all official American Eagle social media channels due to the backlash, plays on the homophones “genes” and “jeans.” This sparked a conversation that the campaign was pushing eugenics since Sweeney, a conventionally attractive blonde, blue-eyed woman, was the face of the campaign.
This comes after President Donald Trump went on a conservative podcast and called immigrants entering the US “murderers” and claimed it was “in their genes.” This is not the only instance. He’s said immigrants are "poisoning the blood of our country" during campaign rallies. He has also mentioned his racehorse theory, explaining that some people are predisposed to succeed because their parents did, and those successful people should create offspring together.
Trump at a campaign rally
Trump’s comments are similar to remarks from over a century ago, during the immigrant boom of the early 20th century. Some ethnic groups were deemed “fit” or “unfit” to be in the US. “In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, an influx of immigrants from Europe and Asia raised anxieties among American citizens about the nation’s demographic shifts. [...] The biggest concern, according to eugenicists, was that these antisocial tendencies were inborn—that genes for crime and poverty were being smuggled into the country in the blood of immigrants,” wrote Scientific American.
So, what does Trump have to do with Sweeney and American Eagle? According to The Guardian, she is registered as a Republican in the state of Florida. Trump’s reaction to this was very positive, causing him to promote the ad. “Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the ‘HOTTEST’ ad out there. It’s for American Eagle, and the jeans are ‘flying off the shelves […] The tide has seriously turned — Being WOKE is for losers,” said Trump on Truth Social. This is similar to past disproven "go woke, go broke" sentiments from conservatives.
Many felt that it wasn’t just an ad, it was a push for superior genes and right-wing values. “It is both a testament to this political moment, and its contributing to and reinforcing this kind of anti-immigrant, anti-people of color, pro-eugenic political moment,” said Dr. Sayantani DasGupta on TikTok.
Eugenics isn’t the only controversy the ad caused. The campaign is littered with innuendos and risque jokes. Many have criticized Sweeney in the past for "setting feminism back a 100 years," after her advertisement with Dr. Sasquatch soap for her bathwater soaps. “Others are saying the uproar is the culture's response from a society hellbent on sexualizing women. And a lot of people are taking issue with the hypersexualized nature of the ads, especially since the company says the ad campaign is supposed to raise domestic violence awareness…” wrote NPR.
So, what does Trump have to do with Sweeney and American Eagle? According to The Guardian, she is registered as a Republican in the state of Florida. Trump’s reaction to this was very positive, causing him to promote the ad. “Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the ‘HOTTEST’ ad out there. It’s for American Eagle, and the jeans are ‘flying off the shelves […] The tide has seriously turned — Being WOKE is for losers,” said Trump on Truth Social. This is similar to past disproven "go woke, go broke" sentiments from conservatives.
Many felt that it wasn’t just an ad, it was a push for superior genes and right-wing values. “It is both a testament to this political moment, and its contributing to and reinforcing this kind of anti-immigrant, anti-people of color, pro-eugenic political moment,” said Dr. Sayantani DasGupta on TikTok.
Eugenics isn’t the only controversy the ad caused. The campaign is littered with innuendos and risque jokes. Many have criticized Sweeney in the past for "setting feminism back a 100 years," after her advertisement with Dr. Sasquatch soap for her bathwater soaps. “Others are saying the uproar is the culture's response from a society hellbent on sexualizing women. And a lot of people are taking issue with the hypersexualized nature of the ads, especially since the company says the ad campaign is supposed to raise domestic violence awareness…” wrote NPR.
An image from Brooke Shields Calvin Klein campaign
The ad’s monologue is catching very similar controversies to Brooke Shields’ infamous 1980 Calvin Klein jeans ad. Shields was only 15 at the time. “The press instantly pounced on the campaign, dubbing her line—“You want to know what comes in between me and my Calvins? Nothing”—as a sexual innuendo,” explains Vogue.
In one of the campaign’s ads, Shields also has a very similar monologue to Sweeny, describing "survival of the fittest,” which is very harmful when applied to humans. In the past, eugenicists applied Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection to humans, resulting in ‘scientific’ reasoning for white supremacy.
At the time, the ad got pulled from TV networks for sexualizing a minor. Shields didn’t even realize how controversial the ad would be. “The paparazzi would scream at me and my mother, ‘How could you!’ It just struck me as so ridiculous,” commented Shields in an interview with Vogue, reflecting on the campaign.
What does all this controversy mean for American Eagle’s profit? “American Eagle’s stocks peaked around $12 following the ad, but as controversy spiked, they took a downturn,” wrote Alligator. The goal of the ad was to push profits, after revenues were down 5% in the first quarter. It seems that American Eagle wanted this ad to be their comeback.
When asked about why the company initially profited from the ad, 8th Grade Literary Arts student Cece Burger said, “I think it’s ‘cause people like [Sweeney] or at least like the vibe of rich white girl, blue-eyed blondie. They like it and they wanna be like it [...] I don’t know how to describe it. It’s a certain aesthetic they’re trying to sell, and they’re selling it to the right people, and [Sweeny] helped it.”
In an interview with Women's Wear Daily, American Eagle chief marketing officer Craig Broomers said, “Obviously there’s double meaning that she has great genes, g-e-n-e-s, and is so beautiful and so stunning but also has great jeans, the American Eagle jeans she wears. […] There’s a kind of fun play on words with that. It kind of captures the mood of this. There’s some clever humor used throughout the campaign, and Sydney was so all in on it, which makes it a lot of fun.” The ad seems to have been intended to be fun and playful, much like Sweeeny’s many other ad campaigns, such as the ones in past years with Dunkin and Korean skincare brand Laneige.
In one of the campaign’s ads, Shields also has a very similar monologue to Sweeny, describing "survival of the fittest,” which is very harmful when applied to humans. In the past, eugenicists applied Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection to humans, resulting in ‘scientific’ reasoning for white supremacy.
At the time, the ad got pulled from TV networks for sexualizing a minor. Shields didn’t even realize how controversial the ad would be. “The paparazzi would scream at me and my mother, ‘How could you!’ It just struck me as so ridiculous,” commented Shields in an interview with Vogue, reflecting on the campaign.
What does all this controversy mean for American Eagle’s profit? “American Eagle’s stocks peaked around $12 following the ad, but as controversy spiked, they took a downturn,” wrote Alligator. The goal of the ad was to push profits, after revenues were down 5% in the first quarter. It seems that American Eagle wanted this ad to be their comeback.
When asked about why the company initially profited from the ad, 8th Grade Literary Arts student Cece Burger said, “I think it’s ‘cause people like [Sweeney] or at least like the vibe of rich white girl, blue-eyed blondie. They like it and they wanna be like it [...] I don’t know how to describe it. It’s a certain aesthetic they’re trying to sell, and they’re selling it to the right people, and [Sweeny] helped it.”
In an interview with Women's Wear Daily, American Eagle chief marketing officer Craig Broomers said, “Obviously there’s double meaning that she has great genes, g-e-n-e-s, and is so beautiful and so stunning but also has great jeans, the American Eagle jeans she wears. […] There’s a kind of fun play on words with that. It kind of captures the mood of this. There’s some clever humor used throughout the campaign, and Sydney was so all in on it, which makes it a lot of fun.” The ad seems to have been intended to be fun and playful, much like Sweeeny’s many other ad campaigns, such as the ones in past years with Dunkin and Korean skincare brand Laneige.
Sydney Sweeney's Laneige campaign
The Instagram post American Eagle made in response Some wonder if they intended to appeal to right-wing consumers, even if they didn’t explicitly say it. “It seemed clear to me that they were aligning themselves with a white nationalist, MAGA-friendly identity. I think that this is them trying to rebrand themselves for the present moment, and language is very deliberately used here. People don’t invoke genetics casually. It’s just, it’s very, very easy to sell denim without ever referencing it,” said Shalini Shankar, an anthropology professor at Northwestern University who studies youth and advertising, in an interview with CNN.
Others don’t think it’s so serious. “I think the controversy is totally called for, and I think that American Eagle knew what they were doing, and Sydney Sweeney knew what she was doing. [...] They just want to push it under the rug and say, ‘No, I’m not racist. No, I’m not this,’ because they don’t want those people to stop buying their clothes. It’s bad and American Eagle should be shamed, but also, it’s not that serious,” said Burger.
After the controversy, American Eagle posted this statement on their Instagram: “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.” Many also pointed out how a photo of a black woman in American Eagle jeans was their top post for five days after the controversy.
Other denim brands hopped on the jeans ad bandwagon after seeing American Eagle's virality. The most notable being Gap’s viral "Better in Denim" campaign with popular K-Pop inspired global girl group KATSEYE. “Gap threw down the gauntlet with a new ad of its own. It features the global pop girl group Katseye dancing fully clad in denim to ‘Milkshake’ by Kelis. The campaign aimed for a ‘bold, expressive, and inclusive point of view,’ Gap brand CEO Mark Breitbard said in a press release,” wrote Business Insider.
The inclusive part is very on brand for KATSEYE, since all six members represent different cultures and ethnicities from around the world. Many fans have already filmed themselves imitating the dance from the ad, many of which have gone viral. “It was just fun to look at. Like, wow! I do the dance when I’m cooking,” exclaimed Burger.
Others don’t think it’s so serious. “I think the controversy is totally called for, and I think that American Eagle knew what they were doing, and Sydney Sweeney knew what she was doing. [...] They just want to push it under the rug and say, ‘No, I’m not racist. No, I’m not this,’ because they don’t want those people to stop buying their clothes. It’s bad and American Eagle should be shamed, but also, it’s not that serious,” said Burger.
After the controversy, American Eagle posted this statement on their Instagram: “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.” Many also pointed out how a photo of a black woman in American Eagle jeans was their top post for five days after the controversy.
Other denim brands hopped on the jeans ad bandwagon after seeing American Eagle's virality. The most notable being Gap’s viral "Better in Denim" campaign with popular K-Pop inspired global girl group KATSEYE. “Gap threw down the gauntlet with a new ad of its own. It features the global pop girl group Katseye dancing fully clad in denim to ‘Milkshake’ by Kelis. The campaign aimed for a ‘bold, expressive, and inclusive point of view,’ Gap brand CEO Mark Breitbard said in a press release,” wrote Business Insider.
The inclusive part is very on brand for KATSEYE, since all six members represent different cultures and ethnicities from around the world. Many fans have already filmed themselves imitating the dance from the ad, many of which have gone viral. “It was just fun to look at. Like, wow! I do the dance when I’m cooking,” exclaimed Burger.
KATSEYE's members go as stated from left to right: Lara Raj, Daniela Avanzini, Manon Bannerman, Megan Skiendiel, Yoonchae, and Sophia Laforteza
Some believe the song choice was very pointed because of the lyric, “Damn right, it's better than yours.” Some fans think this was a pointed dig at American Eagle’s campaign, even though the collaboration was in the works before American Eagle’s campaign.
“Lucky Brand jumped into the ad race with a low-rise jean campaign with TikToker and pop singer Addison Rae. [...] Other brands have also entered the recent blue jeans battle, such as Levi's, which released a new ad this month in its ongoing campaign with Beyoncé, Old Navy, and Abercrombie & Fitch,” explains Business Insider. All these competing jean campaigns starring celebrities has been dubbed “The Jeans War.” Gap’s campaign has overall been the most successful with Gen-Z audiences, as it sparked an internet-wide dance trend.
In the most recent news, American Eagle has a new celebrity collaborator, Travis Kelce. Despite many believing this was intended as a distraction to their Sydney Sweeny controversy, American Eagle has been in the works with Kelce “for nearly a year,” Kelce said in an interview with Women's Wear Daily. “It was an awesome opportunity to team up with an established brand where both sides were excited to truly collaborate on every decision in the design and creative process that brought the ‘AE x TK’ collection to life. I started Tru Kolors in 2019 on the foundation of showing up authentically and having fun with style, and we wanted this collab to reflect that same energy…” American Eagle is still going for a very “authentic” route with their marketing. This is similar to the all-American vibes that encapsulate the brand.
Despite this, it seems the damage has been done to American Eagle’s reputation. “As debate surrounding the advertisement intensified, the conversation became less about denim and more about identity. What began as a marketing stunt spiraled into a mirror reflecting deeper societal fractures, where a pair of jeans could symbolize political allegiance, cultural values, and morality,” reported Alligator.
“Lucky Brand jumped into the ad race with a low-rise jean campaign with TikToker and pop singer Addison Rae. [...] Other brands have also entered the recent blue jeans battle, such as Levi's, which released a new ad this month in its ongoing campaign with Beyoncé, Old Navy, and Abercrombie & Fitch,” explains Business Insider. All these competing jean campaigns starring celebrities has been dubbed “The Jeans War.” Gap’s campaign has overall been the most successful with Gen-Z audiences, as it sparked an internet-wide dance trend.
In the most recent news, American Eagle has a new celebrity collaborator, Travis Kelce. Despite many believing this was intended as a distraction to their Sydney Sweeny controversy, American Eagle has been in the works with Kelce “for nearly a year,” Kelce said in an interview with Women's Wear Daily. “It was an awesome opportunity to team up with an established brand where both sides were excited to truly collaborate on every decision in the design and creative process that brought the ‘AE x TK’ collection to life. I started Tru Kolors in 2019 on the foundation of showing up authentically and having fun with style, and we wanted this collab to reflect that same energy…” American Eagle is still going for a very “authentic” route with their marketing. This is similar to the all-American vibes that encapsulate the brand.
Despite this, it seems the damage has been done to American Eagle’s reputation. “As debate surrounding the advertisement intensified, the conversation became less about denim and more about identity. What began as a marketing stunt spiraled into a mirror reflecting deeper societal fractures, where a pair of jeans could symbolize political allegiance, cultural values, and morality,” reported Alligator.
An American Eagle store with Sweeney's campaign posted.
American Eagle damaged their reputation with Gen Z, who values the politics of a brand as much as their own. According to Newsweek, LendingTree surveyed over 2,000 American consumers aged 18 to 79. Of those who participated in boycotts, 43% cited perceived discrimination by the company as their reason. Forty-four percent had political views as their reasoning. Twenty-nine percent had religious messaging or practices as their reason. Whether they boycotted or not, 45% of consumers look into a company’s values and stances before purchasing.
Burger’s stance differs. “I like some of the parts they said, I was like, yeah, this is kinda cool. Like ooh, Lana Del Rey, Americana Summer, like yes. I don’t like the racist part. Would I buy from them in the future? Maybe when I’m twenty, I’ll own a pair of American Eagle jeans. I’ll look back and go, ‘weren’t these guys racist?’ [...] But it’s going to hold me back. I don’t care. I can’t stop it. I can’t be like, oh, if I don’t buy these jeans, then I’ll stop racism. They’re just being edgy, and they’re being weird, but their jeans are good.”
Who knows if American Eagle can recover from this. If there are more consumers like Burger, then maybe. There are no discussions of boycotting the company. In fact, American Eagle is actually doing better. “The fall season is off to a positive start. Fueled by stronger product offerings and the success of recent marketing campaigns with Sydney Sweeney and Travis Kelce, we have seen an uptick in customer awareness, engagement and comparable sales,” said Jay Schottenstein, Executive Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of AEO Inc (which owns American Eagle) in an announcement about the financial results from the second quarter, which ended on August 2nd. Perhaps American Eagle can save themselves. We’ll just have to see the ramifications of the controversy in the coming months.
Burger’s stance differs. “I like some of the parts they said, I was like, yeah, this is kinda cool. Like ooh, Lana Del Rey, Americana Summer, like yes. I don’t like the racist part. Would I buy from them in the future? Maybe when I’m twenty, I’ll own a pair of American Eagle jeans. I’ll look back and go, ‘weren’t these guys racist?’ [...] But it’s going to hold me back. I don’t care. I can’t stop it. I can’t be like, oh, if I don’t buy these jeans, then I’ll stop racism. They’re just being edgy, and they’re being weird, but their jeans are good.”
Who knows if American Eagle can recover from this. If there are more consumers like Burger, then maybe. There are no discussions of boycotting the company. In fact, American Eagle is actually doing better. “The fall season is off to a positive start. Fueled by stronger product offerings and the success of recent marketing campaigns with Sydney Sweeney and Travis Kelce, we have seen an uptick in customer awareness, engagement and comparable sales,” said Jay Schottenstein, Executive Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of AEO Inc (which owns American Eagle) in an announcement about the financial results from the second quarter, which ended on August 2nd. Perhaps American Eagle can save themselves. We’ll just have to see the ramifications of the controversy in the coming months.
