American Eagle’s ‘Great Jeans’ Campaign with Sydney Sweeney Sparks Debate
A new American Eagle ad campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney has become the center of an online controversy. Sweeney, known for her roles in Euphoria and The White Lotus, stars…
A new American Eagle ad campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney has become the center of an online controversy.
Sweeney, known for her roles in Euphoria and The White Lotus, stars in the company’s fall denim campaign, which uses the tagline: “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.” In one widely viewed video on Instagram, she stands in front of a poster that first reads “Sydney Sweeney has great genes,” before the word “genes” is crossed out and replaced with “jeans.”
In another video, Sweeney leans further into the wordplay, saying:
“Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color,” before the camera focuses on her blue eyes. “My jeans are blue.”
While the campaign was clearly intended as a clever play on words, it quickly drew criticism on social media. Some users accused the brand of pushing harmful messages, suggesting the campaign promoted ideas linked to eugenics, white supremacy, or even Nazi propaganda. Other users took to social media to share their thoughts on reaching in this situation.
American Eagle has not directly addressed the backlash, but on its website, it described the campaign as:
“Sweeney’s girl next door charm and main character energy — paired with her ability to not take herself too seriously — is the hallmark of this bold, playful campaign.”
The campaign also has a charitable aspect: proceeds from “The Sydney Jean” will go to Crisis Text Line, a nonprofit that provides free, 24/7 mental health support. The jeans also feature a butterfly design meant to represent domestic violence awareness.
Still, reactions have been mixed. Some online defended the campaign, calling the criticism excessive. Others celebrated the ad for reflecting what they see as a cultural shift away from “woke” advertising.
When American Eagle first announced the campaign, the company’s stock price rose. But after a wave of posts featuring Sweeney, the brand’s most recent Instagram post showed a different model, who many noted appeared to be nonwhite.
The caption read: “Denim on denim on denim… on denim. AE has great jeans👖✨”
In the comments, some called the shift “damage control.” Whether the move was intentional or coincidental, it has added another layer to an already tense debate over race, branding, and representation in fashion.
