Additional Coverage:
- American Eagle fires back at critics after Sydney Sweeney campaign sparks online backlash (foxnews.com)
American Eagle’s “great jeans” campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney continues to generate buzz, with the company now responding to the online debate.
Their official Instagram statement emphasized the campaign’s focus on Sweeney’s jeans and personal style, stating, “‘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.”
This statement has further polarized opinion. Some applauded the brand for standing firm, with comments like “Kudos to yall for sticking to your guns!!”
and “LETS GOOOOOOO AE FOR THE WIN!!!!!” Others felt the statement lacked empathy and worsened the situation.
The campaign itself plays on the double meaning of “genes” and “jeans.” One ad features Sweeney altering an AE billboard to read “Great Jeans,” while another highlights her blue eyes while discussing inherited traits.
Some critics labeled the campaign “tone-deaf,” citing alleged racial undertones related to the historical use of “great genes” to “celebrate whiteness.” Some comments even went so far as to call the ad “Nazi propaganda.”
However, others praised the campaign as “cute and clever,” with some declaring that “woke advertising is dead. Sydney Sweeney killed it.”
The mixed reactions highlight the complexities of advertising in today’s social climate.