American Eagle has responded after its latest denim campaign with actress Sydney Sweeney was greeted with an online backlash. The brand issued a statement on August 1 following backlash that the campaign slogan “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” was a tone-deaf and offensive pun, one which some said was advocating for eugenics.
The ad, which debuted on July 23, features the Euphoria and Anyone But You star modeling American Eagle denim as she is accompanied by her German shepherd, Sully Bear. In one of the campaign clips that has been widely shared, Sweeney says, “Eyes up here,” as the camera pans across her body, with viewers questioning the intent of the commercial’s sexual tone and marketing strategy.
But it was not just the racy photos that created a buzz. Offense was taken at the headline “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” which was seen as an objectionable allusion to Sweeney’s physical characteristics, such as her blonde hair, blue eyes, and white race, because of the homophone of “jeans” and “genes.” Critics took it a step further when some on social media linked the campaign to a legacy of beauty standards long predicated on exclusionary ideas.
One since-removed version of the ad even called out Sweeney’s blue eyes, fueling further speculation that the campaign was using retro, racially charged aesthetics. Some went as far as to say it was reminiscent of Nazi propaganda, with some accusing the brand of aping eugenics language for the sake of catchy wordplay.
In an statement published on Instagram, American Eagle denied those claims:
“‘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.”
The company emphasized that the campaign’s focus was denim and individuality, not genetics or appearances.
However, there is still controversy over the tone and audience of the advertisement. Critics argued that the campaign was for the male gaze, despite being designed to sell women’s clothing. An Instagram commenter wrote under AE’s post, “This was not the move AE, we needed and wanted something DIFFERENT as women.”
The scandal has even touched the political arena. On July 29, Steven Cheung, Director of Communications at the White House, had this to say on X (formerly Twitter), “Cancel culture run amok,” suggesting that the outrage over the advert might be overboard.
As for Sydney Sweeney herself, the 27-year-old actress has remained largely removed from the drama. Aside from posting one image from the campaign on her Instagram grid, Sweeney has continued to post casual content featuring her dogs and snippets from her daily life, seemingly bypassing the media storm.
While not the inaugural fashion brand to be rebuked for sexy denim ads, this does bring to mind past controversies, such as the 1980 Calvin Klein campaign starring a then-15-year-old Brooke Shields. The campaign included the line, “You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing.” Shields later told Vogue she was “naive” to the ad’s implications, although she did acknowledge its lasting cultural relevance.
“The controversy backfired,” Shields said in the 2021 interview. “The campaign was really successful, and then the underwear overtook the jeans.”
It remains to be seen if American Eagle’s latest marketing mishap will have the same destiny or enjoy the same lifespan. In the meantime, the brand insists that it’s standing by its campaign and standing by Sweeney.
