American Eagle has addressed the backlash stemming from their Sydney Sweeney advertisement, a move that was not initially expected in their 2025 plans.
American Eagle's latest jeans campaign, featuring actress Sydney Sweeney with the tagline "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans," has stirred up a storm of controversy. Critics have interpreted the wordplay between "genes" and "jeans" in the ads as having racial undertones, potentially referencing the discredited theory of eugenics and selective breeding for human traits.
The focus on Sweeney, a white, blonde-haired, blue-eyed actress, combined with the slogan "great genes," has been seen as tone-deaf and evoking Western beauty standards. This has sparked accusations of racial insensitivity and a "woke" culture backlash.
A clip in the campaign shows Sweeney crossing out "Genes" and replacing it with "Jeans," while another has her saying, "Genes are passed down from parents to offspring..." while highlighting her blue eyes. These elements have added fuel to the criticism that the campaign implicitly celebrates whiteness.
Marketing experts have suggested that the controversy might have been avoided if models of diverse races were included in the campaign, performing the same wordplay. Some interpret this as either ignorance, laziness, or intentional provocation by the brand.
In response to the backlash, American Eagle issued a public statement on their social media accounts. They emphasised that the campaign was always about celebrating the jeans and how everyone wears them with confidence. Their statement read: "'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." They also reiterated that "Great jeans look good on everyone."
The brand's decision has resulted in significant backlash, with many people sharing their disappointment. However, some are defending American Eagle's response to the criticism. Grammar is also being brought into the conversation, with some questioning the use of "great genes" in the campaign.
As of yet, Sydney Sweeney's team has not issued a statement regarding the controversy. The fallout from this campaign continues to unfold, with the fashion industry and consumers alike closely watching American Eagle's response.
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- Social-media users have called for more diverse representation in American Eagle's marketing strategies, following criticism towards their recent jeans campaign, which primarily featured white model Sydney Sweeney with the slogan "Great Genes."
- Some marketing experts argue that the controversy surrounding the bestofinternet-Instagram campaign could have been prevented if models of various races were included, performing similar wordplay.
- As the pop-culture debate continues, discussions about women's content and the portrayal of beauty standards in entertainment industries have arisen, adding a timely layer of interpretation to the American Eagle controversy.
