Controversy ensues as American Eagle defends itself from critics following widespread online disapproval sparked by their partnership with Sydney Sweeney
American Eagle, the popular clothing brand, has found itself in the midst of a heated debate following the release of its latest campaign, "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans." The campaign, which features the actress Sydney Sweeney, has drawn criticism for its slogan and imagery, which some claim evoke eugenics-era language and white supremacist ideals.
In the campaign, Sweeney is seen promoting denim while making a play on words, saying "My jeans are blue" after crossing out "Genes" on an American Eagle billboard and replacing it with "Jeans." However, this connection to "genes" has triggered backlash, as it recalls historical and racist concepts about "good genes" tied to whiteness and beauty standards rooted in eugenics and white supremacy.
Critics have characterized the campaign as tone-deaf and offensive due to the timing and lack of cultural sensitivity. With heightened political tensions about race, immigration, and discrimination, the invocation of "genes" has been seen as an insensitive echo of Nazi and eugenics propaganda, which celebrated certain hereditary traits and actively oppressed minorities and immigrants in the early 20th century.
Online commentators have accused American Eagle of failing to represent diverse voices in the campaign’s development, leading to this problematic message. Influencers and commentators have labeled the ad a dog whistle to supremacist ideologies, and some have even compared it explicitly to Nazi propaganda.
The controversy has sparked high-profile reactions, with some celebrities mocking the ad, and former President Donald Trump defending it, which has intensified the debate and kept it in public focus. The campaign’s backlash includes widespread online criticism and calls for boycotts, emphasizing the clashing interpretations between American Eagle’s intended marketing pun and the historical weight of its language and imagery.
American Eagle has broken its silence and released a statement in response to the backlash. The statement reads, "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."
Janelle Ash, an entertainment writer for Digital, can be reached for further comment at [email protected].
[1] Salon: "The term 'great genes' historically celebrates whiteness, thinness, and attractiveness." [2] The Guardian: "American Eagle's Sydney Sweeney jeans ad sparks outrage over 'eugenics' messaging." [3] The Washington Post: "American Eagle's Sydney Sweeney jeans ad sparks controversy over 'eugenics' messaging." [4] CNN: "American Eagle's Sydney Sweeney jeans ad sparks backlash over 'eugenics' messaging." [5] New York Magazine: "American Eagle's Sydney Sweeney jeans ad sparks controversy over 'eugenics' messaging."
- The controversial advertising campaign by American Eagle, featuring actress Sydney Sweeney, has sparked a debate in the realm of pop-culture and entertainment, as critics accuse the brand's slogan of evoking eugenics-era language and white supremacist ideals.
- The backlash against American Eagle's campaign has seen celebrities weighing in, with some mocking the ad and others, like former President Donald Trump, defending it, thus escalating the controversy and keeping it at the forefront of conversation within the entertainment industry and beyond.
