Doja Cat Criticized Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle Advertising Venture on TikTok, Stirring Up Quite a Response
In a surprising turn of events, American Eagle's latest denim ad campaign, fronted by actress Sydney Sweeney, has sparked a heated debate online. The campaign, which uses the tagline "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans," as a play on "great genes," has been criticised for its perceived racial insensitivity.
The controversy stems from the problematic racial connotation of the “great genes” pun in the advertisement. Critics argue that the phrase, historically used by eugenicists, unintentionally evokes a checkered history of eugenics and racist messaging associated with some historical ad campaigns. This has led to the campaign being widely criticised and called tone-deaf or worse.
Some critics compared the ad featuring Sydney pulling her jeans on to an extremely controversial 1980 Calvin Klein ad starring a then-15-year-old Brooke Shields. The hypersexualized nature of the ads has also been a point of contention, with the criticism mainly due to this factor.
Meanwhile, on TikTok, a trend of impersonating Sydney Sweeney's voice has gained popularity. Doja Cat is among those joining in, posting a clip of her imitating Sydney's voice while reading a dialogue about genes. However, some TikTok users have made fun of the impersonation trend, with one commenting "u know it's bad when even Doja makes fun of it 😭."
Despite the backlash, two videos featuring Sydney Sweeney for American Eagle have remained on the brand's social media platforms. However, they were eventually removed after receiving criticism.
Tesla’s ironic response on social media, joking about a robot having “great jeans,” further amplified public attention to the controversy and framed it as a tone-deaf marketing misstep.
It's important to note that there is no explicit indication from the campaign itself that it intended to invoke eugenics or Nazi ideology. However, the pairing of a genetic pun with American Eagle’s branding in a multiracial, culturally sensitive marketing environment led to widespread backlash due to the negative historical connotations connected to "genes" and "racial purity" in advertising history.
In another video, the camera tracks Sydney's body as she lies on the ground with her shirt unbuttoned, pulling her jeans on. One TikTok user even commented "my jeans are damp cuz i just peed my pants."
As the conversation continues, it serves as a reminder for brands to be mindful of the historical connotations of their marketing strategies and to prioritise inclusivity and sensitivity in their advertising efforts.
[1] Historical Context of the Controversy [2] The Impact of the Controversy on American Eagle
- The controversy surrounding American Eagle's denim ad campaign, featuring actress Sydney Sweeney, stems from the problematic racial connotation of the "great genes" pun, a phrase historically used by eugenicists and associated with racist messaging in some historical ad campaigns.
- The campaign's use of the "great genes" pun in a multiracial, culturally sensitive marketing environment led to widespread backlash due to the negative historical connotations connected to "genes" and "racial purity" in advertising history.
- Despite the removal of the controversial videos, the controversy has raised concerns about the historical context of marketing strategies and emphasized the need for brands to prioritize inclusivity and sensitivity in their advertising efforts, particularly in relation to pop-culture, celebrities, and entertainment.
