Sydney Sweeney and her American Eagle ad campaign face social media storm: Story in 10 points

American Eagle's ad campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney has generated plenty of buzz and controversy for its tagline "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans". The ad campaign has sparked a debate about race, Western beauty standards, and the backlash to “woke” American politics and culture.

The new campaign from American Eagle, starring the blond-haired, blue-eyed beauty Sydney Sweeney, has sent the woke mob into a meltdown. American Eagle has issued an official statement on the whole Sydney Sweeney ‘Great Genes/Jeans’ controversy after the ad campaign blew up on social media.

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Why is Sydney Sweeney facing backlash?

-Sydney Sweeney was hit with social media backlash after starring in an ad campaign for American Eagle and saying, “I have great jeans… now you can too @americaneagle #AEPartner #AEJeans.”

-The slogan — a pun on the word “genes” — quickly sparked backlash, with many accusing the brand of promoting a white supremacy narrative by portraying features like blonde hair and blue eyes as the ideal standard.

-The ad shows the 27-year-old 'Euphoria' star as she is seen in a nostalgic Americana setting, fixing a car and driving while wearing American Eagle jeans. The campaign tagline, “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” plays on the word “genes.”

-The campaign is for American Eagle’s new fall collection, featuring a limited-edition denim jacket and “The Sydney Jean,” created in collaboration with Sweeney. All revenue from its sales will be donated to the Crisis Text Line, a nonprofit offering free 24/7 mental health support, according to the campaign.

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-In the video, Sydney Sweeney uses red paint to change the word “genes” to “jeans” and says in a voiceover: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color. My jeans are blue.”

-But the video drew intense backlash with critics accusing the ad for glorifying Sweeney’s whiteness and slim figure. Some went a step ahead, accusing the campaign of promoting racial superiority, eugenic ideals, and echoing Nazi-era propaganda about a so-called “master race.”

- “‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is, and always was, about the jeans,” the American Eagle said in a press release, backing Sydney Sweeney. “Her jeans. Her story.” “We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way,” the statement read, before signing off with: “Great jeans look good on everyone.”

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-US Vice President JD Vance weighed in on the Sydney Sweeney ad controversy, backing the brand and mocking Democrats for the outrage. “I mean, it actually reveals something pretty interesting about the Dems. You’ve got a normal, all-American, beautiful girl doing a normal jeans ad, right?” he said. “They’re trying to sell jeans to kids in America—and somehow that’s enough to send the other side into a meltdown. Did you guys learn nothing from the November 2024 election?”

-TV host Megyn Kelly also slammed the reaction, calling it “absurd” on her podcast and blaming the “lunatic left” for stirring up unnecessary outrage. “She’s being called a white supremacist by people who don’t like her latest ad, which is for American Eagle,” Kelly said.

-Earlier this summer, Sydney Sweeney sold her literal bathwater as part of a soap formula for Dr. Squatch. She also has deals with Armani Beauty, Miu Miu, Laneige, HeyDude, Bai, Baskin Robbins and Ford.