American Eagle responds to Sydney Sweeney ad backlash

Express Tribune

5 days ago

American Eagle's latest campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney stirred controversy shortly after launch, prompting the brand to quietly adjust how it presented the rollout, but not the ad itself.
The campaign, centered around the tagline 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,' featured lines like 'Genes are passed down… My jeans are blue.'
While intended as playful wordplay, the messaging drew criticism from viewers who felt the references to genetics, combined with Sweeney's blonde hair and blue eyes, echoed exclusionary beauty ideals and carried unsettling connotations.
Ashley Schapiro, American Eagle's vice president of marketing, shared in a LinkedIn post that Sweeney had been fully engaged in shaping the concept.
When asked how far to take it, Sweeney replied, 'Let's push it, I'm game.'
Her tone reportedly influenced the campaign's direction, which included bold marketing tactics like AI try-ons, 3D billboards, and digital takeovers.
Following backlash, the company disabled comments on Schapiro's post and swapped out some visuals with alternative imagery, including a woman of color.
However, the original ad and its core messaging remained unchanged, and no formal public statement was issued.
Despite the controversy, the campaign proved commercially successful. The limited-edition 'Sydney Jean' sold out quickly, and American Eagle's stock rose between 10–18% in the days after launch.
Proceeds from the jeans are being donated to Crisis Text Line, a nonprofit focused on mental health and domestic violence support.
Reactions remain mixed, some applauded the campaign's boldness, while others criticized it as an example of tone-deaf branding in a sensitive cultural climate