Danica Patrick weighs in on Sydney Sweeney's 'anti-woke' American Eagle ad after furious backlash
Last week, the company rolled out its fall commercial lineup featuring the 27-year-old in various poses and scenarios with the tagline, 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans'.
The obvious reference to her 'genes' didn't sit well with many people on social media, who accused the ads of being a racial dog whistle.
Patrick was not in that camp, months after she was on the campaign trail helping Donald Trump get back to the White House.
'Can anyone tell me what's wrong with the new AE ads?! Very confused,' Patrick posted on her Instagram story.
Sweeney's ad is still in the public eye with billboards and in storefronts nationwide despite the backlash.
American Eagle Chief Marketing Officer Craig Brommers said the campaign is designed to be flashier than competitors' and features Sweeney as one of the most recognizable young stars of the moment
Patrick is not the only one to come to Sweeney's aid in the situation, as WWE legend Sgt. Slaughter posted to his X account earlier this week of the 'Euphoria' actress: 'Attention (Sydney Sweeney), YOU GO GIRL & That's An Order!!'
Slaughter, born Robert Remus, is a former WWF Heavyweight Champion and wrestled from 1972 to 2014.
Last Friday, the 76-year-old made an appearance on SmackDown during a tribute to the late Hulk Hogan, who died last week of a heart attack.
While Remus has made it known that he's in Sweeney's corner, much of the internet is still debating the intent behind the advertisement.
ESPN analyst David Dennis Jr took to social media, posting his opinion: 'I didn't think anything of the Sydney Sweeney ads.
'But then ACTUAL SCHOLARS ON MESSAGING, EUGENICS AND FASCISM explained what was going on then yes I understood and became pretty mortified because hey sometimes IT'S GOOD TO LISTEN TO EXPERTS'.
In a sarcastic post, Dennis Jr continued: 'I'm just happy that these AE ads are making it safe for conventionally attractive blue eyed blonde women to be accepted by society again. They're no longer the scourges of society they once were! FINALLY!'
The adverts have divided fans, with one critic calling the clip 'one of the loudest and most obvious racialized dog whistles we've seen and heard in a while.'
ESPN analyst David Dennis Jr has lashed out at Sydney Sweeney's controversial advert
An article from Salon on the backlash noted that the phrase 'great genes' is 'historically used to celebrate whiteness, thinness and attractiveness' while also branding the campaign 'tone-deaf'.
But Alexandria Hurley, a Las Vegas-based publicist, speculated to DailyMail.com that the idea to stir the pot was not a mistake at all.
'From a PR perspective, what we're seeing from Sydney Sweeney isn't a 'misstep' or 'Pepsi moment.' It's a calculated brand evolution. The idea that this ad slipped through the cracks underestimates both her and her team,' she explained.
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