American Eagle fires back at critics after Sydney Sweeney campaign sparks online backlash
On Friday, the clothing company took to Instagram and shared an official statement.
"'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."
"Great jeans look good on everyone," the statement concluded.
This week, American Eagle released their latest campaign with the "Euphoria" actress, titled "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans." Following the launch, there has been a mix of reactions on social media.
Some dubbed the campaign as "tone-deaf" due to the alleged racial undertones, others have praised the actress for killing "woke" advertising.
In a promo video posted to the brand's Instagram, the 27-year-old walked toward an AE billboard featuring her and the tagline "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Genes." Sweeney crossed out "Genes" and replaced it with "Jeans" before walking away.
According to Salon, the term "great genes" was historically used to "celebrate whiteness, thinness and attractiveness."
In a second ad, Sweeney is seen laying down and fastening her jeans while saying, "Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color." The camera then panned up to her blue eyes. "My jeans are blue."
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