Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle Ad Faces Criticism For "Nazi Propaganda" Firstpost America
American Eagle's new denim campaign starring Euphoria actor Sydney Sweeney is facing backlash for its controversial slogan, "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans," a pun on "great genes." Critics say the campaign, which includes a line about eye colour and close-up shots of Sweeney's blue eyes, echoes language linked to Nazi propaganda and eugenics. The campaign promotes "The Sydney Jean," a limited-edition denim line, with proceeds benefiting mental health support. While American Eagle praises Sweeney's 'main character energy,' social media users have slammed the ad for a lack of diversity and poor messaging. Neither Sweeney nor the brand has responded.
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Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
American Eagle backs Sydney Sweeney's wordplay ad campaign, says ‘it's about the jeans, nothing more'
American Eagle has backed Sydney Sweeney and responded to criticism over its latest campaign featuring the actress, after a promotional video sparked backlash for its use of wordplay involving 'jeans' and 'genes. The tagline, 'Sydney Sweeney has great jeans, " was a cheeky reference to the brand's denim line. However, some viewers interpreted it as a double entendre that veered into problematic territory, especially after a teaser video surfaced online. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Design Thinking Finance MCA Others Management Technology Cybersecurity Healthcare Operations Management Leadership Data Analytics Digital Marketing Project Management healthcare Artificial Intelligence Public Policy others Product Management Degree CXO MBA Data Science Data Science PGDM Skills you'll gain: Duration: 22 Weeks IIM Indore CERT-IIMI DTAI Async India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 25 Weeks IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK PCP DTIM Async India Starts on undefined Get Details In the now-viral clip shared on social media, Sweeney says: 'Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour. My jeans are blue.' While not part of the official campaign, the video quickly drew criticism, with some accusing it of echoing language linked to eugenics and racially charged ideologies. A number of social media users and commentators claimed the phrasing and aesthetics of the teaser bore similarities to Nazi white supremacist propaganda. Others argued the controversy was exaggerated, calling the ad a harmless pun with no deeper intent. Live Events Amid the mounting debate, American Eagle issued a statement defending its creative direction: ''Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans' is and always was about the jeans,' the company clarified. 'Her jeans. Her story. We'll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by American Eagle (@americaneagle) This is the brand's first public comment since the campaign launched last week. Prior to the release, American Eagle's Chief Marketing Officer described the messaging as intentionally 'provocative' and said it was designed to 'push buttons.' Whether the backlash was anticipated or not, marketing experts suggest the controversy could benefit the brand by keeping it in the spotlight. FAQs Why is Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle ad being criticized? The ad sparked backlash over its tagline 'Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,' which some interpreted as a controversial wordplay on 'genes,' drawing unintended associations with eugenics. What did American Eagle say about the 'great jeans' controversy? American Eagle clarified that the campaign was solely about denim and personal style, stating, 'It's about the jeans—her jeans, her story,' denying any deeper or offensive connotations. Has Sydney Sweeney responded to the jeans/genes ad backlash? As of now, Sydney Sweeney has not issued a public response regarding the controversy surrounding the American Eagle campaign.
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Sydney Sweeney's denim ad got cancelled for Nazi propaganda? Now American Eagle just dropped the mic saying, 'it's just jeans, not genes'
Sydney Sweeney and American Eagle are deep in the fashion trenches this week, and it is all because of... jeans. Or rather, genes. The 27-year-old Euphoria actress starred in a denim ad campaign with the cheeky line, 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans' and the internet immediately lost its collective mind. American Eagle vs the internet: The great jeans meltdown The pun, clearly riffing on both genetics and denim, was too much for some users to handle. Social media lit up with backlash, accusing the brand of toeing dangerously close to Nazi ideology due to the campaign's emphasis on Sweeney's blonde hair and blue eyes. One user even predicted the ad would end up 'in history books.' Talk about drama in the group chat. Critics cry fascism, others call it a stretch TikTok and Instagram users had some strong opinions, calling the ad 'Nazi propaganda weird' and 'fascist-coded.' The combination of a conventionally attractive white woman praising her 'great genes' stirred a cultural pot no brand wants to boil over. One person remarked that the visual message felt straight out of a fascist handbook. Another chimed in saying the ad felt 'like Nazi s–t,' throwing all chill out the window. Even celebrities jumped in. Lizzo posted a photoshopped version of herself in the same denim outfit, captioned, 'My jeans are black…' Meanwhile, Doja Cat made a TikTok mocking Sweeney's ad voiceover with an exaggerated accent. The sarcasm was thick, the eye-rolls even thicker. AE finally responds… kinda After days of being dragged, American Eagle issued a statement trying to pull the brakes on the internet spiral. They clarified the campaign was only about the jeans—her jeans, her story, her confidence. The brand reassured fans that their denim is for everyone and that 'great jeans look good on everyone.' However, AE seems to be slowly nudging Sydney out of the spotlight. Their latest promo featured other models, captioned: 'Denim on denim on denim… AE has great jeans.' Subtle? Maybe. Strategic? Absolutely. Controversy sells… apparently Despite the drama, AE's stock surged over 10% after the campaign launched. While the court of public opinion is still divided, the brand's bottom line says otherwise. Whether accidental or genius marketing, one thing is clear, this campaign has legs.
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Sydney Sweeney registered Republican? Euphoria actor slammed again after American Eagle advertisement row
'Sydney Sweeney has great jeans'. The American Eagle advertisement, which became a much talked-about affair, also thrust the Euphoria actor into the center of a controversy. Sydney Sweeney appears to be a registered Republican in the state of Florida.(AFP) Many slammed Sweeney for seemingly promoting eugenics, though the company, in a recent statement, has denied any deeper meaning ferreted out by folks online. While even the White House jumped to Sweeney's defense – or more accurately, decided to take on the 'woke' army as the MAGA base likes to call it – the 27-year-old found herself smack dab in the middle of another row. Sydney Sweeney appears to be a registered Republican in the state of Florida. Republican Sydney Sweeney draws backlash Voter records from Florida, accessed by show one Sydney B Sweeney registered for the Republican Party of Florida in 2024. Sweeney's middle name is Bernice. Her voter status shows active, meaning she is registered to vote. could not verify if Florida's Sydney B Sweeney is the same person as the actor. Interestingly, Sweeney was born in Spokane, Washington, and her work keeps her in Los Angeles, mostly, so why is she a registered Republican from Florida? Well, the actor purchased a home in Florida's Summerland Key for a whopping $13.5 million, last year. Meanwhile, the news of Sweeney being a registered Republican has drawn a variety of responses online. 'That!! I can't believe this isn't highlighted enough, Sydney Sweeney is MAGAT at the core,' one person said on Reddit. Another remarked 'Girly is from Spokane, we Washington folks knew.' Spokane County reportedly has voted for Republican for a president, all but three times since 1948. One person on X, meanwhile, said 'it's so crazy sydney sweeney is a republican and bill burr isn't.' Another remarked 'sydney sweeney has fascists and nazis coming to her defense. of course she's a republican.' Yet another user said 'remember when sydney sweeney's family was outted as MAGA? she attended a wedding where several of her family members were wearing the thin blue line and MAGA merch? and everyone online said just bc her family is like that doesn't mean she is? well she's a registered republican.' Notably, this isn't exactly accurate. Sweeney and her family did face backlash for purported MAGA support back in 2023, but it was during her mother's birthday party, when the family was in Idaho. Sweeney clarified to Variety that those with the MAGA-inspired merch were not her family, and reportedly were her mother's friends from LA, whose kids 'are walking outside in the Pride parade'. On the work front, Sweeney will next be seen in The Housemaid, a psychological thriller from Paul Feig.
