Latest news with #DylanMulvaney
Fox News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
High-rise jeans, high returns: How Sydney Sweeney is helping American Eagle stock fly
Why Sydney Sweeney's "Jeans" Were a Brilliant Business Move for American Eagle When Sydney Sweeney slipped into a pair of high-rise jeans for American Eagle, it wasn't just a nostalgic fashion throwback—it was a business masterstroke. Folks, sometimes a commercial is just a commercial! You want real shame. Try having mom literally bring home a pair of "husky" jeans for you to try on as a kid. That's right. Three sizes. Small. Medium. And I dare say husky. Let's call this commercial what it was: bold, brilliant, and perfectly timed. In a retail landscape cluttered with uninspired influencer deals and recycled marketing campaigns, American Eagle made a bet on one of Gen Z's most bankable stars. And if the early numbers—and stock movement—are any indication, it paid off. And if you don't like the jeans or the company, don't buy them. Just like a few years ago, people stopped drinking Bud Light considering the Dylan Mulvaney commercials. The Power of Star Power Celebrity endorsements are nothing new. Especially with jeans. Think back to the 1980s, when Brooke Shields famously uttered, "Nothing comes between me and my Calvins." That iconic Calvin Klein campaign sparked controversy, but it also sent sales soaring. In the year following Shields' campaign, Calvin Klein's denim division reportedly increased sales by over 300%. Stock in the parent company (then part of Phillips-Van Heusen) responded positively as the brand became synonymous with cool, youthful rebellion. Fast-forward four decades, and Sydney Sweeney is pulling the same trick—but with a fresh twist. Her American Eagle ads—which showcased vintage Y2K aesthetics paired with body-positive messaging—hit home with Gen Z and Millennials alike. This wasn't just about selling jeans; it was about owning a cultural moment. American Eagle: A Brand at a Crossroads Let's be clear: American Eagle wasn't flying high before this campaign. In the five years leading up to the Sweeney rollout, the company had struggled to capture attention in a market dominated by fast-fashion giants like Shein and online upstarts like Fashion Nova. Their core demographic—young women aged 15 to 25—was drifting. The stock price reflected this. American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE: AEO) traded as high as $38 in 2021 when stimulus cash flooded the market, but as recently as two months ago, it had dipped under $8.50 a share. That's a painful 77% drop. Something had to change. Cue Sydney Sweeney. Could it possibly be like Michael Jordan's infamous Mars Blackmon commercial with Nike where Mars says, "It's gotta be the shoes" and maybe this is just a take that "It's gotta be the jeans". Get it? We know it's not the shoes and it's not the jeans, but some people just have it and there's nothing wrong with celebrating it. The Stock Price Needs Main Streets Approval, Not Wall Street. And here's the part that matters to investors about these commercials: Main Street noticed. The President noticed. And if you were a shareholder last week for the first time, you are a very happy person today. On July 28th the stock closed at $10.50 a share and in afterhours trading on August 4th the stock was at $13.90 a share. We don't know if the stock will get back to its heyday of $38 a share, but like John McEnroe once famously said, "Good News. Bad News. At Least They Are Talking." And up to this point, not too many people have recently been talking about American Eagle. What Could Make This Ad Move A Stroke Of Brilliance? Critics might argue that celebrity campaigns are fleeting. And that's true—if you pick the wrong celebrity. But Sweeney isn't just famous. She's relatable. She's outspoken about body image, known for her business savvy, and resonates with both red and blue state America. But how quickly again the far left has turned on her over a commercial, shooting a gun, and being a registered republican. Her appeal crosses demographics—she's as likely to show up on an Instagram fashion blog as she is in a conservative dad's Google search history. The risk American Eagle took here wasn't just choosing Sweeney—it was embracing a style era (the early 2000s) that many thought was best left in the rearview mirror. High-rise jeans are controversial. But controversy creates conversation, and in today's media landscape, conversation means conversion. Lessons from the Campaign We've seen other bold campaigns work wonders. Think Nike with Colin Kaepernick—stock dropped initially but rebounded sharply as younger consumers rallied around the brand. Or Old Spice's pivot with the "Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign, which turned a stale brand into a pop culture staple and doubled sales. But American Eagle's play with Sweeney may prove even smarter. It walked the tightrope of edgy. It wasn't just an ad—it was a marketing strategy built for virality, engagement, and ultimately, stockholder return. Bottom Line If you think marketing doesn't move markets, think again. Sydney Sweeney's jeans weren't just the right pair of pants—they were the right pair of genes for American Eagle's DNA. In an era where attention and today's soundbite are the new currency, American Eagle cashed in. And if the company continues to lean into this cultural relevance with the same courage, the best may be yet to come.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
On The Matter Of So-Called ‘Debanking,' Follow The Regulators
It turns out Republicans buy beer, which is something basketball and brand great Michael Jordan could have told the executives at AB InBev ahead of any influencer agreement with Dylan Mulvaney. In a politically divided country, it's best to keep business out of politics. Banks arguably know this more intimately than any other business sector. Precisely because they're asking individuals to entrust their savings to them, politics and talk of same is the path to losing some of the most hard-won business of all. It's important to think about in consideration of President Trump's assertion on CNBC that 'The banks discriminated against me very badly.' Trump was talking about J.P. Morgan Chase and Bank of America, but to focus on specific banks is to miss the point. And that's not because Chase has banking relationships with Trump and family going back decades, Trump campaign accounts, and looking ahead, the eventual Trump presidential library. The crucial truth is that banks are in the business of carefully matching the wealth of savers with credible individuals, businesses and governments in need of savings. Which means they're not in the business of turning their noses up to half of the U.S. population of savers, or closing the accounts of savers with wealth to put to work. Some call account refusal or closure 'debanking,' which realistically wasn't even a word until 2023-2024. With good reason. Banks exist to open accounts, not close them. Which requires a pivot. To focus on banks allegedly turning away business for political reasons, or closing accounts similarly for reasons of politics, is for pundits, politicians and even presidents to avert their gaze from the real problem: regulators. On the matter of closed or refused accounts, criticism of banks is a non sequitur. Banks are overseen by regulators that can make life miserable for them via the imposition of 'asset caps,' excessive capital requirements, or worst of all, closure. With the latter and much more well in mind, banks are studious about not finding themselves on the wrong side of regulators. Which is a long or short way of saying that depending on the Party in control in Washington, and by extension the Party that is appointing regulators, banks must at times choose their customers wisely. Regulators will say the choosing is rooted in banks protecting their reputations, but as evidenced by the business that banks are in, no such regulation is needed. More realistically, regulators have too often substituted their politics for sound oversight. Cryptocurrency and crypto adjacent businesses were unpopular during the Biden years, gun and gun manufacturers when Barack Obama occupied the White House, while in Republican leaning U.S. locales like Texas, banks have experienced trouble if viewed as unfriendly to oil & gas interests. The main thing is that debanking has nothing to do with business, and everything to do with the politics that banks studiously try to avoid. See above. Which is why President Trump's broad focus on regulation as the source of so-called 'debanking' is so important. Banks open accounts, regulators force their refusal, closure, or both. With his executive order meant to end the practice of debanking, Trump is correctly making this about overly politicized regulators, not banks attempting to mix politics and business. Which means banks can get back to doing what they do best, all free of the politics that they've long avoided based on a clear-eyed grasp of what Michael Jordan intuited decades ago.
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Trump reacts to Sydney Sweeney ad row with bizarre rant against Dylan Mulvaney; 'A total disaster'
Donald Trump on Friday reacted to the ongoing controversy regarding Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle advertisement. The 27-year-old blonde and blue-eyed 'White Lotus' actress recently starred in a new denim advertisement, provoking a discussion about Western beauty standards and race. Trump went on a tirade against transgender actress Dylan Mulvaney and his own advertising expertise after the conservative host asked him a strange question about the much debated commercial.(Reuters) During an interview with Newsmax anchor Rob Finnerty, Trump was asked about the campaign that has been blasted for encouraging eugenics with the tagline, 'Sydney Sweeney has good jeans,' which many viewed as a white nationalist dog whistle. Trump tears into transgender actress Dylan Mulvaney Trump went on a tirade against transgender actress Dylan Mulvaney and his own advertising expertise after the conservative host asked him a strange question about the much debated commercial. Finnerty noted that the Trump administration has been very vocal about the fact that American women are not producing enough babies. 'There was an ad this week. Sydney Sweeney, an actress, was in an ad for Blue Jeans. The ad is doing very well. It's very popular. The jeans are sold out,' the host continued, asking Trump, 'Does America need to see more ads like that? And maybe fewer ads with people like Dylan Mulvaney on the cover?' Irish Star reported. While it's unclear how the American Eagle denim advertisement relates to Dylan or falling birth rates, the absurd and transphobic question alludes to a Bud Light commercial from 2023 that featured the trans actress, sparking a boycott. Responding to the question, Trump launched a tirade against the Bud Light advertising, stating that the Dylan Mulvaney ad was possibly the 'most unsuccessful ad' ever. 'It knocked 35 million dollars off the value of a certain company. You know what I'm talking about. That was one of the great disasters of all time. I would say it was probably the most unsuccessful ad, worst ad ever.' He went on to call advertising a 'very funny thing' by opening up about his own experiences. 'I've done ads where I thought they were lousy and they turned out to be iconic, and then I've done some that I thought were beauties that were gonna be fantastic, and they weren't so good, so to each his own. But the Dylan Mulvaney ad was a total disaster.'
Economic Times
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Sydney Sweeney's controversial ad campaign draws Trump's attention, he says 'advertising a very funny thing'
AP US President Donald Trump was asked about the Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle's ad by Newsmax anchor Rob Finnerty The ongoing controversy surrounding Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle ad has garnered a lot of attention online. Sweeney, 27, and American Eagle faced backlash earlier this week after the blonde-haired, blue-eyed 'White Lotus' starlet appeared in a new denim ad for the popular clothing and accessories retailer. It sparked a debate over race and Western beauty President Donald Trump was asked about the Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle's ad by Newsmax anchor Rob Finnerty. Trump was asked about the highly contested advertisement in a bizarre question that ended with the president going on a rant about transgender actress Dylan Mulvaney and his own experience with advertising, reports The Irish Star. ALSO READ: Social Security eyes massive reform in US: New policy could hit 3.4 million Americans this month "Your administration has been very open about the fact that American women are not having enough babies," the Newsmax anchor began his perplexing line of questioning. "There was an ad this week. Sydney Sweeney, an actress, was in an ad for Blue Jeans. The ad is doing very well. It's very popular. The jeans are sold out," he went on before asking, "Does America need to see more ads like that? And maybe fewer ads with people like Dylan Mulvaney on the cover?" ALSO READ: Solar Eclipse on August 2 in US? What NASA has said on world going dark for 6 minutes Trump took the bait and went on a rant about the Bud Light campaign. He said, "The Dylan Mulvaney ad was perhaps the most unsuccessful ad in history. It knocked 35 million dollars off the value of a certain company. You know what I'm talking about. That was one of the great disasters of all time. I would say it was probably the most unsuccessful ad, worst ad ever." He continued, "You know, advertising is a very funny thing. I've done ads where I thought they were lousy and they turned out to be iconic, and then I've done some that I thought were beauties that were gonna be fantastic, and they weren't so good, so to each his own. But the Dylan Mulvaney ad was a total disaster." The Newsmax anchor paired the question with an onscreen banner that read, "Trump ends the era of woke."ALSO READ: 'Rage Against The Regime' protests: Over 300 US cities hosting anti-Trump demonstrations today on JD Vance's birthday. Full list American Eagle is standing by its controversial ad campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney, which includes various commercials with the tagline: 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.' The campaign has been criticized for promoting eugenics with its tagline, "Sydney Sweeney has good jeans," which many interpreted as a white supremacist dog whistle. ''Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans' is and always was about the jeans,' the company said Friday in a statement obtained by The Post. 'Her jeans. Her story.' 'We'll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way,' the statement continued. 'Great jeans look good on everyone.''I have great jeans… now you can too,' the 'Euphoria' actress wrote on Instagram on July 23, alongside a video for the controversial campaign. But some social media users compared the marketing move to "Nazi propaganda". ALSO READ: Stimulus payments August 2025: These US states will receive financial benefit. Do you qualify? 'I thought it was gonna be, like, kinda bad, but wow,' one critic wrote on TikTok. 'That's gonna be in history books!' 'I will be the friend that's too woke, but those Sydney Sweeney American Eagle ads are weird,' another added. 'Like, fascist weird. Like Nazi propaganda weird.' Singers Lizzo, 37, and Doja Cat, 29, also took to social media to ridicule Sweeney and American Eagle over the controversy. 'My jeans are black…' the 'Truth Hurts' singer wrote alongside a digitally altered picture showing herself in the denim shirt and jeans that Sweeney wore for the American Eagle photo shoot. Doja Cat shared a TikTok video of herself repeating Sweeney's American Eagle campaign monologue with an exaggerated accent. American Eagle appeared to distance itself from the 'Nazi propaganda' backlash by sharing other ads from the campaign that did not feature Sweeney.'Denim on denim on denim… on denim,' the company wrote alongside the new ad on July 27. 'AE has great jeans.' Plus, American Eagle's stock rose more than 10% immediately after the new campaign kicked off on July 23.
Fox News
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
The war on hot women: Why the woke mob hates Sydney Sweeney
Let's cut the nonsense: liberal women aren't mad at Sydney Sweeney because she's "setting women back." That's just the excuse they're throwing around because they don't want to admit the truth. They're mad because she's young, hot, white, and blonde. And they're mad that corporations are finally waking up to the truth: that the American people are done with woke! If she were 300 pounds and identified as gender-fluid, she'd be hailed as a revolutionary. If she threw her pronouns into every interview, wore a "FEMINIST" crop top to the red carpet, and spouted progressive talking points on cue, they'd be tripping over themselves to give her a GLAAD Award. But because Sydney Sweeney simply exists - confident, traditionally feminine, and not bending the knee to the woke agenda, she's a target. This isn't about feminism. It's about envy. It's about a cultural movement that now punishes beauty, shames femininity, and exalts victimhood as the highest form of virtue. And the hypocrisy? It's off the charts. Where was all this feminist outrage when Dylan Mulvaney, a biological male, was handed women's brand endorsements by Nike, Bud Light, and Maybelline for "celebrating womanhood"? Where were these voices when Mulvaney mocked the female experience with Barbie cosplay and tampon tutorials? Nowhere. In fact, they were applauding. Because in today's woke dystopia, a man pretending to be a woman gets more respect than an actual woman who dares to look like one. Where were these self-proclaimed champions of women's rights when actual female athletes were getting steamrolled by biological males in their own sports? When Lia Thomas was shoving real women off the podium, where was the outrage? Crickets. Because defending the rights of actual women doesn't fit the narrative. It's not politically useful. That's why they loathe women like Sydney Sweeney. She doesn't play along. She's not trying to be edgy. She's not rewriting what it means to be a woman but instead, she's embodying it. Beautifully, confidently, and unapologetically. That's the real threat. The truth is, the modern Left has declared war on hot women. Because hot women don't need to play the victim. Hot women don't need to be coddled or redefined. They don't need to pretend that beauty is a social construct or that femininity is oppressive. They just live it. And that drives the gender-studies crowd insane. Sydney Sweeney represents everything the woke mob hates: effortlessness, elegance, and the refusal to apologize for qualities that used to be admired. In a culture obsessed with "smashing beauty standards," she reminds us that some standards were never the problem. Our culture's new obsession with woke-fueled mediocrity is. This isn't to say that beauty makes someone better but it certainly shouldn't make them worse in the eyes of the media or the public. We've gone from celebrating women for being empowered in their femininity to vilifying them for being conventionally attractive. Feminism, as the Left now defines it, has nothing to do with empowering women. It's about enforcing ideological conformity. If you don't submit to the narrative—whether it's on gender, politics, race, or body positivity—you get attacked. So let's stop pretending this is about Sydney Sweeney. It's not. It's about a movement that tells women they should be anything but what she is: attractive, traditional, proud, and free. Sydney Sweeney didn't set women back. She triggered the insecurities of those who've built their identity on grievance rather than grace. And for that? More power to her.
