Latest news with #Jeans'
New York Post
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Bill Maher slams woke mob over Sydney Sweeney jeans ad controversy
HBO 'Real Time' host Bill Maher ripped into the woke mob for branding actress Sydney Sweeney a Nazi — all because she joked about having 'great jeans' in a new American Eagle ad. 'In other uncomfortable racial news, sad news, we found out this week that Sydney Sweeney is a Nazi,' the late night funny quipped Friday night. 'No she's not, but you've seen the ad … This a very important ad that we're seeing now, there she is dressed like Jay Leno in all blue denim.' HBO 'Real Time' host Bill Maher slammed the woke mob Friday for claiming actress Sydney Sweeney is a Nazi — because she boasted about having 'great jeans' in an American Eagle ad. AP 'And she talks about the fact that she has blue eyes and then says she has great jeans, you know, because she's wearing jeans!' goofed Maher, referring to the ad's pun of the word 'genes' made by the blonde-haired, blue-eyed 27-year-old Euphoria star. 'But according to the woke people this means she's a white supremacist.' Actress Sydney Sweeney shows off her 'great' jeans in American Eagle ad. American Eagle Then Maher landed a savage blow. 'It also doesn't help that her bra size is 36KKK and that the name she gave her tits is the 'Proud Boys,'' he said. 'I also like it's pretty funny that all the online social justice girls are like 'it's racist, there is no such thing as good genes. Right, and then you go on Tinder and swipe left on every bald guy.' American Eagle's stock rose more than 10% immediately after Sweeney's campaign launched July 23. The White Lotus actress has yet to respond to the backlash caused by the new 'Great Jeans' campaign.
Business Insider
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
American Eagle responds to the controversy around its ad campaign with Sydney Sweeney: 'Great jeans look good on everyone'
American Eagle's "good jeans" ad campaign has generated a frenzy of criticism and praise. The provocative spots feature blonde-haired, blue-eyed actor Sydney Sweeney. Critics say the ads recall problematic connections with debunked theories of racial supremacy. The retailer broke the silence on the controversy surrounding its "great jeans" ad campaign starring actor Sydney Sweeney. "'Sydney Sweeney has Great Jeans' is and always was about the jeans," the company said Friday, in a statement on Instagram. "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 brand received both criticism and praise for its ad campaign, which features the 27-year-old star. "Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue," Sweeney says in one spot. The message — and Sweeney's blonde hair, blue eyes, and light skin — sparked a debate on social media over beauty standards, with some slamming the campaign as " regressive." Some social media critics drew comparisons to the debunked theories of eugenics and the German Nazi movement. "Eugenics propaganda does typically focus a lot on this idea of who has good genes and who has bad genes," said one TikToker who says she is pursuing a degree in history. She added: "It's one thing to talk about good jeans with a J in advertising, but it's a whole other thing to say someone has 'great' genes with the G." The backlash saw backlash of its own as well, with conservative commentators celebrating Sweeney's appearance and mocking"cancel culture run amok." Elon Musk's Tesla even weighed in with a video of one of its quality control tests showing a denim-on-leather test at one of its facilities. "Our seats robot also has great jeans," the Tesla account posted on X. "Seatney," it added. Marcus Collins, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Michigan, told the Associated Press that American Eagle might have avoided some of the backlash if it had made the "genes" wordplay with several models of different races.
Time of India
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Dunkin's new ad with The Summer I Turned Pretty star Gavin Casalegno slammed for tone-deaf genetics reference
Dunkin 's newest commercial is under fire for referencing genetics in a way many viewers find insensitive, especially after the recent controversy surrounding American Eagle's campaign with Sydney Sweeney. The ad features The Summer I Turned Pretty actor Gavin Casalegno promoting Dunkin's Golden Hour Refresher, with the brand playing off his bronzed skin tone and the term 'golden.' The timing has not gone unnoticed. Just days prior, American Eagle's 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans' campaign drew criticism for its messaging around Sweeney's physical traits. The campaign was slammed for echoing themes associated with eugenics, with Sweeney talking about how genes 'determine traits like hair colour, personality, and even eye colour.' That backlash is now spilling over into Dunkin's corner. A subtle nod to genetics or a deeper problem? While Dunkin's reference to genetics is not as overt, viewers were quick to point out the uncomfortable similarities. In the ad, Casalegno quips, 'This tan? Genetics. I just got my colour analysis back, and guess what? Golden summer.' Though the statement is framed around the beauty trend of color analysis, critics say it continues the trend of glorifying white beauty standards through coded language. The mention of genetics in conjunction with Casalegno's sun-kissed appearance has sparked concern for reinforcing Eurocentric ideals, particularly when paired with marketing language that highlights physical traits. Some viewers noted that the issue may not lie solely in the words used, but in their context and delivery amid ongoing racial tensions in America . View this post on Instagram Reddit users criticise ad's tone, timing, and messaging Discussion of the Dunkin' ad quickly spread to Reddit, particularly the celebrity-focused subreddit r/Fauxmoi . One user summed up the collective frustration by asking, 'Do marketing teams not employ anyone ocolouror because what the hell is going on?' They continued, 'It's really wild to see them advertise their products like this, especially in a country where they are literally rounding up people into detention centres.' Other users critiqued the ad from a creative standpoint, calling it 'too wordy' and accusing it of failing to make a compelling link between Casalegno's tan and the Golden Hour Refresher. One commenter questioned the casting choice altogether, writing, 'Isn't Gavin a huge right-winger?' Another user remarked, 'So this summer eugenics seems to be in. These brands gotta be adding racist dog whistles on purpose.' 'As someone who's never been to Dunkin nor knows who this fella is, it's truly a horrible ad,' one user wrote. 'I've no clue what the drink actually tastes like, the name evokes ideas of piss more so than any fruit, and I've no interest in this rando announcing himself as the king of summer," asked one user. Another ad mentioning genetics? Dunkin's latest ad featuring Gavin Casalegno byu/Relevant-Peach3997 inFauxmoi Marketing missteps raise questions for brands The backlash against Dunkin' appears to stem from a combination of poor timing, tone-deaf messaging, and an industry-wide trend of using genetics-based language to sell products. While brands may be aiming for clever or aesthetic appeal, viewers are increasingly scrutinising the language used to describe physical traits—especially when those traits align with long-standing beauty ideals tied to whiteness. With American Eagle already under fire, Dunkin's decision to echo similar messaging has only amplified the criticism. Whether intentional or simply tone-deaf, the ad's reception may push more brands to rethink how they approach topics of identity, appearance, and race in their campaigns.
Time of India
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Dunkin's new ad with The Summer I Turned Pretty star Gavin Casalegno slammed for tone-deaf genetics reference
Dunkin's newest commercial is under fire for referencing genetics in a way many viewers find insensitive, especially after the recent controversy surrounding American Eagle's campaign with Sydney Sweeney. The ad features The Summer I Turned Pretty actor Gavin Casalegno promoting Dunkin's Golden Hour Refresher, with the brand playing off his bronzed skin tone and the term 'golden.' The timing has not gone unnoticed. Just days prior, American Eagle's 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans' campaign drew criticism for its messaging around Sweeney's physical traits. The campaign was slammed for echoing themes associated with eugenics, with Sweeney talking about how genes 'determine traits like hair colour, personality, and even eye colour.' That backlash is now spilling over into Dunkin's corner. A subtle nod to genetics or a deeper problem? While Dunkin's reference to genetics is not as overt, viewers were quick to point out the uncomfortable similarities. In the ad, Casalegno quips, 'This tan? Genetics. I just got my colour analysis back, and guess what? Golden summer.' Though the statement is framed around the beauty trend of color analysis, critics say it continues the trend of glorifying white beauty standards through coded language. The mention of genetics in conjunction with Casalegno's sun-kissed appearance has sparked concern for reinforcing Eurocentric ideals, particularly when paired with marketing language that highlights physical traits. Some viewers noted that the issue may not lie solely in the words used, but in their context and delivery amid ongoing racial tensions in America. Reddit users criticise ad's tone, timing, and messaging Discussion of the Dunkin' ad quickly spread to Reddit, particularly the celebrity-focused subreddit r/Fauxmoi. One user summed up the collective frustration by asking, 'Do marketing teams not employ anyone ocolouror because what the hell is going on?' They continued, 'It's really wild to see them advertise their products like this, especially in a country where they are literally rounding up people into detention centres.' Other users critiqued the ad from a creative standpoint, calling it 'too wordy' and accusing it of failing to make a compelling link between Casalegno's tan and the Golden Hour Refresher. One commenter questioned the casting choice altogether, writing, 'Isn't Gavin a huge right-winger?' Another user remarked, 'So this summer eugenics seems to be in. These brands gotta be adding racist dog whistles on purpose.' 'As someone who's never been to Dunkin nor knows who this fella is, it's truly a horrible ad,' one user wrote. 'I've no clue what the drink actually tastes like, the name evokes ideas of piss more so than any fruit, and I've no interest in this rando announcing himself as the king of summer," asked one user. Marketing missteps raise questions for brands The backlash against Dunkin' appears to stem from a combination of poor timing, tone-deaf messaging, and an industry-wide trend of using genetics-based language to sell products. While brands may be aiming for clever or aesthetic appeal, viewers are increasingly scrutinising the language used to describe physical traits—especially when those traits align with long-standing beauty ideals tied to whiteness. With American Eagle already under fire, Dunkin's decision to echo similar messaging has only amplified the criticism. Whether intentional or simply tone-deaf, the ad's reception may push more brands to rethink how they approach topics of identity, appearance, and race in their campaigns. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending.
The Guardian
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
American Eagle faces backlash over ‘Sydney Sweeney has great jeans' ad
A new ad campaign from American Eagle starring US actor Sydney Sweeney is meeting backlash, with some critics alleging online that the advertisement's use of the phrase 'great jeans' is a coded promotion of eugenics. In the campaign, the 27-year-old Euphoria and White Lotus star is dressed in American Eagle denim outfits, accompanied by the tagline 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans'. In one video clip shared by American Eagle on Instagram, Sweeney – who is blonde and blue-eyed – is standing in front of a poster of herself with text that reads 'Sydney Sweeney has great genes'. In the video, the word 'genes' gets crossed out and is replaced with the word 'jeans'. Another video from the campaign features Sweeney saying: 'Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue.' The campaign has drawn mixed reactions online. Some social media users have dubbed the campaign as 'tone deaf' and accused it of echoing rhetoric associated with eugenics and white supremacy. On X, one user wrote that 'getting a blue eyed, blonde, white women and focusing your campaign around her having perfect genetics feels weird, especially considering the current state of America,' where one of the dominant political stories has been the Trump administration's push to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion – or DEI – initiatives. One user on TikTok argued that 'the words we use are never unintentional' and that 'for American Eagle to say Sydney Sweeney has good genes is not an accident'. 'This is a dog whistle to the rise of conservatism in this country,' they said. Meanwhile, others, including some on the US political right have praised the actor and the campaign for delivering a blow to 'wokeness' and 'woke' advertising. 'Woke advertising is dead, Sydney Sweeney killed it,' one X user wrote, invoking a term that some conservatives use to criticize DEI measures. And some observers have described the backlash to the campaign as overblown and an exaggeration. One TikTok user said: 'I personally don't see why it's causing all this controversy – to me, it's just an ad for jeans.' As of Tuesday morning, neither Sweeney nor American Eagle had publicly addressed the criticism and backlash. Neither American Eagle nor a representative for Sweeney immediately responded to a request for comment from the Guardian. As part of the campaign, American Eagle is releasing 'The Sydney Jean' made in collaboration with Sweeney, which features a butterfly motif on the back pocket. In the announcement from the company, the brand said that the motif 'represents domestic violence awareness, which Sydney is passionate about'. The brand also said that '100% of the purchase price from The Sydney Jean will be donated to Crisis Text Line, a nonprofit offering free, 24/7, confidential mental health support to anyone in need.' In the press release, American Eagle described the 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans' campaign as a 'return to essential denim dressing and a celebration of what the beloved brand does best: making customers look and feel good in AE Jeans.' The company added that 'Sweeney's girl next door charm and main character energy – paired with her ability to not take herself too seriously – is the hallmark of this bold, playful campaign.' The American Eagle campaign is not the first time that Sweeney has been involved in political controversy. In 2022, she faced criticism after she was photographed at her mother's birthday party where several of the guests were seen wearing hats that called to mind those which bear Trump's Make America great again (Maga) slogan. Meanwhile, in May, she achieved internet virality by having a hand in selling soap made with her bath water, which virtually sold out immediately after it was released on the Dr Squatch website.
