3 days ago
American Eagle Foot Traffic Dips After Sydney Sweeney Controversy
Foot traffic at American Eagle for the past two weeks is down year-over-year, according to data shared with Forbes by retail data company Pass_by, marking a downturn in traffic since the company stoked controversy by unveiling an ad campaign starring Sydney Sweeney critics felt evoked eugenics.
Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle campaign became a cultural flashpoint. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) Getty Images
Foot traffic is down year-over-year by 8.96% at American Eagle for the week beginning Aug. 3, according to Pass_by data, which the company gathers from in-store sensors and other datasets like weather and seasonal trends..
For the week beginning July 27, foot traffic dipped year-over-year by 3.9%, according to Pass_by data, while traffic dipped just 0.27% for the week beginning July 20.
For the entire two months before July 20, foot traffic had increased year-over-year each week, with American Eagle seeing a boost in year-over-year foot traffic of 4.85% for the week of July 13 and 5.91% for the week of July 6.
James Ewen, vice president of marketing for Pass_by, said the 'size and speed of the decline points to more than just seasonal or economic trends,' noting when a 'brand sees momentum stall so sharply, it often reflects a reputational or cultural factor cutting through to consumers.'
Retail Brew reported foot traffic at American Eagle competitors also fell for the week of Aug. 3, citing Pass_by data, though none fell as steep as American Eagle: Abercrombie & Fitch traffic dipped 3.3% year-over-year, while H&M fell 4.9%.
Though web traffic for American Eagle surged following Sweeney's controversial ad campaign, sales for the brand have remained flat, Adweek reported, citing data company Consumer Edge.
In a marketing video for American Eagle, Sweeney wears all denim and makes a pun on the words 'genes' and 'jeans,' stating her 'jeans are blue' as a voiceover says, 'Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.' The ad sparked backlash from some critics who felt it came close to promoting eugenics, as Sweeney is blonde-haired and blue-eyed. Shalini Shankar, a Northwestern University anthropology professor who studies youth and advertising, told CNN she felt the ad was deliberate, and that American Eagle wanted to appeal to a 'MAGA-friendly identity.' The ad was championed by right-wing pundits and politicians, including President Donald Trump, who called it the 'HOTTEST ad out there.' Following Trump's praise, American Eagle's stock surged, jumping 23% on Aug. 4. How Have Sweeney And American Eagle Responded To The Backlash?
American Eagle stood by the ad, stating in an Instagram post the ad campaign 'is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story,' adding 'great jeans look good on everyone.' Sweeney has not responded to the controversy, though she has made a public appearance at a Los Angeles screening of her new film, 'Americana,' which opens in theaters Friday.
Other celebrity endorsements have coincided with increases in store traffic. After Kendrick Lamar performed at the Super Bowl halftime show in February, the flared $1,200 Celine jeans he wore went viral—and though the jeans are a luxury item, foot traffic at American Eagle surged, according to Pass_by data previously shared with Forbes, jumping more than 22% in the week following the Super Bowl. Craig Brommers, American Eagle's chief marketing officer, said at a panel weeks later the brand had a surge in interest after the Super Bowl because 'everyone on the planet equates flare jeans with American Eagle back in the mid-2000s.' Beyoncé, who has a partnership with Levi's that some critics have pitted against Sweeney's American Eagle ad, has helped traffic surge at Levi's locations. After Beyoncé starred in ads for Levi's, donned a denim aesthetic for her album 'Cowboy Carter' and released a song 'Levii's Jeans,' Pass_by said visits to Levi's stores jumped 20% in April 2024, compared to the same week in previous years. Further Reading
American Eagle Stock Jumps 23% After Trump Praises Controversial Sydney Sweeney Ad (Forbes)
