What’s All the Fuss About Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle Jeans Ad Really About?
Sydney Sweeney, best known for her role in Euphoria, is now making headlines for her recent American Eagle campaign
The ad features her 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 uses wordplay between “genes” and “jeans,” but many online critics say the message is loaded with racial undertones.
Some viewers accused the ad of echoing eugenics themes, pointing to Sweeney’s blonde hair, blue eyes, and white appearance as part of the visual message. A viral TikTok by user @thealtperspective, which has been viewed nearly 2 million times, described the commercial as “literally an ad FULL of racist and fascist dog whistles.”
@thealtperspective also it’s all about her body AGAIN #americaneaglejeans #sydneysweeney #americaneagle ♬ original sound – american_gulf
Fashion advocate Dr. Brett Staniland told Newsweek the ad has “sparked backlash for multiple reasons — firstly the terminology and its inferences suggest a connection to Sydney Sweeney’s appearance being perfect, denoting her blonde hair, blue eyes and white skin.”
Not everyone agrees with that interpretation. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung dismissed the accusations, calling them “dense liberal thinking” and “cancel culture run amok.”
Despite the controversy, Sydney Sweeney is becoming a major star for brands. American Eagle’s stock jumped 17% the day after the campaign launched, adding about $400 million to the company’s value, Quartz reported.
After days without commenting, American Eagle finally spoke out on Instagram about the backlash. They said the ad was all about the jeans — “Her jeans. Her story.” The company added, “We’ll keep celebrating how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, in their own way. Great jeans look good on everyone.” The campaign seems to be a nod to Brooke Shields’ famous 1980 Calvin Klein ad, which was also controversial at the time.
Social media users weren’t impressed with American Eagle’s explanation. Many mocked the wordplay between “jeans” and “genes,” saying it came off as confusing or tone-deaf. Some called the company’s statement a classic “I’m sorry you feel that way” response and accused them of avoiding the real problem. Others wondered what “her story” really meant or if the campaign even had a clear message.
The debate is still going strong online, with lots of people asking what the ad was really trying to say.
The backlash against Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle campaign seems rooted in racism and unfounded conspiracy theories, with some claiming the brand is promoting eugenics, racism, and even Nazism. In reality, American Eagle is simply trying to sell jeans, leveraging Sweeney’s star power, good looks, and a playful pun to grab attention, and they did it.
American Eagle doubled down on the backlash and they do not plan on recalling the campaign.
Sydney Sweeney ad for American Eagle is up in Times Square.
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) August 4, 2025
Never bow to the woke mob.
(cititour_nyc on TT) pic.twitter.com/1WNwQduIv0
After Sydney Sweeney’s “Great Jeans” American Eagle ad, Dunkin’ launched a similar campaign starring Texas-born actor and model Gavin Casalegno.
“I didn’t ask to be the King of Summer… it just kind of happened. This tan? Genetics.
Following Sydney Sweeney’s “great jeans” American Eagle ad, Dunkin’ has released a similar campaign featuring Texas-born actor and model Gavin Casalegno.
— AF Post (@AFpost) July 30, 2025
“I didn’t ask to be the King of Summer… it just kinda’ happened. This tan? Genetics.”
Follow: @AFpost pic.twitter.com/J8uuwvOE9k
Even Trump chimed in on the debate, most likely due to the fact that Sweeney is registered Republican in Florida.
On Monday, Trump praised Sydney Sweeney amid controversy surrounding the
“Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the HOTTEST ad out there,” Trump wrote on his social media platform. “Go get ’em, Sydney.”
In a post he initially deleted due to misspelling her first name as “Sidney,” Trump also added, “Being WOKE is for losers — being Republican is what you want to be.”
It doesn’t look like the controversy will die down anytime soon but American Eagle’s stock is up, the campaign is resonating with the public, and both the company and the actress are enjoying a surge of free publicity.
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