American Eagle faces backlash over Sydney Sweeney ‘great jeans’ campaign

American Eagle’s latest denim campaign featuring actor Sydney Sweeney has sparked online backlash, with critics accusing it of being “tone deaf.”

Social media users are calling it out for echoing themes associated with eugenics and white supremacy on purpose.

The campaign promotes “The Sydney Jean,” a new denim style co-designed by Sweeney, known for her roles in Euphoria and The White Lotus.

In the ad, Sweeney appears wearing American Eagle jeans alongside the tagline, “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.” In one video posted by the brand, the word “genes” is initially displayed before being replaced with “jeans” — a pun that is problematic when associated with eugenics, a concept that promotes the idea of genes considered to be superior/desirable.

Another clip features Sweeney stating: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue.”

Many have called out the implication that blue genes are superior. It is an idea that white supremacists often resort to. They also call themselves blue bloods.

The ad has received mixed reactions.

Some social media users criticised the campaign for seemingly referencing genetic superiority, particularly because it features a blonde, blue-eyed white woman.

One user on X (formerly Twitter) remarked, “Getting a blue-eyed, blonde, white woman and focusing your campaign around her having perfect genetics feels weird, especially considering the current state of America,” citing ongoing political debates around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

On TikTok, a user suggested the campaign's language was deliberate, stating, “The words we use are never unintentional… for American Eagle to say Sydney Sweeney has good genes is not an accident.” They added, “This is a dog whistle to the rise of conservatism in this country.”

In contrast, some conservatives celebrated the ad as a rejection of “woke” marketing.

One user on X commented, “Woke advertising is dead, Sydney Sweeney killed it.”

Another said they are happy to see a white woman in American Eagle ads and celebrated, saying "white women are back".

Some also said they are sick of seeing "fat and coloured" people in ads.

Others have dismissed the backlash as exaggerated. 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.”

Neither American Eagle nor Sweeney had publicly responded to the controversy as of Tuesday. However, the brand highlighted that proceeds from “The Sydney Jean” — which features a butterfly motif symbolising domestic violence awareness — would go entirely to Crisis Text Line, a nonprofit offering 24/7 mental health support.

The ad itself does not echo any themes suggesting domestic violence or women's safety.

In a press release, American Eagle described the 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.” They 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.”

This is not the first time Sweeney has found herself at the center of political discourse.

In 2022, she faced criticism after images surfaced from her mother’s birthday party, where guests wore hats resembling Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan.

More recently, in May, she drew attention for promoting soap made with her bath water, which quickly sold out online.