Brand Marketing
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American Eagle responds to backlash over Sydney Sweeney’s 'Great Jeans' ad
American Eagle faced backlash over its Sydney Sweeney ad using the phrase “Great Jeans,” which critics linked to eugenics. The brand clarified it referred solely to denim, not genetics.
“‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story.”
American Eagle found itself at the centre of unexpected controversy after launching a new campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney, with the slogan “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans". What seemed like a clever pun turned into a week-long internet debate over the potential double meaning of the word “jeans” vs. “genes.”
In the ad, Sweeney is heard saying, “My body’s composition is determined by my genes,” while showcasing a pair of denim jeans. The use of the homophone—“jeans/genes”, prompted critics to accuse the brand of subtly referencing eugenics, a discredited and dangerous ideology that promoted selective breeding for “better” genetics, once popular in early 20th-century America.
American Eagle remained silent as the criticism gained traction online, with many questioning whether the brand was being careless or calculated. Finally, late on a Friday afternoon, after the weekly news cycle had largely quieted—the company issued a brief statement, “‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story.”
The statement also added that the brand will continue to “celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way.”
While the message aimed to put the matter to rest, the delayed response raised eyebrows. Observers noted the brand’s decision to respond late on a Friday, a classic PR move to soften the impact of negative press.
Sydney Sweeney has kept her distance from the controversy. Her Instagram feed remains focused on her current projects, with no comment on the backlash surrounding the ad campaign.
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