Sydney Sweeney, the Emmy-nominated actress who’s gained acclaim in recent years for her performances in blockbuster TV dramas such as “Euphoria” and “The White Lotus,” has found herself at the center of a media firestorm. This prominent attention follows her debut just a few weeks ago in American Eagle’s new campaign ad. The ad uses the slogan “Sydney Sweeney has good jeans” — a fun play on the double meaning of “jeans” with “genes.” While witty, this catchy phrase has come under fire for being reminiscent of eugenics discourse. In a wide-ranging recent interview with us, Sweeney responded to that backlash upfront.
The advertisement highlights Sweeney’s endorsement of American Eagle’s denim line and includes a statement from her: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color.” It has circulated widely across television, social media platforms, and storefronts, contributing to a significant rise in American Eagle’s stock price, which surged by as much as 20% following President Donald Trump’s comments about the ad.
That would seem to contradict Trump’s recent media appearance praising the performance of Sweeney, a registered Republican in Florida, to point out that very fact. He commented, “If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic.” His comments, while cringeworthy, are bringing a lot more attention to the ad and to Sweeney. This has led to some exciting, robust conversations around the politicization of Hollywood and entertainment.
The backlash over that move is what compelled Sweeney to write about how she really feels. In an interview with GQ, she stated: “Honestly, I feel like nothing I say can help the conversation.” She specifically called out critics for jumping to conclusions. She reiterated that what started as an innocent celebration had been turned into a ridiculous political statement.
American Eagle has issued a response to the ensuing controversy, doubling down on the motives of the advertisement. Key to the execution The creative company emphasized that the campaign is all about making the jeans the star. They are passionate about empowering personal expression with their products. They added, “We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way.”
That got marketing wizards chiming in on the crisis too. Allen Adamson noted that “success in marketing today is to get consumers sharing [advertisements] on social,” highlighting the challenges brands face in navigating public perception. He further mentioned how advertisements need to be “amazing” for someone to react to them, good or bad.
Despite the controversy, Sweeney’s popularity remains intact. Her work speaks to people like nobody’s business. That latest star-power may be enough to make her a long-term fixture in both the show business and branding worlds. Last, celebrity endorsements and political identities intersect, creating a major moment of conversation and discourse. This dynamic makes for one of the most consequential marketing strategy dilemmas in today’s world.