Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle campaign earns flak: Controversy explained
What's the story
A new advertising campaign for American Eagle featuring actor Sydney Sweeney has sparked a major online controversy. Critics have accused the advertisement of promoting eugenics through its punny use of the phrase "great jeans." The 27-year-old actor, known for her roles in Euphoria and The White Lotus, appears in denim outfits with the tagline "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans."
Backlash details
Campaign's 'jeans' and 'genes' play on words explained
In one video from the campaign, Sweeney stands in front of a poster with the text "Sydney Sweeney has great genes," which is later crossed out and replaced with "jeans." Another clip features her explaining how genes are passed down from parents to offspring. This has led some social media users to accuse the campaign of being "tone deaf" and echoing rhetoric associated with eugenics and white supremacy.
Twitter Post
Some users went far enough to draw Hitler comparisons
Sydney Sweeney x American Eagle with sound off: 😍😍😍😍😍
— evan loves worf (@esjesjesj) July 26, 2025
Sydney Sweeney x American Eagle with sound on: https://t.co/dpWECqtAOn pic.twitter.com/CztKmsQ0ww
Twitter Post
Even singer Doja Cat mocked the campaign
Doja Cat mocks Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle commercial in new TikTok. pic.twitter.com/22nLoguWGG
— Pop Base (@PopBase) July 29, 2025
Supporters' stance
Some users have defended the campaign
On the other hand, several social media users have defended the campaign. One user on X wrote, "Woke advertising is dead, Sydney Sweeney killed it," a reference to a term used by some conservatives to criticize diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) measures. Another TikTok user argued that the backlash was an exaggeration and said they didn't see why it was causing all this controversy.
Company statement
AE will donate proceeds from 'The Sydney Jean' to charity
As part of the campaign, American Eagle is launching "The Sydney Jean," designed in collaboration with Sweeney. The brand has said that 100% of the purchase price from this jean will be donated to Crisis Text Line, a nonprofit offering free mental health support. Neither Sweeney nor American Eagle has publicly addressed the criticism as of now.
Twitter Post
Even charity angle couldn't save them
If you watched those Sydney Sweeney American Eagle ads you’d never know they were fundraising for a domestic violence charity
— shreya (@shreyabasu003) July 26, 2025