AEO defends Sydney Sweeney jeans ad amidst criticism

NEW YORK — Teen fashion brand American Eagle Outfitters has addressed the uproar surrounding its recent denim advertising initiative featuring 27-year-old actress Sydney Sweeney. The campaign had ignited a debate over race and Western beauty ideals. However, the company has clarified that the focus was intended to be on the jeans themselves.

In a statement shared on American Eagle’s Instagram on Friday, the retailer emphasized that the core of the campaign “is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.” This statement marks the first time American Eagle has responded since the ad, with the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,” launched last week.

Leading up to the campaign launch, the company’s chief marketing officer mentioned to industry publications that the campaign employed “clever, even provocative language” and was intended to “push buttons.” However, it seems unclear whether the company anticipated the level of controversy it would generate.

Criticism centered mainly around promotional material that substituted the term “genes” for “jeans” in describing Sweeney, who is notable for her roles in HBO’s “Euphoria” and “White Lotus.” A particularly contentious teaser video featured Sweeney saying, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue.” Although it appeared on American Eagle’s Facebook page, this video was not officially part of the ad campaign.

To some critics, this wordplay seemed to reference eugenics, a discredited ideology that advocated for the improvement of humanity through selective breeding for desirable traits. Meanwhile, other observers suggested that critics were interpreting too much into the campaign’s creative approach.

Marketing specialists have observed that controversy, even if not entirely positive, can generate beneficial buzz for a brand. “If you try to follow all the rules, you’ll make lots of people happy, but you’ll fail,” remarked Allen Adamson, co-founder of marketing consultancy Metaforce, adding, “The rocket won’t take off.”