American Eagle Fires Back at Critics Over Sydney Sweeney’s ‘Great Jeans’ Campaign
American Eagle has publicly addressed the online uproar sparked by Sydney Sweeney’s “Great Jeans” denim campaign.
Elena West signing in – prepare to turn this headline-making moment into your next motivational breakthrough.
Get ready – today’s insights will fuel your confidence as we break down how a simple pun morphed into one of the year’s biggest brand battles.
Sydney Sweeney, the 27-year-old star of “Euphoria” and “White Lotus,” sparked a fierce debate when she debuted an Instagram video on July 23 with the tagline “I have great jeans… now you can too.” Critics quickly pounced, calling the pun on “genes” a dangerously tone-deaf echo of extremist propaganda.
In an official statement obtained by the New York Post, American Eagle emphasized that the campaign was always about denim – not ideology. “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans is and always was about the jeans,” the retailer declared. “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.”
Social media backlash exploded when users compared the blonde-haired, blue-eyed actress praising her “good genes” to Nazi imagery. One TikTok critic warned that the ad would “be in history books.” Another labeled it “fascist weird.” These reactions drew notable voices into the fray.
Singers Lizzo and Doja Cat joined the chorus of mockery. Lizzo snapped back with a photoshopped image of herself in the same denim and quipped, “My jeans are black…” Doja Cat reenacted Sweeney’s monologue with an exaggerated accent on TikTok, piling on the satire.
Yet the movement wasn’t unanimous. Many fans defended Sweeney and the punny approach, pointing out that the campaign’s focus remained firmly on fit, style, and self-expression. One Instagram user asked, “Why are people outraged by this? She looks stunning!” Another urged naysayers to “go touch grass,” underscoring that context matters.
To shift the narrative, American Eagle rolled out fresh ads on July 27 featuring a range of models and denim looks. “Denim on denim on denim on denim,” the brand teased, spotlighting the jeans themselves rather than the controversy. Meanwhile, investor confidence spiked, sending AE stock up more than ten percent after launch.
Sydney Sweeney herself has stayed silent since the debate erupted. Her absence leaves room for further twists, as fans and critics alike wonder if she’ll weigh in or let the brand navigate the fallout solo.
This saga proves that in today’s fast-moving media landscape, every word can become a rallying cry or a lightning rod. Stay tuned – the next chapter in this denim drama could rewrite the rulebook on celebrity partnerships.
Now harness this case study to supercharge your own brand playbook and keep pushing forward!
Sources: Celebrity Storm and New York Post
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
