American Eagle’s new denim campaign featuring well known actress Sydney Sweeney has sparked controversy across the internet.
Viewers across the U.S. are angered with the word play used in the commercial. The original tagline used in the ad was “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.” The word “jeans” has been perceived as “genes,” leaving viewers stirring with the tagline, “Sydney Sweeney has great genes.”
Whether the wordplay was a viewer’s mistake or not, critics have accused American Eagle of contributing to a racist agenda. In the ad, Sweeney influenced the “ideal” beauty standards in America; a young white girl with blonde hair and blue eyes.
In a Lifestyle Asia article written by Guniya Sharma, these topics have been further discussed.
“The attention Sweeney’s body receives leaves much to unpack in today’s climate — after all, she is conventionally beautiful with blonde hair, blue eyes, and an ‘ideal’ body type, perfectly fitting the archetype ‘America’s Sweetheart’,” Sharma said.
On Aug. 1, American Eagle released a response to the backlash on an Instagram post, claiming that the ad was “Always about the jeans.”
“‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ 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,” American Eagle said.
It’s hard to say whether or not critics will back down from their original accusations, but American Eagle has definitely made their mark on America.
