In July 2025, American Eagle launched a denim-focused campaign starring Hollywood actress Sydney Sweeney. Known for her roles in Euphoria, The White Lotus, and Madame Web, Sweeney became the face of a project that aimed to blend cheeky humour, Gen Z irony, and social good.
The central theme played on the pun between “jeans” and “genes.” In one video, Sweeney says, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring… My jeans are blue.” The tagline “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” was intended as playful, but its execution quickly ignited backlash.
Critics argued that the campaign’s visual and verbal messaging carried unintended racial overtones. Featuring a blonde-haired, blue-eyed white actress talking about “great genes” evoked disturbing echoes of white supremacist rhetoric. The phrase “great genes” has historical associations with the eugenics movement in the United States — a movement that, in the early 20th century, promoted selective breeding to “improve” the human race, disproportionately targeting minorities and people with disabilities. This ideology would later influence Nazi Germany.
For some, the juxtaposition of Sweeney’s physical features with genetic language raised concerns over coded messaging in advertising.
While the campaign also had a charitable angle — proceeds from the limited-edition Sydney Jean were donated to Crisis Text Line — critics argued the execution undermined its intent.
Many accused the brand of objectifying Sweeney, pointing to ad clips where the camera lingered on her body even as she discussed serious topics like genetics. In one spot, Sweeney says, “My body’s composition is determined by my genes,” followed by the line, “Hey, eyes up here,” — a moment meant to be self-aware, but which critics said invited the very gaze it was mocking.
Some called this hypocritical, arguing that while the brand claimed to raise awareness around gender-based violence and women’s empowerment, it was simultaneously using Sweeney’s body to generate clicks.
