American Eagle Launches Campaign with Sidney Sweeney, Which Sparked Controversy

• Sidney Sweeney became the subject of criticism due to the slogan of the campaign.
• A portion of the proceeds from the sale of jeans will go to support the organization.
• The campaign emphasizes traditional color standards and includes a social aspect.

On July 28, 2025, American Eagle launched an advertising campaign featuring actress Sidney Sweeney, who became the subject of criticism due to potential racial undertones in her statements. The campaign, aimed at promoting a new collection of jeans, features the slogan "Sidney Sweeney has beautiful jeans," which is a play on words with the phrase "beautiful genes."

In a video that garnered over 1.1 million views on Instagram, Sweeney stands in front of a poster with an image of herself, where the word "genes" is obscured and replaced with "jeans." This sparked controversy among many social media users, who accused the brand of promoting eugenics and racism.

The campaign's slogan and its subtext have drawn attention from critics, who argue that the ad promotes traditional color standards, focusing attention on the white experience. Many commentators expressed concerns that the campaign is not inclusive and does not reflect the diversity of contemporary society.

In addition to this, the campaign has a social aspect: 100% of the proceeds from the sale of jeans will be donated to support the organization Crisis Text Line, which provides free mental health support. However, many people believe that the important message of the campaign does not come across in the advertising materials.

American Eagle also plans to expand its presence in the market amid economic uncertainty, having previously reported losses of $68 million in the first quarter due to tariffs. However, after the start of the campaign, the company's stock rose.

Currently, neither Sidney Sweeney nor American Eagle have commented on the criticism that arose following the campaign.

Tags: Economy/Well-being