American Eagle went from the belle of the
ball for its Sydney Sweeney campaign to facing accusations of pro-eugenics.
Two days after American Eagle Outfitters launched the campaign featuring the actress, best known
for her roles in “Euphoria” and “The White Lotus,” would star in the campaign, the company’s shares rose 7%.
“The ad features Sweeney, 27,
speaking directly to the camera,” according to Newsweek. “‘Genes are passed down
from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color … my jeans are blue,’ she says, while seductively buttoning up a pair of jeans. The
wordplay between ‘jeans’ and ‘genes’ is presented as a clever twist—but critics argue it is far more insidious."
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The effort is “the latest
flashpoint for the culture wars,” according to Adweek. Outrage was sparked by dialogue from one particular video (which now
appears to be removed from several social platforms) in which Sweeney says: “My body’s composition is determined by my genes.”
Even Doja Cat is getting in on the
conversation, with a TikTok post mocking the original ad, featuring the singer "using an exaggerated backwoods-style accent,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“It has been viewed nearly 10 million times as of press time.”
Media pundits are also getting in on the commentary, some which seem aimed at Sweeney herself and not the
company which paid her.
"The backlash has been swift and fierce, and some of it, at least, if you ask me, is fair,” writes Hannah Holland, an MSNBC producer. “The
internet has been quick to condemn the advertisement as noninclusive at best and as overtly promoting 'white
supremacy' and 'Nazi propaganda' at worst. These critics point to the copy and the implication of calling a white person
superior because of their genes. In the videos, Sweeney exudes a sort of vintage sexiness that caters to the male gaze. She embodies the near mythological girl-next-door beautiful but low-maintenance
sexy femininity that dominated media in the 1990s and the early 2000s. Together, the campaign feels regressive and not retro, offensive and not cheeky.”
"It seems unlikely American Eagle
and Sydney Sweeney are directly supporting Nazism, white supremacy and eugenics on purpose," notes a post on Hey Alma, a feminist Jewish culture site. "But given the history of Nazism and eugenics,
and the current global trend towards authoritarianism and fascism, it is concerning that a popular clothing company and A-list actress would market themselves with a pun on the phrase 'great
genes.'"
AE’s website notes that a butterfly motif on the back pocket of the jean represents domestic violence awareness. In support of the cause, 100% of the purchase price
from “The Sydney Jean” will be donated to Crisis Text Line, a nonprofit offering free, 24/7, confidential mental health support to anyone in need.
“Despite
the jeans promoting a good cause, online critics were fixated on the ad’s alleged White supremacist undertones,” according to Fox News.
Bottom line, despite the
backlash, American Eagle stocks are up 20% over the past five days.
“Many observers have deemed it a meme stock," notes The Hill. “The campaign also bears similarities to a 1980s campaign by
actor Brooke Shields for Calvin Klein, which also relied on plays between genes and jeans. American Eagle did not respond immediately to a request for comment. Sweeney herself has not yet publicly
addressed the controversy.”