Many scrolling on social media have probably heard of Sydney Sweeney’s new controversial ad collaborating with American Eagle. On July 23, American Eagle released an ad featuring Sweeney, titled “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.” The slogan was based on wordplay of the words “genes” and “jeans,” referencing Sweeney’s appearance and the idea of good genetics. Instead of empowering women, the campaign crossed a line and relied on harmful stereotypes and racially packed language, proving that not all publicity is good publicity.
Sweeney is a popular American actress who acted in popular media such as “Anyone but You,” “The White Lotus” and “The Handmaid’s Tale.” She rose to fame in 2019 for her role as Cassie Howard in the hit HBO series “Euphoria.” Fans worldwide have supported Sweeney through 2025 due to her natural charisma and acting talent.
The American Eagle ad campaign included several promotional videos and photos, most notably, one video showing Sweeney fastening her jeans, saying, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color. My genes are blue.” The video received heavy criticism for referencing eugenics, a movement that promotes improving the human race through selective breeding, often with racist undertones. This ad crossed a line by making light of a harmful ideology, which many saw as offensive and inappropriate. After backlash, American Eagle removed the video from its social media accounts.
Another theme the campaign featured was Sweeney’s sexualization and her focus on the male gaze. In another video, the camera is focused on her cleavage before she says, “Hey, eyes up here.” Critics saw similarities to the controversial 1980 Brooke Shields Calvin Klein ad, which also used a focus on the female body to sell jeans. By centering the ad on Sweeney’s body instead of her individuality, American Eagle reduced her role to an object rather than an advocate, which sends a harmful message to young women watching. This intentional catering to male viewers makes the ad even more disrespectful than it already is.
“It feels like they’re selling her body more than the jeans. In this day and age, we should be past that standard. Women deserve ads that highlight their talent, not just their looks. It does not make the jeans more appealing and it does not make the ad any better, if anything it makes it worse,” freshman Brenda Pacheco said.
Some argue that women, particularly Sweeney, should not be shamed for the campaign or embracing her sexuality, as they are adults and can make choices with their bodies. However, the line between empowerment and objectification remains blurred. This campaign reinforces unrealistic beauty standards and racial eugenic myths by portraying a white, thin, attractive woman and claiming she has “superior” genes. It also promotes self-objectification, making women view themselves through a male gaze, diminishing their self-esteem.
“The thing is, this is not the first time one of her brand deals has stirred up controversy for being overly sexualized. It starts to look like a pattern and it makes people question whether that’s really her choice or if brands are just using her image to push the same tiring marketing tactics,” senior Marco Molinet said.
Featuring Sweeney as the face of “great genes” isolates diverse audiences and reinforces the idea that beauty and worth is linked to genetics and body type. This narrow-minded way of showing beauty ignores the many different body types and identities people have in the real world. It can hurt the confidence of women who do not see themselves represented by the ads and promote harmful ideologies.
“Even if American Eagle didn’t mean it in a harmful way, the whole ‘good genes’ message is inappropriate. When you use that kind of language, you’re basically touching on something that has been used to discriminate against people for so long. Brands should be more thoughtful about the words they choose, especially when so many people will see the ad,” sophomore Siena Sanchez said.
This is not the only ad where Sweeney focused on sexualization and appealed to the male gaze. Earlier this year, officially released on June 6, Sweeney collaborated with Dr. Squatch and came out with her own limited-edition body soap, which advertised to have her own bathwater and scent within. This product sparked major debate about female objectification, a common theme with Sweeney’s brand.
In the wake of the backlash, conservative media figures, including President Donald Trump and outlets like Fox News chimed in with a mix of criticism and mockery. Trump, known for his outspoken opinions on cultural issues, dismissed the controversy as an example of “woke cancel culture” gone too far, saying the criticism was an attack on free expression and personal choice. But dismissing these concerns as cancel culture minimizes the real message the campaign sends to society.
The phrase “all publicity is good publicity” is a popular advertising strategy. In the case of Sweeney’s ad, it is likely that American Eagle deliberately generated a buzz of controversy to capture public attention. No matter who they might offend, the goal is to get people talking and ultimately, buying their products, however, this approach has its risks. The people who feel insulted often choose to boycott the brand, discouraging others from purchasing from it as well, which can be damaging in the long run. It is a flawed approach to building a loyal customer base.
“Brands know exactly what they’re doing when they make campaigns like this. They want to create buzz, even if it means making people upset. The problem is, that buzz can come at the cost of reinforcing harmful ideas about self worth. If they actually cared about their customers, they’d focus on creating ads that include everyone,” sophomore Blake Axelrad said.
The reactions to Sweeney’s collaboration are a part of a larger cultural debate about how society views beauty, genetics and female empowerment. As debates continue, it is clear that campaigns like these require more thoughtful and responsible messaging, one that respects history and represents diversity without falling into harmful stereotypes. By doing this, brands and celebrities contribute to cultures that truly empower everyone instead of limiting them to outdated views.
