Sydney Sweeney and the American Eagle Ad Debacle: Overreaction or Insightful Critique? Stars Weigh In
It seems Sydney Sweeney can’t catch a break these days. The Euphoria star (and apparently the new Hollywood “it-girl”) has recently stirred up controversy with an American Eagle jeans ad that, depending on who you ask, is either a fun wordplay or a covert recruitment poster for the Fourth Reich. Nope, your eyes aren’t deceiving you.
Sydney Sweeney’s Jeans – or Genes?
The ad in question leans heavily into Sweeney’s, um, genetic blessings, making a pun on “genes” (as in DNA) and “jeans” (as in tight, expensive denim). Cute, right? Well, the internet would beg to differ. What initially seemed like #SponCon with a side of sultry exploded into angry accusations of promoting eugenics and Nazi propaganda. Because, obviously, a blonde woman in jeggings is definitely sending subliminal messages about racial purity. What…?
Celeb Reactions to Sydney Sweeney’s AE Ad
Danica Patrick, former racecar driver, couldn’t seem to understand what was going on. She stated on her Instagram:
Can anyone tell me what’s wrong with the new AE ads?! Very confused.
Patrick was likely referring to the outrage from content creator Kaylor Betts. Betts, in a triggered post, was calling for a boycott of American Eagle. Even singer Doja Cat mocked the ad, throwing a funny bit of shade on it.
Stephen Colbert, a man known for dissecting cultural chaos with surgical precision and some seriously sharp humor, couldn’t resist poking the bear. On The Late Show, Colbert mocked the outrage, saying, “I don’t want to alarm you, but the internet is mad about something.” He deadpanned through a segment breaking down the controversy, delivering punchlines like, “Hitler did briefly model for Mein Kampfort Fit Jeans,” (ROFL and yikes), and asking the truly pressing question, “How do you say ‘badonk’ in German?”
A Denim Debacle With Layers
To be fair, the backlash wasn’t universal. While critics lit their torches and sharpened their pitchforks, fans of Sweeney and even casual viewers of the ad were left scratching their heads. Was it tone-deaf? Sure, maybe. But to label it as supremacist propaganda? A bit of a stretch, no?
Colbert wasn’t alone in rolling his eyes at the uproar. Comparisons were drawn to controversies of yore, like Brooke Shields’ infamous Calvin Klein jeans ad from the ’80s (“You want to talk about problematic? She was 15 when she filmed that.”). Shields herself later described that outrage as “ridiculous” in a Vogue interview, so perhaps history is repeating itself – but now it’s on steroids, thanks to social media.
Social Media Fans the Flames
Speaking of social media, the internet had plenty to say, as always. Comments ranged from the articulate (“If not a subtle message of white supremacy, why only blonde hair and blue eyes?”) to the kind of vague outrage that fuels furious Twitter feuds. Others took a more cynical approach, suggesting the ad’s “shock factor” was intentional, designed to spark controversy and rack up the clicks. If that’s true, well played, American Eagle. You “accidentally” made us all talk about you.
Is Any Ad Safe From the Internet?
It’s a pattern we’ve seen time and time again. A celebrity fronting a seemingly innocent campaign gets reeled into a culture war for which they didn’t sign up. While one can call the outrage overblown, these instances do raise larger questions about branding representation and how companies can wield influence in a fractured cultural landscape.
At its core, the Sweeney-American Eagle denim debate isn’t really about jeans or even the actress herself. It’s about the highly polarized world we live in, where every ad, every Instagram post, every thing can and will become a battlefield. Innocuous content can rapidly (and depressingly) become a vacuous storm of excrement that spawns think pieces, hashtags, and heated debates. Welcome to 2025, folks. It’s kinda fugly.
Sydney Sweeney Will Be Just Fine
Love her or hate her, Sweeney has proven repeatedly that she’s very capable of weathering a storm, especially one that she didn’t even create. Sure, some scars on her brand image might linger, but she’s also got a fan base ready to defend her at a moment’s notice. And isn’t that what being a modern-day celeb is all about?
Whether you see the ad as harmless marketing or a sly dog whistle, one thing is certain: Sydney Sweeney’s name is on everyone’s lips, which undoubtedly boosts her Hollywood staying power.
They say any publicity is good publicity, right? Well, maybe not always – but in Sweeney’s case, it seems this denim dust-up isn’t anywhere near career-ending. For now, we’ll try to remember that sometimes, jeans are just jeans. Right?
