What The Ad Industry Really Thinks About American Eagle’s Sydney Sweeney Campaign

When American Eagle tapped Sydney Sweeney for its fall campaign, the brand said it wanted to celebrate “trendsetting denim that leads, never follows.” 

Instead, the ads, which promoted Euphoria actress Sweeney’s “good genes,” have become a political flashpoint. Critics on the left claim they “promote eugenics,” while on the right supporters (including President Donald Trump) have praised the U.S. company for subverting so-called “wokeness.”

Others in the middle believe the controversy has been overblown. For its part, American Eagle said the campaign has “always been about the jeans.” 

But what do creatives and strategists in the ad industry make of the work? 

ADWEEK asked ad industry pros to weigh in on the creative direction, buzz, backlash, and double denim discourse.

Jamie Stark, group creative director, Quality Meats

“I feel like the whole thing is just an attempt to get attention with cheap-ass oversexualization and objectification of women, and it blew up in their faces. But also, people are kind of overreacting to it. And now they are just dragging out old skeletons in Sydney Sweeney’s closet. So kind of an unfortunate hot mess all around.”

Will Lion, chief strategy officer, BBH

“It’s another strong signal to adland that the world likes the blindingly obvious and we should stop trying so hard to overcomplicate it. A hot person in jeans. A Jet2 jingle. Michael Cera pretending to have invented CeraVe. Basic is good. And as for the reaction, it’s outrage farming from the cynical or annoying. We live in a time when fringe opinion is presented as valid for clicks. If it enrages, it engages. Ignore the noise, let’s focus on the signal.”  

Emily Gray, founding partner, Untangld:

“Let’s be clear: this is not a eugenics campaign. It’s a lazy pun. ‘Good genes’ is the kind of line that comes up quickly and is immediately dismissed because it’s unoriginal and uninspired. The bigger issue isn’t intent; it’s imagination. In banking on Sydney Sweeney—another blonde, blue-eyed all-American face—American Eagle didn’t break any rules, but they did play into a tired trope. One that feels more early 2000s Jessica Simpson than culturally current.

“What’s striking is not that this sparked backlash, but that it boosted the brand’s bottom line. That tells us more about the state of culture than any press release could. In a moment where Sydney Sweeney and Alix Earle seem to have a monopoly on American advertising, Y2K nostalgia is having a full blown renaissance, and inclusivity is sliding off the agenda, this campaign still resonated with its chosen demographic. It’s not that consumers don’t notice the lack of diversity. Maybe it’s that right now, many just don’t seem to mind. That should worry the industry more than one poorly chosen pun.”

Katie Hunter, managing partner, Wonderhood Makers

“We all remember Pepsi’s Kendall Jenner ad—unfortunately, this campaign was just as tone deaf. The math of it is easy to understand: a sexy, funny, smart, and talented actor fronts a global denim brand campaign. You can picture the high-fives over the jeans/genes pun in the creative presentation. But the nuances (and perhaps less nuanced messages) are just… off. 

“It’s remiss and even a bit stupid not to take the bigger cultural picture and sensitivities into account for a launch of this scale. Particularly in the cultural pressure cooker we’re operating in. 

“Perhaps the Trump endorsement was the PR goal they were aiming for, but that feels unlikely. As always, do the homework, the research, and be aware of the bigger cultural picture. We shouldn’t be operating in an advertising vacuum.”

Sol Ricagni, vice president of creative and managing director at Migrante

“Reactions to the campaign are so polarized—it’s pushed every button on the left and the right—that it’s challenging to make sense of it all, which is when the ‘debate’ starts to become just part of the ongoing noise of the culture wars.

“On the one hand, it goes to show how tired consumers are of elitist-skewing ads, and reminds us how important it is not to alienate your consumers.

“But you can’t ignore the fact that the controversy has got the whole world talking about advertising, and it’s interesting that both Sweeney and American Eagle have leaned in rather than backing down.

“Their attitude perhaps says something valuable to brands about the importance of having the courage of your own convictions, and it’s certainly worked for them in terms of immediate sales and share price—although it could all backfire on them in the long term.”

Geoff McHenry, head of strategy, 72andSunny NY

“I may be in the minority here, but I don’t think that the brand meant anything intentionally harmful when they created this campaign. But good intentions and public perception are two completely different things.”

“In today’s climate, the job of a marketer is to not only think about what you want to say, but to be considerate and empathetic towards how others may perceive it. That’s why having people from diverse backgrounds, different generations, and people with different lived experiences in the room is incredibly important. They allow you to find blind spots, anticipate cultural conversation, and ensure that your intentions match the public perception of whatever you create.”