Imagine a marketing campaign so controversial it sparked accusations of “white supremacy” and “eugenics”, yet it somehow sent the brand’s stock soaring, adding nearly $400 million market value in a single day.
That’s exactly what happened with American Eagle’s recent ad featuring actress Sydney Sweeney, leaving many to wonder: was all the outrage part of the plan?
Let’s break it down!
The Core Idea Of The Campaign
The campaign focused on denim, with a clever play on words using “genes” and “jeans”.
One ad showed Sydney Sweeney in blue jeans, with text saying, “Sydney Sweeney has great genes”.
Later, someone crossed out “genes” and wrote “jeans” over it.
Beyond the wordplay, the campaign also featured a limited-edition “Sydney Jean” with a butterfly motif.
This butterfly symbolizes domestic violence awareness, and the brand donates 100% of the proceeds from “The Sydney Jean” to Crisis Text Line, a non-profit offering mental health support.
American Eagle also used new tech like AI-generated try-ons on Snapchat and huge billboards in Times Square and the Las Vegas Sphere to promote the campaign.
The brand aimed to reconnect with Gen Z shoppers, who closely follow trends and pay attention to price tags.
The Major Controversy
Despite these efforts, the campaign faced widespread backlash.
Here are the main reasons why:
Sexual Tone:
Many people felt that an ad for women’s jeans had a sexual tone that seemed aimed at the “straight male gaze”. Critics questioned how Gen Z girls could relate to an ad that focused on Sweeney’s breasts.
Charity Disconnect
The sexual nature of the ads seemed to clash with the brand’s stated goal of supporting domestic violence awareness and mental health through the butterfly motif and donations.
“White Supremacy” Accusations
This was the biggest controversy!
Critics felt that the “genes/jeans” pun, especially with Sweeney being a thin, white woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, implied that her genetic traits were “great,” “superior,” or “preferred”.
Some online comments called it a “direct eugenics ad” or “blatant white supremacist eugenicist propaganda”.
(Eugenics is the controversial idea of improving the human population by selectively encouraging or discouraging reproduction based on genetic traits.)
Important Campaign Lessons for Marketers
Embrace Inclusive Marketing
Brands should intentionally choose who they want to serve and include those consumers throughout their marketing.
If a brand doesn’t practice inclusive marketing, it should be prepared for negative reactions from those who feel excluded.
Consumers showed their displeasure by returning items and vowing to shop elsewhere.
Focus on Impact, Not Just Intent
American Eagle’s VP of marketing, Ashley Schapiro, mentioned the campaign had a “double meaning”.
However, even if the intention wasn’t to offend, how a campaign is received is the true measure of its success, not the intention behind it.
Don’t Guess How Your Campaign Will Be Received
Smart marketers test their campaigns with a diverse group of their target customers before launching to understand how they might be perceived.
If American Eagle didn’t intend to offend, they should have included “culturally intelligent insights” in their development process.
Respond Thoughtfully in a Crisis
Hasty responses can make situations worse and appear inauthentic.
Was Outrage Part of the Plan?
Some experts suggest that American Eagle might have deliberately wanted controversy.
Marketers like Ted Kohnen believe that in today’s world, “outrage is a growth channel” because it drives attention and conversation.
And it seems to have worked in one area:
American Eagle’s share price surged, increasing its value by as much as 18% in the week after the campaign launched, gaining “memestock” status.
The stock rallied by over 17% on July 23rd, adding nearly $400 million in market value in just one day.
This was a blessing for American Eagle, as its share price had fallen by 35% in 2025.
However, the stock did dip by 4% on July 25th, giving a reality check.
Conclusion
While the American Eagle campaign certainly generated immense attention and a temporary boost in stock value, the long-term impact on sales and brand reputation is negatively impacted.
This campaign highlights the complex challenges brands face in today’s interconnected and socially aware world, where marketing messages can be interpreted in many ways.
And it also forces us to ask:
Is short-term financial gain from controversy worth potential long-term brand damage?
Only time will tell.
This was not the first time Sydney has sparked outrage through her ad. She had also started controversy by selling soaps made with her actual bathwater (yes. bathwater)
Read the full story here!
She Sold Her Bathwater for $8: And Nearly 1 Million People Wanted It!
