Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle divides internet: tone-deaf or anti-woke?

American Eagle’s new campaign with actress Sydney Sweeney lit up billboards and social media feeds ahead of the fall 2025 campaign, but it’s not just the jeans getting attention. The tagline “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” has ignited backlash from critics who say it carries racially coded undertones, while some supporters call it a stand against “woke culture.” 

A pun that sparked debate

In one ad posted to American Eagle’s Instagram, Sweeney approaches a sign that reads “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Genes” before the word “genes” is replaced by “jeans.” Since Sweeney is a white woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, critics argue the pun references traditional, Eurocentric beauty standards.

“Genes are passed down from parent to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color,” Sweeney says in another ad, zipping up a pair of jeans as the camera pans to her face.

One user on X responded, “So Sydney (& American Eagle) somehow expect audiences to not interpret this visual as a euphemism for eugenics and white supremacy?”

Eugenics and its roots

The eugenics movement gained prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, rooted in the belief that society could be improved through selective breeding of people with so-called desirable traits. It was inspired by Darwinian theories of natural selection, though distorted in application.

Most infamously, Adolf Hitler embraced eugenics to justify horrific experiments and policies meant to engineer a “genetically superior” Aryan race before and during World War II.

While some believe the ad alludes to eugenics-era rhetoric, others have celebrated it as a bold rejection of modern “wokeness.”

One X user said, “Woke advertising is dead. Sydney Sweeney killed it.” Another compared the campaign to American Eagle’s past inclusive ads, writing, “Woke is dead. All hail THE Goddess Sydney Sweeney.”

A mix of mischief and sex appeal

In a July 23 press release, American Eagle President and Executive Creative Director Jennifer Foyle said, “Innovative fits and endless versatility reflect how our community wears their denim: mixed, matched, layered and lived in. With Sydney Sweeney front and center, she brings the allure, and we add the flawless wardrobe for the winning combo of ease, attitude and a little mischief.”

Beyond the gene wordplay, critics have also taken issue with how the campaign sexualizes Sweeney.

In one ad, the actress jokes about her “genes” as the camera pans down toward her chest. She interrupts herself and says, “Hey! Eyes up here.”

One user on X defended her, saying, “I actually don’t care that Sydney Sweeney is capitalizing on her sex appeal after men oversexualised everything she did for years.”

But not everyone agreed. A Reddit commenter wrote, “Sexualising yourself is already cringe. [B]ut not taking a cause like this seriously is crazy work.”

Denim with a cause

The campaign also includes a philanthropic element. According to American Eagle’s media release, 100% of proceeds from sales of ‘The Sydney Jean’ will be donated to Crisis Text Line, an organization supporting domestic violence awareness and mental health resources.

Sweeney is no stranger to public commentary around her appearance. She recently partnered with Dr. Squatch to release a novelty soap called “Sydney’s Bathwater Bliss,” advertised as containing her actual bathwater. It resold online for thousands of dollars.

Stock boost despite controversy

Despite the backlash, the campaign appears to be boosting the brand. According to CNBC, American Eagle shares jumped more than 4% Thursday, with some analysts even labeling it a potential meme stock surge driven by Sweeney’s star power.

Straight Arrow News has reached out to American Eagle for comment but has not received a response as of publication time.