American Eagle responds to backlash over Sydney Sweeney campaign as brand experts remain divided

American Eagle is standing by its campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney, despite mounting criticism over a wordplay that has divided social media users.

The brand’s latest campaign, titled ‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’, sparked a wave of backlash, headlines and viral commentary across platforms. Playing on the pun between jeans and genes, the advert includes a scene where the ‘White Lotus‘ and ‘Euphoria‘ actress says, “My jeans are blue”, shortly after referencing genetic heritage. For some viewers, this was perceived as a problematic nod to ideas linked with eugenics.

In response to the controversy, American Eagle issued a statement on its official Instagram account: “‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is — and always was — about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We will continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, in their own way.” The post received over 36,000 likes and thousands of comments within hours, highlighting the divide in public opinion.

From an academic standpoint, Professor David Loranger criticised the brand’s handling of the issue, calling it “contrary to everything taught about crisis management in branding.” He argued that doubling down on the message without acknowledging public reaction risks appearing “arrogant” and disconnected from younger consumers — especially Gen Z, one of the brand’s key demographics. “This could become a textbook example of what not to do,” he warned.

Others, like Jennifer Sey, former Levi’s president and now CEO of XX-XY Athletics, took the opposite view: “It’s just a pun. Sydney is at the peak of her career and has a sense of humour. Not everything needs to become a debate about oppression.” In her opinion, American Eagle should not yield to what she sees as a disproportionate online reaction.

Meanwhile, Scott Woodward, founder of Sew Branded, acknowledged the campaign’s aesthetic appeal but noted: “Today’s cultural climate makes this kind of message fall flat.” He cautioned that failing to recognise how a segment of the audience felt might exacerbate the backlash.

So far, Sydney Sweeney has not commented publicly on the matter. Her most recent Instagram post — to her 25 million followers — features a clip from the advert with the caption: “I have great jeans… now you can too.” While some fans embraced it as playful and empowering, others criticised it as tone-deaf.

Launched on 23 July, the campaign reportedly boosted American Eagle Outfitters’ market value by $400 million, underscoring Sweeney’s star power as a brand ambassador. Still, the incident raises a deeper question: how far should a brand stick to its message when public interpretation turns against it?