Why are people angry at Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle jeans ad?


**Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle Ad Sparks Backlash Over "Great Genes" Controversy**  

Sydney Sweeney’s latest campaign for American Eagle has stirred up controversy—but not for the reasons you might expect. While some critics have raised concerns about sexual objectification, the real backlash centers on the campaign’s alleged ties to eugenics ideology.

Titled *“Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,”* the ads play on the phrase *“great genes,”* referencing the actress’s genetic traits. However, many viewers argue the campaign glorifies racial ideals during a politically charged time, with some accusing it of promoting white superiority.



What’s in the Ads?
The campaign features Sweeney in classic blue jeans, engaging in everyday activities—like checking the engine of her Ford Mustang before driving off. In one ad, she adjusts a poster that originally reads *“Sydney Sweeney has great genes,”* crossing out *“genes”* and replacing it wit“jeans.”

The most criticized clip, however, shows Sweeney reclining on a couch while fastening her jeans and softly saying,
*“Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue.”
A narrator then concludes: *“Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.”*  

Though American Eagle has removed some videos from its official accounts, the campaign remains on display in Times Square, keeping the debate alive.


Why Are People Upset?

American Eagle described the campaign as *“bold and playful,”* highlighting Sweeney’s *“girl next door charm.”* But critics argue that celebrating *“good genes”* through a white, blonde, blue-eyed actress sends a dangerous message.

TikTok users and advertising professionals have called out the campaign for echoing eugenics rhetoric. One user, **@saltlacroix**, labeled it as part of a trend she calls *“BEIGE: Boring and Engineered to Identify with Gentrification and Eugenics.”




Others, like **@jessbritvich**, pointed out the troubling timing amid rising fascist ideologies in the U.S.:
*“It’s echoing the language of white purity politics… This language has cultural context. No, I don’t think this is an accident.”

Advertising expert **Robin Landa** told *Newsweek* that the campaign is *“historically loaded”* and risks normalizing exclusionary beliefs.

Celebrities Weigh In
Even Doja Cat joined the conversation, mocking Sweeney’s ad in a TikTok where she recited the script in an exaggerated accent. Meanwhile, writer **E.B. Johnson** compared the campaign to old Calvin Klein ads that glorified genetic superiority.

Has Sydney Sweeney responded?
So far, neither Sweeney nor American Eagle has publicly addressed the backlash. *Entertainment Weekly* has reached out for comment, but no statements have been released.

As the debate continues, the campaign raises bigger questions about advertising, messaging, and the unintended consequences of wordplay in a divided political climate.

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