Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle 'Good Genes' Ad Sparks Controversy Over Race, Boosts Stock

Sydney Sweeney's new American Eagle ad campaign featuring the tagline "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans" has ignited significant controversy due to its wordplay on "genes," which many critics interpret as a reference to eugenics and white supremacy. The ad, showcasing Sweeney's blonde hair and blue eyes, has been called a "racialized dog whistle" and accused of promoting Nazi propaganda by some social media users, especially amid President Donald Trump's policies on diversity and immigration. Marketing experts suggest the controversy was a deliberate strategy by Sweeney to cultivate a polarizing persona that attracts attention rather than respectability. Despite backlash labeling the campaign tone-deaf and insensitive, American Eagle has defended the ad, emphasizing its focus on classic denim styling, and the campaign has boosted the company's stock by nearly 17%. Supporters argue the criticism is an overreaction and that the ad is harmless, while others see it as reflecting deeper societal issues around race and beauty standards. This campaign continues a pattern for Sweeney of engaging in provocative marketing that sparks widespread debate.