Featured Image Credit: Joy Malone/Variety via Getty Images
Topics: Fashion, Racism, Social Media, Sydney Sweeney, US News, Washington
Liv Bridge
Topics: Fashion, Racism, Social Media, Sydney Sweeney, US News, Washington
Sydney Sweeney is being called out for her involvement in a jean brand campaign that is being called 'disturbing' and 'racially insensitive'.
A new American Eagle advertisement campaign has hired the 27-year-old actress as its poster woman for its fall 2025 denim catalogue, which has gone down like a lead balloon.
According to AE, it is hoping to 'further elevate its position as the #1 jeans brand for Gen Z', yet both the brand and Sweeney have been catapulted to the forefront of controversy - not for the jeans, but over what critics say is its celebration of the Euphoria star's whiteness.
In the clip, Sweeney can be seen sporting an entire denim fit while putting up a poster which has a tag line that reads: "Sydney Sweeney has great genes."
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'Genes' is then crossed out and replaced with 'jeans'.
Dozens have flocked to social media to share their outrage, with many pointing out the apparent insensitive word play hints at white supremacy.
"This is what happens when you have no people of color in a room. Particularly in a time like this," read one comment on Instagram. "This ad campaign got so caught up in this 'clever' play on words and this stunt the people in the room missed what was so blatantly obvious to anyone not White."
A second chimed: "It’s giving 'Subtle 1930’s Germany'," while a third joked: "Eujeanics."
According to a Salon report, the phrase 'great genes' has been used throughout history to 'celebrate whiteness, thinness and attractiveness', dubbing the ad campaign a 'tone-deaf marketing move'.
President Donald Trump faced similar backlash back in 2020 when the Republican spoke to a nearly all-white crowd in Minnesota: "You have good genes, you know that, right?" he said.
"You have good genes. A lot of it is about the genes, isn’t it, don’t you believe? The racehorse theory. You think we’re so different? You have good genes in Minnesota.”
The comment attracted backlash from the local Jewish community at the time, who said the POTUS' remarks echoed the 'race science' used by the Nazis.
Many are now drawing similarities with the American Eagle ad, as dozens said on Twitter that it reminds them of Nazi Germany for applauding the 'good genes' of a white, blue-eyed blonde woman.
"People not realizing the eugenics ideology behind Sydney Sweeney's jeans ad is like very terrifying you guys desperately need to grow a brain," penned one.
"Holy s**t that American Eagle Sydney Sweeney jeans ad is f**king disturbing," said another.
A marketing pro on TikTok, who goes by the name vital_media_marketing, further took issue with the framing of the campaign, finding the camera panning up her body, face and features to indicate her 'family tree and the genetics that have been handed down to her'.
Angie continued: "Praising Sydney Sweeney for her 'great genes' in the context of her white, blonde hair, blue-eye appearance, is is one of the loudest and most obvious racialized dog whistles we've seen and heard in a while."
Not everyone agrees with the criticism, however, as another said on Twitter: "I'm not sure how to say this nicely but if you think a jeans ad with a pun about Sydney Sweeney being pretty is a nazi dogwhistle you genuinely need to put the phone down for a while."
Others also said the ad would have been in better taste had it featured several people with the same tag line, celebrating various nationalities and skin colors.
The comments come as Jennifer Foyle, President and Executive Creative Director of American Eagle Outfitters Inc, said: "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.”
Sweeney also added in the campaign: "There is something so effortless about American Eagle – it’s the perfect balance of being put-together but still feeling like yourself."
UNILAD has contacted American Eagle and Sydney Sweeney's reps for comment.