American Eagle Responds to Sydney Sweeney Ad Campaign Controversy

The ad campaign delivered a boost to American Eagle's business.

Published: 8/1/2025, 2:49:58 PM EDT

American Eagle Responds to Sydney Sweeney Ad Campaign Controversy — A window display featuring actress Sydney Sweeney in the window of an American Eagle store in New York City, on Aug. 1, 2025. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

American Eagle responded on Friday after its Sydney Sweeney "great jeans" ad campaign sparked controversy online.

"'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans' is and always was about the jeans. Her Jeans. Her Story. We'll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way," the company said in a statement posted on Instagram. "Great jeans look good on everyone."

The clothing company recently debuted its "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans" campaign featuring 27-year-old actress Sydney Sweeney.

The ad has received backlash online with left-wing critics pointing to the pun of "great genes"/"great jeans" and Sweeney's blonde hair/blue eyes appearance as evidence of racist undertones.

Sydney Sweeney attends the "Echo Valley" European Premiere at the BFI Southbank in London, England, on June 10, 2025. (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images) — Sydney Sweeney attends the "Echo Valley" European Premiere at the BFI Southbank in London, England, on June 10, 2025. Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

In the run-up to the ad blitz, the company's chief marketing officer told trade media outlets that it included “clever, even provocative language” and was “definitely going to push buttons."

It's unclear if the company knew how much controversy the ad could raise.

Vice President JD Vance also weighed in.

"You have like a normal, all-American beautiful girl doing like a normal jeans ad, right? They're trying to sell jeans to kids in America, and they have managed to so unhinge themselves over this thing," Vance said in a "Ruthless" podcast released on Friday. "And it's like, you guys, did you learn nothing from the November 2024 election? Like, I actually thought that one of the lessons they might take is we're going to be less crazy. And the lesson they have apparently taken is we're going to attack people as Nazis for thinking Sydney Sweeney is beautiful. Great strategy, guys. That's how you're going to win the midterm, especially young American men."

The ad campaign delivered a boost to American Eagle's business. The company's stock price jumped from $10.19 on July 22, the day before the campaign aired, to $12.03 on July 28, when the backlash was at its peak.

Sweeney was born in Spokane, Washington, and raised in Idaho. Her acting career began with small roles in such series as "Heroes," "Criminal Minds," "Grey's Anatomy," "Pretty Little Liars," and "The Handmaid's Tale." She had a breakout role as Cassie Howard in HBO's "Euphoria." She has since blossomed into a leading lady in films, including the romantic comedy "Anyone But You" with Glen Powell, the Marvel Cinematic Universe film "Madame Web," and the thriller film "Eden," directed by Ron Howard.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The article is updated to include the statement from American Eagle.