Sydney Sweeney sent a brutal message to critics of her controversial American Eagle campaign as she starred in another shoot for the brand.
The video begins with Sydney asking the audience ‘What brand am I wearing?’ before flashes of her modeling their new jean shorts appear on screen.
In a clear reference to the backlash she received from last year’s ‘great jeans’ promotion, she then nonchalantly answers the question herself with a loaded three-word response.
‘Yeah. That one,’ she says with a smile and a knowing shrug.
Last summer, Sweeney found herself at the center of a heated controversy after she appeared in an American Eagle ad featuring the tagline ‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,’ a pun on ‘great genes’.
The phrase – and Sweeney’s blonde good looks – ignited a heated debate online when it launched in July with many accusing the company of promoting eugenics and white supremacy. Some even compared the ad to ‘Nazi propaganda’.
Sydney Sweeney sent a brutal message to the critics of her controversial American Eagle campaign as she starred in another campaign for the brand
In a recent interview with People, the Euphoria star said that staying silent about the controversial ad only fueled the uproar.
‘I was honestly surprised by the reaction,’ Sweeney said. ‘I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand. I don’t support the views some people chose to connect to the campaign.
‘Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren’t true,’ she added.
American Eagle took a strong stance against the backlash, maintaining the campaign focused on personal style, confidence and authenticity.
‘”Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” is and always was about the jeans,’ the company stated in an August 1 post on Instagram. ‘Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.’
Sweeney insisted she’s ‘against hate’ and ‘leads with kindness,’ and the reason she’s confronting the issue now is to banish the negative energy.
‘Anyone who knows me knows that I’m always trying to bring people together. I’m against hate and divisiveness,’ said the star.
‘In the past my stance has been to never respond to negative or positive press but recently I have come to realize that my silence regarding this issue has only widened the divide, not closed it.
‘So, I hope this new year brings more focus on what connects us instead of what divides us.’
The actress first addressed the furor over her American Eagle ad in a November interview with GQ, saying she did ‘a jean ad’ and was too busy filming to notice the backlash.
‘I did a jean ad. I mean, the reaction definitely was a surprise, but I love jeans. All I wear are jeans. I’m literally in jeans and a T-shirt every day of my life,’ she told the magazine.
‘I knew at the end of the day what that ad was for, and it was great jeans, it didn’t affect me one way or the other.
‘I’ve always believed that I’m not here to tell people what to think. I know who I am. I know what I value. I know that I’m a kind person. I know that I love a lot, and I know that I’m just excited to see what happens next. And so I don’t really let other people define who I am.’
Her response at that time was perceived by some media critics and fans as dismissive.
Despite an initial drop, the campaign soon reached its goal by standing out in a competitive market.
After the ad debuted, the buzz and debate enabled American Eagle to win a huge number of new customers. Soaring sales led to jean sell-outs and boosted investor interests.
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