American Eagle X Sydney Sweeney: When great "Jeans" make the headlines

In July 2025, American Eagle launched its bold campaign “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans”, starring actress Sydney Sweeney alongside NFL star Travis Kelce. The play on words between “jeans” and “genes” became the centerpiece of the campaign, the campaign reached a wide audience sparking both enthusiasm and controversy.

The results were undeniable. American Eagle welcomed 700,000 new customers, achieved over 40 billion ad impressions, and saw a 33% surge in stock price. Denim sales skyrocketed, with several styles selling out entirely, marking one of AE’s strongest campaigns in recent years.

Yet, the tagline ignited debate, highlighting how easily brand messaging can slip into cultural fault lines. Critics argued that linking “great jeans/genes” risked reinforcing narrow beauty standards, particularly given Sweeney’s image as a blonde, blue-eyed actress. Cancel culture caught on quickly as well, with many tiktok content creators boycotting the brand and framing the slogan as racially insensitive. While controversy does fuel impressions, it also greatly affects brand image. American Eagle gained revenue, but at the cost of sparking conversations about exclusion and representation. In today’s marketing landscape, that trade-off matters more than ever.

The campaign reflects a wider lesson: celebrity partnerships can turbocharge visibility and revenue, but brands must balance creativity with sensitivity to public perception.