Sydney Sweeney in a promotional video for fashion brand American Eagle - Photo: American Eagle
The latest advertising campaign of fashion brand American Eagle featuring actress Sydney Sweeney has become the center of controversy on social media in recent days, when some people accused it of carrying a hidden message about racism.
Sydney Sweeney - the star who rose to fame from HBO's hit series Euphoria and The White Lotus - is the face of the brand's fall jeans campaign. The campaign's slogan is: "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans" - a play on "great genes".
American Eagle's risky move
In a clip posted on American Eagle's Instagram that has been viewed more than 6 million times, Sydney Sweeney stands in front of a poster that reads "Sydney Sweeney has great genes," before the word "genes" is crossed out and replaced with "jeans."
Another video followed suit, sparking widespread criticism on platforms like TikTok, X (Twitter), and Threads.
According to NBC News, some viewers said the campaign was promoting “eugenics,” “white supremacy,” and even “neo-Nazi propaganda.”
American Eagle jeans commercial video
“Genes are passed down from parents to children, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color,” Sydney Sweeney says in the video. The camera then pans to her blue eyes. “And my jeans are blue.”
After the promotional video was released, the Sydney jeans quickly sold out. American Eagle's stock also rose to its highest level in nearly half a year ($13.39).
Representatives for Sydney Sweeney declined to comment. American Eagle did not respond to requests for comment.
When American Eagle chose Sydney Sweeney for its biggest fall campaign, they said they wanted to celebrate “trend-led denim, not trend-following” - Photo: American Eagle
However, after more than a dozen Instagram posts revolving around Sydney Sweeney over the past few days, the brand's latest post surprisingly switches to a different model wearing denim.
Many netizens quickly realized that the model this time was not white and many comments called this a move to appease public opinion or to handle an image crisis after the controversy related to racist messages in the campaign with Sydney Sweeney.
This sudden change has further divided public opinion: some say it was a wise move to ease tensions, while others criticize American Eagle for trying to please the "online crowd" instead of taking a clear stance in its brand messaging.
American Eagle shares surge 24% after Trump praises ad featuring Sydney Sweeney - Photo: Bloomberg
Mr. Trump is not out of the game.
According to People, upon learning that Sydney Sweeney is a Republican, US President Donald Trump immediately praised the actress and her new advertising campaign for the American Eagle brand on social media, even though the video is being criticized for being overly sexy and having a controversial message.
"Sydney Sweeney, a true Republican, has the hottest ad right now. It's for American Eagle and their jeans are selling out. Go Sydney!" - Mr. Trump wrote.
Trump criticizes Taylor Swift while praising Sydney Sweeney for her American Eagle jeans campaign - Photo: Suggest
Mr. Trump then quickly turned his attention to Taylor Swift - who has been a thorn in his side for the past year.
"Look at WOKE Taylor Swift. Ever since I said on social media that I don't like her, she got booed at the Super Bowl and isn't hot anymore.
The tide has turned - WOKE is for losers, being a Republic is what we should aspire to be. Thank you for your attention to this issue."
People walk past an American Eagle ad featuring Sydney Sweeney in New York City - Photo: REUTERS
Mr. Trump has long disliked Taylor Swift because she voted against him and publicly supported Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. So he now takes advantage of this story to directly attack the singer.
Mr. Trump's statement immediately created a wave of mixed reactions on social networks, with many users criticizing him for continuously using female artists as tools in his political war.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/doan-quang-cao-cua-sydney-sweeney-co-gi-ma-khien-ong-trump-ca-ngoi-con-reo-ten-taylor-swift-20250807230413516.htm
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