Overview

• American Eagle has maintained the “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” campaign and upheld its pledge to donate proceeds to Crisis Text Line despite mounting criticism
• After President Trump praised the ads, the brand experienced intraday stock gains and a 60% surge in web traffic; recent surveys by Axios and Generation Lab and Pass_by foot-traffic data report drops in purchase intent and store visits
• Critics from academia and activism circles accuse the wordplay of evoking eugenics, while supporters and right-leaning commentators argue the backlash is overblown
• Sydney Sweeney has not publicly addressed the controversy and has resumed posting denim-themed personal content as her new movie “Americana” opened to a weak box-office debut
• Industry observers say the campaign underscores American Eagle’s shift from its body-positivity roots toward more provocative, high-visibility denim marketing