Overview

• The ad series featuring Sydney Sweeney plays on a jeans/genes homophone and continues to run on Times Square billboards and digital platforms.
• American Eagle’s shares jumped 4.2 percent on July 24, boosting its market value by over $400 million following the campaign launch.
• Social media users and cultural commentators have accused the spots of echoing eugenics and white supremacist dog whistles, leading to parodies such as Doja Cat’s TikTok viewed nearly 11 million times.
• Crisis communications experts caution that the brand’s silence risks fueling speculation and eroding consumer trust.
• Campaign partners Snapchat and BeReal have declined to say whether they will alter their involvement despite the ongoing public debate.