American Eagle Outfitters surged 10% in July after unveiling a new denim campaign with Sydney Sweeney, as the apparel retailer bets on the "Euphoria" and "The White Lotus" actress to reconnect with Gen Z shoppers and boost sales.
The company has partnered with Sweeney for its fall season denim collection that includes a limited-edition denim jacket as well as a "The Sydney Jean."
While the ad was successful marketing for the company, it has not been without its controversy. The 27-year-old, with blonde hair and blue eyes, was condemned by social media users for allegedly dog-whistling white supremacist ideas of beauty in the ad, bragging about “good genes.”
“Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue,” Sweeney said in the ad, playing on the homophone of “jeans” and “genes.”
The ad appeared to pay homage to the 1980 Calvin Klein ad featuring Brooke Shields.
A statement from the company defended the campaign, saying: “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story.”
US President Donald Trump’s spokesperson Steven Cheung defended Sweeney on social media, claiming outrage over the ad was “cancel culture run amok.”
The US president himself would later go on to defend the young actress, writing on social media, "Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the HOTTEST ad out there," Trump wrote on his social media platform. Go get 'em, Sydney."
"Ohhhhh, now I love her ad. Is that right, is Sydney Sweeney?" Trump later told a reporter when asked, according to ABC News. "You'd be surprised at how many people are Republicans. That's what I wouldn't have known, but I'm glad you told me that if Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic."
While the debate has gone viral, other companies have seemingly sought to buy into the trend, according to The Hill. Dunkin Donuts released an ad that mentioned actor Gavin Casalegno's genetics as the reason for his tan.
Reuters contributed to this report.