Sydney Sweeney’s latest campaign with American Eagle has ignited a social media firestorm — and not because of her outfit.
The Euphoria actress is the face of American Eagle’s Fall 2025 denim line, promoted through a campaign that includes a now-viral poster reading:
“Sydney Sweeney has great genes.”
The word “genes” is later crossed out and replaced with “jeans” — a seemingly harmless pun that’s been blasted online as racially charged and disturbingly tone-deaf.
You can see the campaign and the controversial post on American Eagle’s official Instagram account.
Outrage Over “Great Genes”
The ad shows Sweeney in a full denim ensemble, hanging the campaign poster. What followed was a wave of backlash on Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram — with many calling the wordplay a dog whistle to outdated and harmful ideologies.
“This is what happens when there are no people of color in the room,” wrote one critic.
“It’s giving subtle 1930s Germany,” added another.
“Eujeanics,” a third posted, referencing eugenics, the widely discredited and racist pseudoscience.
What’s the Issue?
Critics argue that the phrase “great genes,” paired with Sweeney’s white, blonde, blue-eyed appearance, echoes a long history of racial purity rhetoric.
A recent Salon article called the campaign a “tone-deaf marketing move,” pointing out that “great genes” has been historically used to celebrate whiteness, thinness, and so-called ‘ideal’ beauty — while excluding everyone else.
A Reminder of Trump’s 2020 Comment
The phrase also recalls a controversial moment in 2020, when Donald Trump told a nearly all-white crowd in Minnesota:
“You have good genes. A lot of it is about the genes.”
His comments drew widespread backlash from Jewish organizations, who likened them to Nazi-era race science.
Now, people are drawing similar comparisons to American Eagle’s ad, accusing it of promoting white supremacist aesthetics — intentionally or not.
TikTok Marketers Sound the Alarm
A TikTok marketing expert, @vital_media_marketing, also weighed in, pointing to the ad’s visual focus on Sweeney’s physical features — as the camera pans slowly up her body, emphasizing her hair, face, and figure.
“This is praising white genetic features under the guise of denim advertising,” said creator Angie.
“It’s one of the loudest racialized dog whistles we’ve seen in a while.”
Pushback Against the Pushback
Not everyone agrees. Some fans claim the outrage is overblown, calling the ad “clever” and defending it as a simple pun.
“If you think a jeans pun about Sydney Sweeney is a Nazi reference, you need to log off,” one user posted.
Others argued the ad would have been less controversial — and more inclusive — if it had featured a diverse cast of models, all sharing the same tagline to celebrate beauty across cultures.
Brand and Star Respond
Despite the growing criticism, American Eagle stood by the campaign. Company president Jennifer Foyle said:
“With Sydney Sweeney front and center, she brings the allure, and we add the flawless wardrobe for the winning combo of ease, attitude, and a little mischief.”
Sweeney added:
“There is something so effortless about American Eagle — it’s the perfect balance of being put-together but still feeling like yourself.”
Final Thoughts
Whether careless or calculated, the campaign has clearly touched a nerve. With rising calls for greater representation and cultural sensitivity in fashion, this ad is now a case study in how branding, language, and identity intersect in the public eye.
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