In July, American Eagle launched what was intended to be a cheeky, playful ad campaign starring rising Hollywood actress Sydney Sweeney. Best known for her roles in Euphoria, The White Lotus, and Madame Web, Sweeney appeared in the denim brand’s video wearing American Eagle jeans while delivering a now-infamous line:
“Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour. My jeans are blue.”
The campaign concluded with the punchline, “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.” In a follow-up Instagram clip, she’s seen correcting a billboard that reads “Great Genes,” replacing “genes” with “jeans” and adding, “See what I did there?”, a wink at irony, meant to blend humour, body positivity, and clever wordplay.
However, instead of viral praise, the campaign has sparked a wildfire of backlash. Critics say the ad unintentionally echoed disturbing language tied to America’s history of white supremacy and eugenics , particularly because of Sweeney’s striking appearance: blonde hair, blue eyes, and white skin.
The backlash centers on the loaded phrase “great genes,” which has deep, dark roots in American history. In the early 20th century, the eugenics movement promoted the belief that society could be improved through selective breeding , a pseudoscientific idea that disproportionately targeted people of color, immigrants, and people with disabilities. These policies led to forced sterilizations, racial segregation, and immigration restrictions. Later, these ideologies were adopted by the Nazi regime in Germany, forming the basis of genocidal racial purity laws.
Given that context, critics argue that the imagery of a white, blonde-haired, blue-eyed actress , describing herself as having “great genes,” even in jest , is not just tone-deaf, but alarmingly reminiscent of a narrative that has historically excluded and harmed marginalized communities.
“The joke isn’t funny when it plays into visual and verbal cues that have historically signaled racial superiority,” one viral tweet read. Others questioned how a major brand could greenlight a campaign without catching the problematic implications, even if unintentional.
Amplified by Social Media Storm
The backlash has snowballed daily, with heated discourse across platforms like TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. Some defenders argue the criticism is overblown and that the pun was clearly intended to be light-hearted. Others point to the increasing frequency of “ironic” racism in popular culture, suggesting this is yet another example of tone-deaf marketing trying to appeal to the Gen-Z trend while missing the mark entirely.
As the controversy grew, comparisons were made to Beyoncé’s recent Tiffany & Co. campaign, which celebrated Black excellence and generational beauty. Beyoncé’s ad was praised for its elegance and cultural sensitivity, using the concept of legacy and family heritage , not in genetic superiority, but in pride of identity and perseverance.
“Beyoncé’s campaign reminds people that greatness is not defined by genetics but by resilience, community, and history,” said one commentator on TikTok. “Sweeney’s ad, whether intentional or not, evokes a far more exclusionary idea.”
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Trump Weighs In and Adds Fuel to the Fire
The campaign caught even more attention when former President Donald Trump commented on it in an interview clip that quickly went viral:
“If she’s Republican, she’s got my vote,” Trump said, referring to Sweeney’s American Eagle spot. “Great genes, great jeans , it’s clever. We need more of that.”
Many saw this as further proof that the ad’s language resonated with those who often align themselves with nationalist rhetoric. Trump’s comment was met with widespread criticism and seen as further politicizing the ad , and Sweeney by extension , regardless of her intent or political affiliations.
The phrase “great genes” also trended for hours on social media in the wake of his comment, sparking even more heated debate about whether the controversy was being unfairly politicized or was revealing something deeper about the language brands still choose to use.
Sweeney Responds: “I Meant It to Be Light-Hearted”
As the controversy escalated, Sydney Sweeney broke her silence in a short statement released through her publicist.
“The campaign was intended to be cheeky and uplifting , a play on words that celebrated confidence and denim. I never meant to offend or make light of serious historical issues. I understand the concerns raised and will be more mindful moving forward,” she said.
While some applauded her acknowledgment, others called for a broader conversation about how humor, identity, and representation are handled in branding, especially when navigating America’s racial history.
Whether the campaign recovers or is pulled entirely remains to be seen. But what’s clear is that in today’s media landscape, no pun, no matter how clever, is immune from cultural context.
