Sydney Sweeney has received backlash after starring in a ‘tone-deaf’ advert.
The Euphoria actress, 27, has been at the center of headlines after featuring in a new American Eagle campaign.
The brand’s fall 2025 advert is based on the concept of ‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.’
The marketing campaign has so far appeared across billboards in Times Square and Las Vegas, and plays on the similarity between ‘jeans’ and ‘genes.’
While the intention of the pun was seemingly denim-related, users online have decided to ‘boycott’ the brand.
Others have suggested that the ‘undertones’ of the ad are ‘genuinely scary,’ and that they haven’t at all been ‘subtle’ about their message.
One of the ads even features Sweeney painting over the words ‘great genes’ to change them to ‘great jeans,’ – a creative decision which has sparked outrage.
Consumers have suggested that the campaign is a ‘disgusting’ nod to outdated ideas of genetic superiority.
Suggesting that the blonde hair and blue-eyed actress is the picture of ‘good genes’ has been described as ‘disturbing.’
Throughout the 20th century in America, eugenics policies promoted the idea of ‘good genes,’ in a bid to stir up reproduction between white people, while supporting the sterilization of others.
One user said: “Normalizing eugenics is super gross.
“Boycott American eagle. This will be in the history books and not in a good way.”
As another said: “Sydney Sweeney, a white woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, has great genes.
“Wow. Didn’t think that propaganda could be so obvious. Not subtle at all.”
While a third noted: “Pushing blonde hair and blue eyes as ‘good jeans’ in 2025 is a choice…”
Neither American Eagle nor Sweeney has spoken out since the backlash began.
While critics argue that mainstream culture has moved so far away from the ‘master race’ rhetoric, others suggest that it is still present in modern advertising, particularly within the beauty and celebrity realm.
But it seems that the outrage has not negatively impacted American Eagle’s stock prices, which have actually surged up to 16% following the launch of the campaign.
And despite the noise, the campaign continues to run featuring the brand’s new ‘Sydney Jean’ line.
In one version of the controversial advert, the star can be seen saying: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye colour… my genes are blue.”
One user said: “Close enough, welcome back 1930s Germany.”
As another noted: “This ad campaign got so caught up in this ‘clever’ play on words and this stunt the people in the room missed what was so blatantly obvious to anyone not white.”
But some have defended the marketing campaign, suggesting that it isn’t supposed to be a ‘manifesto.’
One wrote: “Everyone is seriously reading too much into this and y’all need to go take a hike or something because Sydney Sweeney is literally just promoting jeans, not n*** propaganda.”
Another agreed, adding: “You guys don’t have to like Sydney Sweeney or the ways she promotes herself but don’t you think comparing that jean commercial to n*** propaganda is a tad extreme?”
