Latest news with #Salon
Telegraph
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
No, loony Left, Sydney Sweeney isn't promoting white supremacy
Before this week, had you ever heard of a clothing brand called American Eagle? I hadn't. But I certainly have now. And it's all thanks to a mob of Left-wing dingbats who seem to have convinced themselves that its jeans are racist. A few days ago, American Eagle launched an advert starring the young actress Sydney Sweeney (best-known for The White Lotus, Euphoria and her not-exactly-reticent attitude towards exhibiting her physique). The ad shows her modelling the firm's wares, alongside the tagline, 'Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.' And, as one, the world's most shriekingly hysterical Leftists decided to interpret this as an endorsement of far-Right eugenics. Because, well… 'jeans' sounds like 'genes', doesn't it? And Sydney Sweeney's blonde and blue-eyed, isn't she? You know – like the Nazis, right? Naturally, America's top liberal media outlets were straight on the case. 'Sydney Sweeney's new campaign draws fire for racial undertones', thundered Salon. 'Sydney Sweeney fronts ad campaign for jeans – sparks debate about eugenics', fretted Newsweek. The Washington Post, meanwhile, ran an 'analysis' headlined: 'How American Eagle's Sydney Sweeney 'good jeans' ad went wrong.' (Did it? What if American Eagle is only trying to sell jeans to people who are sane, rather than howlingly deranged?) Of course, you might assume that the people denouncing the ad on these ludicrous grounds are all Gen Z TikTok users with blue hair and nose rings. But I'm afraid not. Because, in a quest to decide whether the ad is indeed 'Nazi propaganda', the TV channel ABC News spoke to an actual university professor – who declared, in all apparent seriousness, that the ad's tagline 'activates troubling historical associations for [the US]'. Specifically, 'the American eugenics movement, [which] in its prime, between 1900 and 1940, weaponised the idea of 'good genes' to justify white supremacism'. "The blond haired blue eyed actress talks about genes as in DNA being passed down..." "Nazi propaganda with racial undertones..." This is Good Morning America. This is ABC News. — MAZE (@mazemoore) July 29, 2025 Well, I suppose that's one way of looking at it. But perhaps I could venture to put forward an alternative. Which is that the ad is not, in fact, part of a neo-Nazi plot to help usher in the Fourth Reich, but is instead intended to sell denim trousers. Hence the use of a famous young actress to show how good the denim trousers look. As for the pun on her having 'great genes', I suspect it refers to the actress's celebrated physical attractiveness rather than her suitability to lead the master race in a conquest of Europe. Still, whatever the motives of American Eagle's bosses, this imbecilic uproar has earned their products more publicity than they could ever have dreamed of. It's the inverse of 'go woke, go broke'. Offend the Trots, earn lots.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
American Eagle stock JUMPS amid woke backlash over new Sydney Sweeney jeans commercial
American Eagle shares have soared since the clothing retailer debuted a new advertising campaign starring Sydney Sweeney that some woke critics have branded 'Nazi propaganda'. Last week, the company rolled out its fall commercial lineup featuring the 27-year-old actress in various poses and scenarios with the tagline, 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans'. The obvious reference to her 'genes' didn't sit well with many people on social media, who accused the ads of being a racial dog whistle. Despite the loud backlash, the double-entendre has seemingly resonated, with American Eagle stock up more than 11 percent since last Wednesday, with a notable spike the day the commercials were released. Sweeney, who rose to fame starring in HBO 's ' Euphoria ' and 'The White Lotus,' has not publicly addressed the criticism the ads have received. In one of the most harshly denounced videos, she is seen buttoning up her jeans as she muses: 'Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color... my genes are blue.' A second ad saw the camera pan down Sweeney's chest as she models a plunging denim jumpsuit. 'My body's composition is determined by my genes...' she said before scolding the camera: 'Hey, eyes up here.' The adverts have divided fans, with one critic calling the clip 'one of the loudest and most obvious racialized dog whistles we've seen and heard in a while.' The phrase 'great genes' is 'historically used to celebrate whiteness, thinness and attractiveness,' which it said made 'this campaign seem to be a tone-deaf marketing move,' a Salon report on the backlash read. Taking to social media, many expressed their shock at messaging - which they aligned to Nazi propaganda. Outraged fans penned: 'So Sydney (& American Eagle) somehow expect audiences to not interpret this visual as a euphemism for eugenics and white supremacy?' 'The Sydney Sweeney American Eagle ad campaign is just modern day Nazi propaganda. Like it's wild how blatant it is. Things are weird right now, man.' But American Eagle Chief Marketing Officer Craig Brommers has a decidedly different explanation for what the company was trying to accomplish with the ads featuring Sweeney. According to Brommers, Sweeney is one of the most recognizable young people in the world. He said he and others thought putting her face in ads right before the back-to-school season would be a winning strategy. 'To be able to partner with [Sweeney] on this is saying something, and it's saying something in what has been a trickier retail environment this year, that American Eagle is still placing big bets,' he told Marketing Dive. 'We are still the jeans authority, especially for Gen Z.' Brommers stressed that he wanted American Eagle's brand to be more flashy than that of the main competition, which he named as Shein, Amazon and Walmart. The company's identity overhaul comes after its total net revenue decreased to $1.1 billion in the first quarter, a five percent year over year decline. News of this revenue hit was announced on May 29, when shares were trading for around $11.18. Throughout most of the summer, shares have been high $9 to mid $10 range. But after the Sweeney ads, American Eagle stock has fully recovered and has even gained. 'What we've also learned along the way is as talent costs have escalated, sometimes it's actually more important to place the big bets behind the biggest stars, and while those investments tend to be higher, the payback tends to be higher as well,' Brommers said.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
American Eagle's ‘Sydney Sweeney has Great Jeans' campaign faces intense backlash. Here's why
American Eagle's new fall campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney is facing criticism for its controversial slogan: 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.' While intended as a denim pun, the phrase has drawn attention for its resemblance to 'great genes,' a term historically used to uphold ideals of white beauty and thinness, according to Salon. American Eagle's latest campaign with Sydney Sweeney faces intense backlash(Instagram/ American Eagle) Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle campaign sparks controversy The campaign featured Sweeney modelling a special edition denim line for American Eagle, which has been dubbed 'Sweeney Jean.' A promotional video showed the Euphoria actor approaching a billboard that initially read 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Genes.' She then paints over the word 'genes' and replaces it with 'jeans.' While the ad was likely meant to be cheeky and creative, many online viewers interpreted it differently. 'This is what happens when you have no people of color in the room. Particularly in a time like this. 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. I'd expect this from Abercrombie… but not yall,' wrote one commenter. Another said, 'I am never shopping at AE again.' A third commenter pointed out, 'It's giving Subtle 1930's Germany.' Also read: How Sydney Sweeney earned a jeans brand $400 million in a day: Behind the insane American Eagle rally Why is 'great genes' slogan offensive? The phrase 'great genes' has uncomfortable associations with eugenics-era rhetoric, per the report. Eugenics movements in the early 20th century promoted the idea of superior genetics: usually white, able-bodied, and thin, while justifying the sterilisation of marginalised communities. Critics further pointed out that using a blonde, blue-eyed actor as the face of the campaign only added to the tone-deaf messaging. A user in a now-viral post said, 'Getting a blue-eyed, white woman, and building a campaign around her 'perfect genetics' feels weird.' Others likened it to 'master race' propaganda disguised as marketing. No response yet from American Eagle or Sweeney Another Yahoo report stated that neither Sydney Sweeney nor American Eagle has publicly addressed the backlash. The campaign, however, generated significant attention, including a spike of 16 per cent in American Eagle's stock value. Analysts attributed this jump to meme stock behavior and online buzz rather than sales performance. In spite of the criticism, the campaign included some positive elements as well. A portion of the proceeds from the limited-edition pair of denims will go to Crisis Text Line, a non-profit offering mental health support and crisis intervention. The denim features a butterfly motif to raise awareness about domestic violence. Additionally, the campaign also incorporates AR technology, Snapchat lenses, and AI-enabled try-on tools, the Yahoo report added. FAQs: Q: Is Sydney Sweeney married? A: No, Sydney Sweeney is not married as of now. Q: Why is Sydney Sweeney so famous? A: Sydney Sweeney gained fame through her roles in hit shows like Euphoria, The White Lotus, and The Handmaid's Tale, as well as for her presence in fashion and social media. Q: What was Sydney Sweeney's GPA? A: Sydney Sweeney reportedly graduated with a 4.0 GPA and was a class valedictorian. Q: Does Sydney Sweeney actually do Ozempic? A: There is no public confirmation or credible report suggesting Sydney Sweeney uses Ozempic.
Fox News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Sydney Sweeney's racy ad sparks outrage but fans defend anti-'woke' style
Sydney Sweeney is catching some heat for her latest brand deal. The "White Lotus" star's recent collaboration with American Eagle for their fall clothing campaign, titled "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans," has sparked a mix of reactions on social media. While some have dubbed the campaign as "tone-deaf" due to the alleged racial undertones, others have praised the actress for killing "woke" advertising. In a promo video posted to the brand's Instagram, the 27-year-old "Euphoria" star walked toward an AE billboard featuring her and the tagline "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Genes." Sweeney crossed out "Genes" and replaced it with "Jeans" before walking away. According to Salon, the term "great genes" was historically used to "celebrate whiteness, thinness and attractiveness." Fans were quick to share their disappointment over the ad. "Entirely tone-deaf," one user commented on Instagram. "This is what happens when you have no [people] of color in a room. Particularly in a time like this. 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," another wrote. Some others in the comments called out the ad for allegedly being "Nazi propaganda." "Oh cute she's in her Nazi propaganda era," one user wrote. However, some were quick to come to the brand, and Sweeney's, defense. "It doesn't hurt ANYONE. That's the point. It's literally an advertisement for jeans. Not for nazism," one person wrote. "I don't get why people don't like this? It's cute and clever," another added. "Whats wrong with the comments here? A lot of sad and jealous humans....." another wrote. "She is a beautiful girl and she has great genes for which she can thank her ancestors. Where is the racism here? Just a statement of fact," another comment read. "Woke advertising is dead. Sydney Sweeney killed it," one user wrote on X. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sweeney will be seen on various 3D billboards across the United States, as well as the Sphere in Las Vegas. There will also be a Snapchat lens for which Sweeney will speak directly with users in addition to AI-enabled "try-on technology so customers too can have great jeans." Additionally, 100 percent of net proceeds from Sweeney's "Sydney Jean" - which is embroidered with a butterfly to represent domestic violence awareness - will be donated to Crisis Text Line, a nonprofit that provides free and confidential text-based mental health support and crisis intervention. Representatives for Sweeney and American Eagle did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Sydney Sweeney sparks 'woke' backlash over new campaign accused of celebrating whiteness
A new American Eagle ad campaign centered around stunning star Sydney Sweeney has garnered controversy over what one critic called 'one of the loudest and most obvious racialized dog whistles we've seen and heard in a while.' The Euphoria actress, 27, is the face of the label's autumn advertising rollout, which has the tagline, 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.' In a series of images, the Spokane, Washington-born beauty - who is set to play boxer Christy Martin in an upcoming biopic - is seen modeling a variety of denim-based ensembles. The choice of phrasing for the advertisements featuring the Emmy-nominated actress - which have also been placed on billboards in New York City and Las Vegas - garnered criticism for problematic elements. The phrase 'great genes' is 'historically used to celebrate whiteness, thinness and attractiveness,' which it said made 'this campaign seem to be a tone-deaf marketing move,' a Salon report on the backlash read. Daily Mail has reached out to reps for Sweeney and American Eagle for further comment on the story. An TikTok user named Angie under the handle @vital_media_marketing reviewed the ad and pointed out what she felt were problematic elements with the message sent in the ad campaign. 'As it's paining up her body and on her face and her features, she's literally talking about her family tree and the genetics that have been handed down to her, her blonde hair and her blue eyes, and how great they are. Angie said that 'praising Sydney Sweeney for her great genes in the context of her white blonde hair, blue eye appearance' makes for 'one of the loudest and most obvious racialized dog whistles we've seen and heard in a while.' Many people panned the tone of the ad campaign on American Eagle's Instagram page, as one user quipped, It's giving "Subtle 1930's Germany."' Another person said the promotion 'is what happens when you have no [people] of color in a room ... particularly in a time like this. 'This ad campaign got so caught up in this 'clever' play on words and this stunt the ppl in the room missed what was so blatantly obvious to anyone not White. I'd expect this from Abercrombie… but not yall.' One user wrote of the promotion featuring the surging star, 'This is such a f****d up campaign' while another called it 'weird as hell.'
