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Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
ESPN analyst left 'mortified' as he piles in on woke backlash to Sydney Sweeney's 'racist' American Eagle ad
One ESPN analyst claims they've been left 'mortified' by Sydney Sweeney 's controversial American Eagle advert. Last week, the company rolled out its fall commercial lineup featuring the 27-year-old 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. While many continue to debate about the advert online, ESPN analyst David Dennis Jr has weighed in on the matter and didn't pull any punches as he did so. Taking to social media, Dennis Jr wrote: 'I didn't think anything of the Sydney Sweeney ads. 'But then ACTUAL SCHOLARS ON MESSAGING, EUGENICS AND FASCISM explained what was going on then yes I understood and became pretty mortified because hey sometimes IT'S GOOD TO LISTEN TO EXPERTS'. 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. In a sarcastic post, Dennis Jr continued: 'I'm just happy that these AE ads are making it safe for conventionally attractive blue eyed blonde women to be accepted by society again. They're no longer the scourges of society they once were! FINALLY!' In a series of images, the Spokane, Washington-born beauty - who is set to play boxer Christy Martin in an upcoming biopic already garnering Oscar buzz - is seen modeling a variety of denim-based ensembles. In an accompanying video, Sydney is seen buttoning up her jeans as she muses: 'Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour... my genes are blue'. Alexandria Hurley, a Las Vegas-based publicist, speculated to that the idea to stir the pot was not a mistake at all. American Eagle Chief Marketing Officer Craig Brommers said the campaign is designed to be flashier than competitors' and features Sweeney as one of the most recognizable young stars of the moment 'From a PR perspective, what we're seeing from Sydney Sweeney isn't a 'misstep' or 'Pepsi moment.' It's a calculated brand evolution. The idea that this ad slipped through the cracks underestimates both her and her team,' she explained. Hurley went on to point out: 'Sydney has flirted with controversy before — from her SNL Hooters skit to her recent Bathwater Bliss collaboration with Dr. Squatch — and rather than walk it back after criticism, she's leaned further in. That's not oversight. That's strategy.' She also stressed that the 'Great Genes' tagline was 'deliberately' provocative and that the 'racial undertones being called out aren't subtle.' 'Instead of apologizing, she and American Eagle quickly pivoted with a visual 'fix,' having her paint over the billboard. It's a gesture that looks performative at best, especially in the absence of any direct acknowledgement of the criticism,' Hurley stated.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Meet Zoë: The voice actor behind the viral Jet2holidays ad
Zoë Lister, the voice actor for the Jet2holidays advert, has described the experience of her voice going viral on TikTok as "super weird". The advert's audio, featuring Lister's voiceover and Jess Glynne 's song "Hold My Hand", is being used by TikTok users to soundtrack chaotic holiday "gone-wrong" footage. Lister revealed she frequently hears her voice in public, including during an anniversary dinner, due to the widespread popularity of the trend. Jess Glynne has also been affected, with audiences chanting the advert's tagline during her live performances, though she finds the trend "amazing". Jet2holidays has embraced the viral trend, using the popular audio on social media to promote a competition for a holiday voucher.
The Guardian
23-07-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
M&S advert banned for featuring model who looked ‘unhealthily thin'
An advert by high street retailer Marks & Spencer has been banned for featuring an 'irresponsible' image of a model who appeared 'unhealthily thin'. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the model's pose, choice of clothing and the camera angle which seemed to tilt downwards all contributed to the impression she was too thin. The picture, which appeared on the M&S app, featured a model wearing slim-fit black trousers and a white off-the-shoulder top, where some of her upper torso can be seen. She faced the camera with one hand in her pocket and the other holding a bag. The advertising watchdog described the model's collarbones as 'very prominent'. It added that the model wore 'large pointed shoes which emphasised the slenderness of her legs' and: 'In part due to the camera angle which appeared tilted downwards, the model's head appeared out of proportion with the rest of her body and further highlighted her small frame.' M&S argued in its submission to the ASA that its 'inclusive women's wear clothing' represented sizes eight to 24. However, it acknowledged that the models in the ads were size eight, and therefore at the lower end of its sizing range. The retailer said it 'took concerns about the depiction of body image in their ads very seriously' and added that 'all models were in good health', and that they 'complied with industry standards and best practices to avoid promoting unhealthy body images'. The ASA ruled that the advert must not appear again in its current form and M&S must ensure all its images 'did not portray models as being unhealthily thin'. M&S confirmed that the images have been removed. The ASA said it also received complaints about three other adverts on the M&S app, website and in an email for the company, where two models wear a pink polka dot dress. In its investigation, it said the model's face 'did not look gaunt', adding that 'while thin, her arms and the leg visible in the shot, did not display any protruding bones'. 'The model appeared in proportion and we considered that she was not presented as unhealthily thin overall,' the ruling concluded. The other images in the ad, which featured another model, also 'showed the model in proportion. We also considered that the model did not appear unhealthily thin in those shots.' The ruling comes amid concerns that the fashion industry is reversing progress made in the body positivity movement in the 2010s due to a recent trend towards skinnier models. Earlier this year, the ASA banned a Next advert for featuring what it deemed an 'unhealthily thin' model in digitally altered clothing. In 2023, it banned Warehouse from using an image of a model in an oversized biker jacket, saying the model's pronounced collar bone, hip bones and torso gave the appearance of her being 'very thin', which made the ad 'irresponsible'. M&S has been contacted for comment.
BBC News
23-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
M&S ad banned over 'unhealthily thin' model
An advert by Marks & Spencer (M&S) has been banned because the model appeared to be "unhealthily thin".The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the pose of the model and the choice of clothing - including "large pointed shoes" which emphasised "the slenderness of her legs" - made the advert "irresponsible". The watchdog ruled that the advert must not appear again in its current form and M&S must ensure all the images it uses do not portray models as unhealthy retailer has stopped using the advert but said in its response to the advertising regulator that its women's clothing range is inclusive and that it "responsibly promoted aspirational fashion". The now-banned image previously on the retailer's app and showed a model wearing a white off the shoulder top and slim-fit trousers as well as the pointed shoes in ASA also said the model's head appeared out of proportion with the rest of her body which further highlighted her small frame.M&S said the model's pose was chosen to portray confidence and ease and not to convey also said the shoes selected were for "stylistic and fashion" purposes ASA acknowledged that three other M&S adverts were also investigated but were not banned. Although M&S chose to amended and removed the specific images.M&S said that all its models are "selected not only for their professional suitability but also for their health and wellbeing".It said it ensures all models are in good health and complied with industry standards to avoid promoting unhealthy body images.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Adorable toddler nails viral Jet2Holiday jingle
A tot from Pampanga has picked up the viral Jet2Holiday advert audio and can now repeat it on command. Jerome and his wife Cherry Evangalista, 29 and 27, caught their two-year-old daughter Zemirah singing the catchy jingle. When dad Jerome, a social media campaign coordinator, sings the first line of Hold My Hand by Jess Glynne, Zemirah instantly joins in. Jerome said: "I was shocked she knew it by heart and even did the accent so easily."
