In today’s culture wars, it seems even denim isn’t safe. What started as a light-hearted marketing campaign by American Eagle featuring actress Sydney Sweeney has spiraled into a national controversy.
The controversy has now drawn in none other than Vice President JD Vance, who didn’t hold back during a recent podcast appearance.
JD Vance Thinks The Outrage Over Sydney Sweeney’s ‘Genes’ Ad Is Bizarre
Appearing on the Ruthless podcast, JD Vance ridiculed the progressive backlash to the ad. He argued that the left’s extreme response says more about their worldview than the ad itself. And if there was any doubt about his stance, Vance made it crystal clear with biting sarcasm. “My political advice to the Democrats is continue to tell everybody who thinks Sydney Sweeney is attractive is a Nazi. That appears to be their actual strategy,” he stated.
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The American Eagle campaign, titled “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans”, featured the actress dressed in classic denim, playing off the word “genes” to touch on heredity, beauty traits, and personal style. However, the wordplay backfired spectacularly on social media. Critics labeled the ad “tone-deaf” and even “eugenics-coded.” The Main critique was that the ad glorified Sweeney’s blue eyes, blonde hair, and slim figure as an outdated, exclusionary beauty standard.
They claimed that the message was uncomfortably reminiscent of Nazi-era ideals. Vance, however, was having none of it. “You have like a normal, all-American beautiful girl doing like a normal jeans ad… and they have managed to so unhinge themselves over this thing. It’s like, you guys, did you learn nothing from the November 2024 election?” he said. Even the podcast’s hosts joined in jokingly, “Their course correction lasted about 30 seconds.”
Vance didn’t miss a beat. “That’s right, lasted 30 seconds. Somehow has gotten even crazier… So much of the Democrats is oriented around hostility to basic American life,” he said. “You have a pretty girl doing a jeans ad, and they can’t help but freak out. It reveals a lot more about them than it does us.”
American Eagle ‘Apologizes’ For The Ad Campaign
Amid the backlash, American Eagle released an official apology for the campaign. And it is unsurprisingly one that raised eyebrows for its tone and candidness. According to a report by StoryBoard18, the statement was more of a tongue-in-cheek response that seemed to acknowledge the absurdity of the entire situation. “We sincerely apologise for featuring Sydney Sweeney in our recent ad. In hindsight, we underestimated the combined impact of her blue eyes, blonde hair, and general hotness,” the brand wrote.
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“Also, we did not realise how big her boobs would be. Our marketing team has been sent to denim sensitivity training. Thank you for your feedback. Pls stop emailing us.” Yes, you read that right. While the internet couldn’t decide if the statement was sincere, sarcastic, or a bit of both, it certainly made waves. And internally, American Eagle is reportedly standing by the ad. A source quoted by TMZ revealed that 70% of respondents in their internal polling liked the campaign.
“This is yet another example of how social media doesn’t reflect real life. The absurd response from some corners of the internet is absolutely not how American Eagle’s customers feel,” the insider said. Interestingly, the ad also had a deeper purpose. American Eagle claims it was designed not just to sell jeans, but to raise awareness about domestic violence. The insider continued, “Regardless of how people feel about the ad, we hope there’s one thing we can agree on: we need to be doing more to support and empower people facing domestic violence.”
