Sydney Sweeney may have thought her American Eagle ad campaign was just another gig, but it seems her “jeans/genes” pun rubbed a few internet users the wrong way. The backlash was swift, with some claiming the wordplay hinted at eugenics and white supremacy, sparking a viral outrage. But despite all the noise, a new poll reveals that the majority of Americans didn’t really care.
According to a survey conducted by the Economist/YouGov Polls and reported by the New York Post, only 12% of respondents found the ad offensive. Meanwhile, 39% thought it was clever, 40% had no strong opinion, and 8% were unsure. The results were notably split along gender and political lines. Men were more likely to find the ad clever (49%) compared to women (31%), while women were more likely to call it offensive (17%) compared to men (7%).
The survey also showed that political affiliation played a role in how the ad was perceived. A whopping 57% of Republicans called the campaign clever, while only 22% of Democrats shared the same view. Age also seemed to influence perceptions, with younger adults (aged 18-29) finding the ad clever (45%) while 12% were offended. Older adults (65 and above) had a similar opinion, with 34% calling it clever, while just 13% took offense.
Despite the relatively mild reactions from the public, Sydney Sweeney’s ad caused a stir on social media, where conservative voices quickly seized on it, accusing liberals of overreacting. The controversy gained extra traction when it was revealed that Sweeney is a registered Republican. Former President Donald Trump, upon hearing the news, praised the ad as “fantastic,” even going so far as to call it “anti-woke.” Vice President J.D. Vance also chimed in, using the moment to criticize Democrats for supposedly attacking Sweeney over her looks.
In response to the controversy, American Eagle issued a statement clarifying that the campaign was never intended to be racist and was simply a celebration of “great jeans.” “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” is about the jeans, her jeans, and her story, the brand stated, emphasizing that it’s all about how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence.
Despite the company’s clarification, the backlash seems to have affected American Eagle’s bottom line. According to Forbes, foot traffic at their stores has dropped significantly since the ad aired. The week of August 3 saw a 9% decline in foot traffic year-over-year, while previous weeks also reported drops, including a 3.9% dip starting July 27 and a smaller 0.27% dip starting July 20.
Prior to the ad controversy, American Eagle had been experiencing steady growth, with a year-over-year boost of 4.85% in mid-July and 5.91% in early July. The negative impact on foot traffic suggests that even if most people weren’t offended by the ad, the uproar still had real-world consequences for the brand.
While the ad campaign may have sparked some intense debates online, it seems most of America didn’t find it offensive. But as the numbers show, that doesn’t always translate to a positive outcome for the companies involved.
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