Back in July, I opened TikTok to see Sydney Sweeney starring in an advertisement for American Eagle. Harmless enough, right? It’s just a denim brand, after all. But as the ad continued to play again and again, I looked deeper into the “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” campaign. I began to feel slightly disturbed. I wasn’t quite sure how to describe it at first. However, by the end of her awkward, oddly nude ramble about passing genes down through generations, a lightbulb flickered in my mind. It reminded me of a word I had heard several times throughout my psychology coursework: eugenics.
To put it briefly, eugenics was coined by Sir Francis Galton in 1883. It is known as the “science” of precisely arranging the reproduction of the human species to “improve its genetic quality.” This is widely regarded in the scientific community as an outdated, discredited excuse for scientific racism. Pair that with the minute-long clips of blonde-haired, blue-eyed Sydney Sweeney stating that she has “great jeans” (a clear play on words for genes), and the whole advertisement seems to be in poor taste.
Not to mention, many on social media have compared the American Eagle commercial to Calvin Klein’s infamous 1980 commercial, featuring then 15-year-old Brooke Shields. In that ad, Shields appears in a similarly awkward, near-nude manner as she struggles to pull on a tight pair of Calvin Klein jeans while talking about genetics and the “survival of the fittest.” Sound familiar?
Nearly a month after the American Eagle ad aired, another jeans campaign dropped. This one, however, was different, and it’s taking social media by storm. Featuring girl group Katseye, Gap’s “Better in Denim” campaign has already gained millions of views across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. If you’ve seen a screen, chances are you’ve probably seen the ad. Using the 2003 hit “Milkshake” by Kelis, the minute-and-a-half-long video shows the group, as well as an incredibly diverse array of models, dancing in a variety of Gap clothing.
For many, the release of the ad has several layers to it. The most striking is the contrast between the two campaigns: a token white girl versus a spectrum of diversity. Gap’s slogan for the ad is, “This is denim as you define it. Your individuality. Your self-expression. Your style. Powerful on your own. Even better together.” This highlights a message of community, self-expression, and identity. In a time when people are feeling pressured to silence their individuality, the Katseye and Gap campaign pushes the envelope.
It’s no surprise that Katseye was the group of choice for the campaign. Each member offers a unique point of representation that all fans can connect with. For instance, officially-appointed group leader Sophia is Filipina with a background in singing. Swiss-Ghanian Manon rose to stardom through her fashion and lifestyle social media content. Daniela, a Cuban-Venezuelan and anAtlanta native, used to compete in dancesport. Singaporean-Chinese Megan grew up in Honolulu, training as a professional dancer. Yoonchae, the youngest of the group, is South Korean and was previously a K-pop trainee under the group’s label, Hybe. Finally, Lara Raj (my personal favorite) is from Los Angeles, with deep spiritual connections to her Indian heritage, as seen in the Om pendant and bindi she regularly wears.
One woman even took to Instagram to speak out on the importance of representation. Chief executive and designer Megha Rao shared a heartwarming post of a Gap display featuring Lara Raj, detailing how she took a photo of a store’s display only for her daughter to ask her what the big deal was.
“For her, seeing people who look like her in the mainstream is simply normal. For me, it was a powerful reminder that our kids get to grow up with the kind of representation 7-year-old me could only dream of,” Roa wrote on Instagram. This holds true for millions of people around the U.S., many of whom still struggle to see themselves reflected in mainstream media.
Another aspect of the Gap campaign that fans have pointed out is the song choice of the advertisement itself. “Milkshake” is an iconic 2000s radio hit with famous lyrics: “…it’s better than yours, damn right it’s better than yours.” Since the campaign was released nearly a month after the American Eagle advertisements, fans suggested that the lyrical choice is a subtle nod towards the brand’s disastrous campaign. Some argue that it’s unlikely, as most advertising campaigns usually take a few weeks to months to fully plan and shoot — especially with a group as in-demand as Katseye. Regardless, the lyrics aren’t wrong, at least in my opinion.
Finally, it’s worth mentioning that this isn’t the first successful Gap campaign we’ve seen championed by marginalized representation. In February 2024, Gap did a campaign with Jungle’s song, “Back on 74,” and South African pop-amapiano artist Tyla for its “Linen Moves Campaign,” using the slogan “A canvas for original style. For individuals who make every move their own.” Later that same year, the brand began its #GetLoose campaign with queer pop artist Troye Sivan. “Free yourself from expectations. And dance outside the lines. Big jeans, for big moves — for everyone,” the advertisement’s caption read. It seems Gap has been at the forefront of inclusive advertising.
Overall, the fashion and marketing worlds have been turned on their heads by these two jean campaigns. They do say fashion is political, and these advertisements have put that statement to the test. The odd, eugenics-reading campaigns of the 1980s need to stay in the 1980s. But I deeply hope we continue to see representation from groups like Katseye, as well as pushes for inclusivity in marketing from companies like Gap.