Sydney Sweeney’s advertisement with American Eagle, released in July, made headlines, sparking significant controversy with the campaign, “Sydney Sweeney has Great Genes/Jeans.” Many people have opinions, with some claiming that people are overreacting or “jealous” of her genotype. However, most believe that American Eagle wanted to make their jeans exclusive for a specific demographic.
Just when it seemed like it couldn’t get any worse, GAP decided to drop a giant bomb with global girl group KATSEYE with their campaign of “Better in Denim”. This advertisement featured choreography to the iconic song “Milkshake” by Kelis, which became a trend across all social media platforms. To be honest, I’ve watched it almost a million times, and the representation shown took my breath away every time.
So, the question is: who has great “genes”, and who has the better jeans?
Sydney Sweeney is undeniably part of the beauty standard in many cultures, especially in places that favor Eurocentric features. American Eagle knew what they were doing when they made Sweeney the focus of their ad: they wanted people to talk about it. Yet that type of attention comes with a major cost of making their audience feel alienated.
The group KATSEYE as a whole is diverse, and their ad with GAP made people want to be like them. I love how each member comes from a different cultural background and ties certain aspects into their work, which is what makes them unique from other groups. The advertisement not only showcased the product and inclusivity, but also highlighted the group’s strong dynamic, individual talents, and beauty.
When I ask the question, “Who has great genes?” I am asking it rhetorically, because Sydney Sweeney and Katseye both clearly do. So why did American Eagle choose this phrasing for their campaign?
It was a way for American Eagle to elicit a reaction from people, thereby giving them a bigger platform. They wanted people to talk about them, even if it was negatively, to garner attention. Marketing the brand this way made it a flop because, at the end of the day, hate doesn’t just get you noticed; it gets you even deeper down a hole.
People are more likely to buy when they feel seen, so when an advertisement is more diverse, it gives more people a voice. KATSEYE made people want to be like them and created something that wasn’t controversial, but rather something fun and aesthetically pleasing. The ad made people want to get up and dance, and it connected with all types of demographics. Someone’s genes should not be a factor in making a profit, whether it’s ragebait or being exclusive to other ethnicities and cultures. It should be used to bring people together, not only for profit, but also for community, allowing people to see themselves in real-time.
From the question that I asked earlier, who has the better jeans? Jeans are blue, but the community diversely loves great jeans.