In the big news of the week, Sydney Sweeney, through thick vocal fry and an aggressive cursive accent, brags about having great jeans — and great genes. The ad leans on the tired jeans/genes double entendre and uses the tagline: “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.” In the video, Sydney explains how genes work (much like the popular girl at your high school would), indirectly boasts about having blue eyes, and playfully scolds the cameraperson for panning over her chest.
Naturally, it didn’t take long for it to go viral and spark major backlash. After all, the implications of a blue-eyed, blonde woman flexing her “genes” in an ad are… hard to ignore, to say the least. Over the past few days, people across the internet have shared their strong opinions about the ad and had a field day with parodies and creative response ideas. So, why is everyone so pissed at the Euphoria actress over this campaign? Let’s break down the Sydney Sweeney jeans ad controversy.
Sydney Sweeney Jeans Ad Controversy Explained
In the clip that’s getting the most attention, Sydney says, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue.” There’s a close-up on her face when she says that last bit, as if we wouldn’t get the painfully obvious “joke” about her eyes being blue. Sydney reads the script as though she’s trying to seduce viewers, but it seems lots of us felt more creeped out than enticed.
Many fans and outlets accused the ad of being a eugenics campaign. One creator shared their POV that the ad is “imbued with eugenic messaging” and that “ads don’t just sell products — they sell us notions of love, normalcy, sexuality, what families are supposed to look like, what bodies are supposed to look like.” Simply put, people think the ad is telling viewers that Sydney’s look is superior not just because of her jeans, but because of her skin, hair, and eye color.
Neither Sydney nor American Eagle has shared a statement responding to the backlash yet.
