Sydney Sweeney’s new denim campaign for American Eagle, dubbed “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans”, is facing scrutiny.
Launched in late July, the campaign features Sweeney modelling The Sydney Jean, a limited‑edition design, with all proceeds going to domestic violence charity Crisis Text Line.
In the campaign video, Sweeney says, “Hey! Eyes up here” as the camera pans over her cleavage.
Stay up to date on the latest news with The Briefing headlines – keeping you in the loop with news as it hits:
The ad sparked a surge in social media engagement and reportedly helped send the company’s stock up by 10 to 22 per cent following its release.
Critics argue the visuals undermine the campaign’s message by oversexualising Sweeney and distracting from raising awareness about domestic violence.
“This is what happens when you have no ppl of colour in a room. Particularly in a time like this,” one user wrote online.
One social media post asked: “Is this really the advertisement they came up with for raising money for a domestic violence org?” Others condemned the campaign as tone‑deaf and sexist.
Some commentary has gone further, accusing the campaign of sending eugenic undertones by pairing Sweeney’s statement about genes with a focus on her physical appearance.
Several TikTok users criticised the ad, claiming it resembled “Nazi propaganda” and a “racialised dog whistle”.
“When those traits are consistently uplifted as genetic excellence, we know where this leads,” one user said on TikTokker.
“This just echoes pseudoscientific language of racial superiority. All throughout history, those traits have been weaponised to uphold a racial hierarchy.”
Subscribe to The Briefing, Australia’s fastest-growing news podcast on LiSTNR today. The Briefing serves up the latest news headlines and a deep dive into a topic affecting you. All in under 20 minutes.