What was the controversy surrounding the American Eagle denim ad campaign?

The American Eagle denim ad campaign featuring actor Sydney Sweeney sparked a debate over race and beauty standards, with critics accusing the company of making a nod to eugenics through the use of the word "genes" instead of "jeans" in a teaser video.

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American Eagle Defends Denim Ads Amid Accusations of Eugenics Nod

Q: How did American Eagle respond to the backlash?

In a statement, American Eagle said the ad campaign "is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We'll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way."

Q: What did marketing experts say about the controversy surrounding the American Eagle ads?

Some marketing experts suggested that the buzz, even if not uniformly positive, is ultimately good for the brand, as trying to follow all the rules can lead to failure.

2 Aug

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Summary

American Eagle responds to backlash over denim ad campaign
Critics accused ad of referencing eugenics through "genes" wordplay
Company says campaign was always about the jeans, not genetics

American Eagle Defends Denim Ads Amid Accusations of Eugenics Nod

In the past week, American Eagle Outfitters has faced backlash over its denim ad campaign featuring 27-year-old actor Sydney Sweeney. The campaign, which launched last week, has been criticized for its use of the word "genes" instead of "jeans" in a teaser video, with some accusing the retailer of making a nod to the discredited theory of eugenics.

However, in a statement posted on American Eagle's Instagram account on Friday, the company has now responded, saying the ad campaign "is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We'll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way."

The company's chief marketing officer had previously told trade media that the campaign included "clever, even provocative language" and was "definitely going to push buttons." It's unclear if American Eagle anticipated the level of controversy the ad would generate.

While some critics saw the wordplay as a reference to eugenics, others accused detractors of reading too much into the campaign's message. Marketing experts have suggested that the buzz, even if not uniformly positive, is ultimately good for the brand.

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