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When a Pair of Jeans Becomes a Political Flashpoint
It was just an ad.
At least, that’s what most people saw—a playful nod to style and wordplay.
But in 2025, even a lighthearted fashion campaign can set off a political firestorm. And when American Eagle teamed up with Sydney Sweeney, the backlash revealed more about America’s culture wars than it did about denim. (MORE NEWS: Trump: New Census Will Omit Illegal Immigrants)
From Clever Wordplay to Culture War
On July 23rd, American Eagle released its new campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney with the tagline:
“Sydney Sweeney has good jeans.”
The ad played on the words jeans and genes. In a short video, the Euphoria actress joked:
“Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color… My jeans are blue.”
For most viewers, it was harmless fun. But for loudest voices on the left, it became something darker. Online commentators and media outlets compared the Sydney Sweeney American Eagle ad to “Nazi propaganda” and “white supremacist eugenics” because she’s blonde and blue-eyed. CNN even called it a “scary white supremacist dog whistle.”
Why American Eagle Isn’t Backing Down
Despite removing the “genes” video from social media, American Eagle hasn’t abandoned the campaign. The company is still running the Sydney Sweeney “good jeans” ads across its platforms and has issued a public statement defending its decision on their Instagram.
And it’s paying off. American Eagle’s stock price is up 20% since the campaign launch, boosted by a high-profile post from President Donald Trump praising the ad.
Other prominent conservative voices have rallied to Sweeney’s defense. Megyn Kelly posted on X:
Look how scared they are about the Sweeney ad – “it’s all a right-wing invention!!”
Their party is paying millions to learn how to talk to young male voters and then their lunatic voters say you’re a Nazi if you like this gorgeous white blonde actress & it’s all blown to hell. https://t.co/JeJntXHlyE— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) August 5, 2025
Vice President JD Vance also weighed in, posting:
“[Democrats] have managed to so unhinge themselves over this thing. And it’s like — did you learn nothing from the November 2024 election?”
“They have managed to so unhinge themselves over this thing.”
Vice President JD Vance rips the left’s overreaction to Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle ad on @RuthlessPodcast pic.twitter.com/K2A59xwfHa
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 1, 2025
These defenses underline a growing belief on the right that the backlash is only helping the brand and pushing more young voters toward conservative politics.
Amid the controversy, one major part of the campaign has been largely overlooked: the cause it supports. According to the American Eagle website:
“A butterfly motif on the back pocket represents domestic violence awareness, an issue Sweeney is passionate about. 100% of the purchase price from The Sydney Jean will be donated to Crisis Text Line, a nonprofit offering free, 24/7, confidential mental health support.”
Woke Advertising Is Losing Its Grip
For years, corporations pushed political activism into ads. Many customers walked away. They wanted products, not politics.
Now brands are moving back toward the middle. Sydney Sweeney fits that shift—beautiful, stylish, and a touch of old-school appeal.
The “girl next door” is making a comeback. People are tired of the chaos of leftism. Now, companies are shifting to relatable ads with <gasp> sex appeal, like the days of Marilyn Monroe and Farrah Fawcett. It’s a cultural reset, and it’s working. (RELATED: Court Nixes California AI Deepfake Law, Free Speech Wins)
What’s Driving the Cultural Divide
Pew Research shows men—especially under 50—are moving toward the Republican Party.
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55% of men voted for Trump in 2024, up from 50% in 2020.
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46% of women voted for Trump in 2024, compared with 44% in 2020.
Charlie Kirk tied this shift directly to the Sweeney outrage:
Everytime they call Sydney Sweeney a fascist, 100 young men become registered Republicans.
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) August 4, 2025
Young men are waking up. They want to marry a “normie.” They want kids, a home, and a steady life. They don’t want the drama of woke culture.
Sydney Sweeney isn’t just a woman in an ad. She represents what many men—and women—want back: normalcy, beauty, and stability.
Sometimes an Ad Is Just an Ad
The Sydney Sweeney “good jeans” backlash proves how quickly harmless marketing can become a political lightning rod.
But here’s the truth: NO ONE should be shamed for being proud of their genes or their jeans. Appreciating beauty isn’t an insult to anyone else.
We live in a culture that twists everything into controversy. Sometimes an ad really is just an ad.
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