Posts

Sydney Sweeney’s Republican Registration Surfaces as Trump Applauds Controversial Ad

/in /by

In the wake of a controversial American Eagle ad campaign that had social media chattering about “great genes” and denim-clad curves, actress Sydney Sweeney is now drawing attention for her political affiliation.

According to publicly available records reviewed by The Guardian, the “Euphoria” and “White Lotus” actor registered as a Republican voter in Florida on June 14, 2024. The date closely followed her purchase of a home in the Florida Keys and came just weeks after President Donald Trump was convicted in New York for falsifying business records, but before his eventual return to the White House in November.

The news, which began circulating widely on Saturday across social media platforms, added fresh fuel to the discourse surrounding Sweeney’s current spotlight moment—a moment already stoked by American Eagle’s denim campaign, which plays off a double entendre: “Sydney Sweeney has great genes.” In one video, “genes” is scratched out and cheekily replaced with “jeans.” In another, the blue-eyed star delivers lines about inherited traits and eye color, only to land the punchline: “My jeans are blue.”

Depending on who you ask, the campaign is either clever branding or clueless provocation. One TikTok video, which racked up hundreds of thousands of likes, accused the ads of channeling eugenics-era aesthetics, especially troubling in a political climate where the reinstated Trump administration is working to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs while escalating crackdowns on immigration.

“It’s literally giving… Nazi propaganda,” the video claimed, underscoring a growing discomfort among progressive audiences.

Embed from Getty Images

Dr. Brett Staniland, a model and sustainable fashion advocate, told Newsweek that, “This specific campaign has sparked backlash for multiple reasons.”

“Firstly, the terminology and its inferences suggest a connection to Sydney Sweeney’s appearance being perfect, denoting her blonde hair, blue eyes and white skin, as well as her body. The second part of it is that it’s sexually charged. In one shot, the lens travels down her body for her to say, ‘Hey, eye’s up here,’ a clear reference to something women have experienced for years at the hands of objectifying men. Trivializing this sentiment to sell jeans has obviously not been well received.”

Still, others saw the outrage as overblown. Some users on X dismissed the backlash as exaggerated, noting that a woman modeling jeans, even with a tongue-in-cheek nod to genetics, shouldn’t cause this level of uproar. One post read, “No one was trying to cancel Sydney Sweeney. And no one cares if she’s Republican or not.”

Sweeney herself has yet to publicly comment on the revelation of her Republican registration. But this isn’t her first political brushfire. In 2022, the 27-year-old actor was criticized after photos emerged from her mother’s birthday party, where guests were spotted wearing red hats reminiscent of Trump’s “Make America Great Again” merch. At the time, Sweeney addressed the controversy on social media, stating, “An innocent celebration … has turned into an absurd political statement, which was not the intention.”

Embed from Getty Images

Now, amid the new political scrutiny, Sweeney has become a surprising cause célèbre for conservatives. Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung denounced the backlash to her ad as “cancel culture run amok.” At the same time, Trump himself, when told about Sweeney’s party affiliation as he boarded Air Force One, reportedly responded with a grin.

“Ohhhhh, now I love her ad. Is that right? It’s Sydney Sweeney? You’d be surprised at how many people are Republicans. That’s what I wouldn’t have known, but I’m glad you told me that. If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic.”

He later posted on Truth Social, initially misspelling Sweeney’s first name as “Sidney” before deleting and reposting.

“Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the HOTTEST ad out there. Go get ’em Sydney…Being WOKE is for losers, being Republican is what you want to be.”

Some conservatives have positioned the American Eagle campaign as a win against “woke” marketing, contrasting it with last year’s infamous Bud Light fiasco. That 2023 promotion, which featured trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney, sparked a widespread conservative boycott.

The fallout was swift. Bud Light sales plummeted, the brand lost its top spot in the U.S. beer market, and its parent company, Anheuser-Busch, distanced itself from the campaign, blaming an outside agency for the misstep.

American Eagle, on the other hand, appears to be standing by Sweeney—and profiting. The brand’s stock has reportedly seen a boost following the ad’s release. “‘ Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans,” the company said in a statement Friday. “Her jeans. Her story.”

“We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”

ae

American Eagle’s Sydney Sweeney Campaign Sparks Backlash Over “Great Genes” Wordplay

/in /by

A new fall advertising campaign from American Eagle starring actress Sydney Sweeney has ignited a fiery wave of online criticism, with accusations that the brand is subtly promoting white supremacist ideas under the guise of wordplay.

The campaign’s slogan, “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,” is a cheeky twist on “great genes,” nodding to both denim and DNA. In a widely circulated Instagram video from the brand, Sweeney stands in front of a poster emblazoned with the phrase “Sydney Sweeney has great genes.” As the video progresses, the word “genes” is scribbled out and replaced with “jeans.” The clip has already racked up over a million views on the platform.

In another promotional video, Sweeney leans into the pun further, narrating, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color.” The camera then pans up to her face as she finishes the line. “My jeans are blue.”

That line, paired with Sweeney’s blue eyes, blonde hair, and all-American image,  immediately drew the ire of some viewers on platforms like TikTok, X, and Threads. Critics accused the brand of pushing a eugenicist aesthetic and glorifying white genetic traits, with terms like “Nazi propaganda” and “white supremacy” appearing in many of the most viral commentary posts.

While the ad never references race, Hillary Herskowitz, CEO and Founder of H2 Marketing Group, told TODAY.com there is “no denying” that the phrase “carries historical baggage.”

“When you pair that kind of wordplay with a blond, blue-eyed actress, it can unintentionally reinforce narrow, Eurocentric beauty standards.”

Embed from Getty Images

Neither American Eagle nor Sydney Sweeney has publicly addressed the backlash as of Tuesday morning. A representative for Sweeney declined to comment, and the retailer has not responded to media inquiries.

The campaign, announced last week, introduces a limited-edition fall collection co-designed with Sweeney, featuring a denim jacket and “The Sydney Jean,” which showcases a butterfly motif.

According to American Eagle, proceeds from the sales will go to Crisis Text Line, a nonprofit that provides 24/7 mental health support. The butterfly symbol was reportedly chosen to raise awareness for domestic violence, a detail that has largely been overshadowed by the controversy.

“In partnership with the brand, Sweeney’s long-time stylist Molly Dickson dresses her in AE denim essentials, reimagined to create the perfect blend of relatability and undeniable influence. The curated denim wardrobe feels distinctly Sydney – effortless, personal and true to how she wears AE,” American Eagle wrote in a press release.

“Sweeney’s girl-next-door charm and main character energy — paired with her ability to not take herself too seriously — is the hallmark of this bold, playful campaign.”.

While some have condemned the campaign’s messaging as racially insensitive and regressive, others have rushed to defend it or even celebrate it. Several conservative commentators have praised the ad as a “refreshing” departure from the wave of inclusive and diverse marketing campaigns that have come to define major brands in recent years.

The backlash to the backlash has turned the campaign into something of a cultural litmus test, with some critics being labeled as overly sensitive or “chronically online.” Herskowitz believes the campaign was meant to provoke a reaction.

Embed from Getty Images

“[It was] intentional. That line — ‘good jeans’ — is too perfectly constructed not to be. It was designed to be cheeky, playful and buzzworthy. The creative team knew exactly what they were doing.”

This ideological divide over “wokeness” reflects a broader shift in the cultural landscape. In the post-2020 marketing world, where brands have often leaned into progressive values and inclusivity, there is a growing appetite on the right for media that centers white, traditionally attractive figures without explanation or apology.

The popularity of aesthetics like “old money,” the romanticization of the tradwife lifestyle, and a backlash to body positivity all reflect this shift, and Sweeney’s campaign appears to be caught in the crossfire.

The campaign had an immediate impact on American Eagle’s stock, which briefly rose following the announcement of the collaboration. However, in the days since, the company has posted more than a dozen Sweeney-focused pieces of content on social media, followed on Sunday by a noticeable shift.

In its latest Instagram post, American Eagle showcased a new model wearing a denim-on-denim look. Unlike the earlier clips, Sweeney was nowhere to be seen. The caption read: “Denim on denim on denim… on denim. AE has great jeans.”

Some users interpreted the post, which featured a model who appeared to be a person of color, as a subtle attempt at “damage control,” a phrase repeated throughout the comments. “Throwing in a little color for some razzle dazzle,” one commenter wrote. Another added, “Does she have great jeans, or is it only your blue-eyed customers?”

“Are we selling jeans to women or selling women in jeans to men?” another commenter wrote, referencing how the ad sexualized Sweeny. Earlier this year, Sweeny made headlines for selling a men’s soap infused with her own bathwater.

Whether this is a fleeting controversy or a lasting brand moment remains to be seen. What’s clear is that a pun intended to sell jeans has sparked a much deeper conversation.