How Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle ‘great jeans’ ad triggered liberals, exposed cultural divide

An American Eagle "great jeans" advertisement featuring actress Sydney Sweeney sparked a huge row online that has further exposed the cultural divide in America.

"Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue," Sweeney said in the ad.

Liberals on social media argued that the "great jeans" ad with Sweeney promotes eugenics.

Conservatives said the outrage over the ad is an example of why Democrats lost the 2024 election.

"We are a diverse country, and that’s good. The wokesters take it to a level that excludes rather than includes. Good-looking white people, particularly if their hair is that evil shade known as blond, are nowhere near the intersectional matrix they demand for hiring or image making in their version of America," wrote Charles Gasparino of the Fox Business Network in a New York Post OpEd.

"That’s why Sydney Sweeney, known more for her cleavage than her politics, has become a touchstone in our culture wars, and here’s why the attacks won’t work: Wokeness was once big in the business world, but notice my use of the past tense," he added.

Liberal TV host Bill Maher defended Sweeney and the ad from attacks launched by his left flank.

“It's pretty funny that all the online social justice girls are like ‘it’s racist, there is no such thing as good genes.' Right, and then you go on Tinder and swipe left on every bald guy,” he said.

American Eagle stood by the ad and refused to apologize. 

"‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story," the company said.

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

American Eagle executive Ashley Schapiro wrote in a LinkedIn post that Sweeney and the company knew the ad would push boundaries.

“During a Zoom call with Sydney we asked the question ‘How far do you want to push it?’ Without hesitation, she smirked and said, ‘Let’s push it, I’m game.’ Our response? ‘Challenge Accepted,'” Schapiro wrote.

“Syd’s sentiment guided every frame, every stitch and every unexpected twist of The ‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ campaign,” she also said. “Infusing our own personal cheeky energy and making us 😂 as we envisioned how the world would experience the launch.”

Reports revealed over the weekend that Sweeney is a registered Republican in Florida, according to voter registration records, further sparking outrage among liberal critics of the ad.

In addition, the CEO of American Eagle, Jay Schottenstein, is a Republican donor, according to Federal Election Commission filings.