When you hear “genes” and “jeans” in the same sentence, you might think someone’s just mixing up their spelling. But for American Eagle, Sydney Sweeney ads turned this wordplay into pure gold. The clothing company’s stock shot up 25% after their controversial campaign with the Euphoria star proved that sometimes bad publicity really is good business.
The whole thing started when Sydney Sweeney ads dropped featuring the blonde actress posing in American Eagle jeans. In the video, she says: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring… My body’s composition is determined by my genes.” Pretty clever, right? Well, not everyone thought so.
The Internet Explodes
The Sydney Sweeney ads didn’t just sell jeans – they broke the internet. Some people accused the campaign of having racist undertones, while others praised it for being bold and different. The controversy got so big that even President Trump weighed in, calling the ad “fantastic” and the “hottest ad out there.”
But here’s the crazy part: all that chaos actually helped American Eagle.
American Eagle’s CEO Jay Schottenstein couldn’t have been happier when he announced their earnings. “Fueled by stronger product offerings and the success of recent marketing campaigns with Sydney Sweeney and Travis Kelce, we have seen an uptick in customer awareness, engagement and comparable sales,” he said.
The numbers don’t lie. The Sydney Sweeney ads campaign generated what the company calls “unprecedented new customer acquisition” in just six weeks. Some of her jean collaborations sold out within a day – not a week, but a single day!
From Controversy to Cash
What makes the Sydney Sweeney ads story even more interesting is how American Eagle was struggling before this campaign. Back in May, the company had a pretty gloomy outlook and even wrote off $75 million worth of merchandise that wasn’t selling.
Fast forward to today, and they’re telling a completely different story.
Chief Marketing Officer Craig Brommers said Sydney Sweeney “is a winner” during their earnings call. The company reported that their campaigns with both Sweeney and NFL star Travis Kelce combined generated “a staggering 40 billion impressions.”
That’s billion with a “B.”
The Power of Memes and Money
The Sydney Sweeney ads turned American Eagle into what some people call a “meme stock” – basically a company that gets popular on social media and Reddit forums. Online communities started talking about the brand like it was the next big investment opportunity.
But can they keep it up? That’s the million-dollar question (or in this case, the billion-impression question). American Eagle’s total revenue actually dropped 1% to $1.28 billion in their latest quarter. So while the Sydney Sweeney ads brought attention and new customers, the company still needs to prove it can turn all that buzz into long-term success.
The clothing retailer isn’t backing down from the controversy, though. Marketing executive Craig Brommers made it clear: “‘Sydney Sweeney has great jeans’ is not going anywhere.” They’re planning to add new elements to the campaign later this year.
What This Means for Other Brands
The Sydney Sweeney ads success story shows how modern marketing works. Sometimes the campaigns that make people argue online are the ones that make companies money. American Eagle took a risk with their wordplay and provocative imagery, and it paid off big time.
Other retailers are probably taking notes right now. In a world where everyone’s scrolling through their phones constantly, getting people to stop and talk about your brand – even if they’re complaining – might be worth more than playing it safe.
American Eagle’s stock surge proves that Sydney Sweeney ads didn’t just sell clothes; they sold a story that got people talking, sharing, and ultimately shopping. Whether you loved or hated the campaign, you definitely remembered it.
And in the end, that’s exactly what American Eagle was counting on.
