Speaking of bothered, this alliterate actress is completely unbothered by all the fuss over the ad campaign.
She is singing on for more of it.
Sydney Sweeney
American Eagle
Sydney Sweeney’s denim ad sparks backlash — and a massive American Eagle follower surge
What started as a cheeky denim campaign has turned into one of American Eagle’s biggest viral moments.
The brand’s late-July commercial featuring Sydney Sweeney — star of Euphoria and The White Lotus — included the playful line, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring… My jeans are blue.” The pun quickly split the internet, with some accusing it of having white supremacy undertones, while others defended it as clever wordplay.
American Eagle addressed the controversy on August 1, clarifying the campaign was “always about the jeans” and celebrating “how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence.”
The buzz translated into serious numbers. According to Social Blade, the brand gained over 142,700 Instagram followers in the last month, with record spikes in the days following the ad. On August 1 alone, they gained 18,300 followers; August 2 brought in 25,969 more, and August 3 added 15,492.
The drama caught the attention of Donald Trump, who praised Sweeney after learning she’s a registered Republican in Florida. He called her ad the “HOTTEST” and said the jeans were “flying off the shelves.”
Currently, American Eagle sits at 3.8 million Instagram followers — and counting.

