Nazi Propaganda? Sydney Sweeney Campaign Sparks Controversy

Sydney Sweeney, an actress who became known after joining the cast of series such as 'Euphoria' (2019) and 'The White Lotus' (2021), starred in an advertising campaign for the American Eagle brand, whose slogan has generated a lot of controversy on social media.

American Eagle is an American clothing and accessories brand founded in 1977.

In the ad in question, the artist appears to be assembling a car and sticking the campaign poster on a wall.

Later, the following sentence is read: 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans' - 'Sydney Sweeney has great jeans', in a free translation . In other words, a pun was made between the words 'jeans' and 'genes' .

Taking this into account, several people on social media considered the campaign "fascist".

The details - and criticisms - of the controversial campaign

The image of Sydney Sweeney - fair-skinned, blonde, and blue-eyed - further strengthened the theory that the campaign was Nazi in nature.

As the international press highlights, the expression 'great genes' has historically been used to celebrate white, thin, and attractive people. And even for many unfamiliar with the history of the expression and its usage, the campaign's message is clearly offensive.

"Should we be surprised that a brand whose name is literally American Eagle is running a fascist campaign like this? Probably not, but it's still shocking that a white woman with blue eyes and blonde hair is talking about her good genes like Nazi propaganda," said one TikTok user in a video that has since gone viral.

The same opinions were echoed on social media. "Sydney Sweeney's jeans campaign for American Eagle is Nazi propaganda, and anyone who disagrees is a fascist. They could have easily chosen a beautiful black woman to do the ad, but instead, they chose a white woman…"

The campaign, it should be noted, features a limited-edition denim collection created in partnership with the actress. The pieces feature butterfly motifs that represent the fight against domestic violence. Proceeds from sales will be donated to Crisis Text Line, an organization that offers 24/7 mental health support.

Despite the negative comments, there was also no shortage of appreciation from Sydney Sweeney fans who considered the criticism exaggerated given the context of the campaign.

"Sweeney's energy - along with her ability to not take herself too seriously - is the hallmark of this relaxed and bold campaign," the brand said on its website when launching the partnership.

So far, neither the actress nor the brand have commented on the controversial campaign.

The website where the product was sold became unavailable due to the "craziness" of the launch.

News to the Minute | 8:08 PM - 6/10/2025

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