Cally Brooks, a Features Writer at The Mirror, has been contributing to the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, and Mirror Online. With a background in news reporting at the Daily Express, Cally specializes in lifestyle topics including health, beauty, fashion, food, drink, as well as real-life stories and celebrity features.
This week, the online community’s focus turned to Sydney Sweeney once again. The 27-year-old actress, renowned for her performances in The White Lotus, Euphoria, and Anyone But You, is facing criticism over her recent collaboration with American Eagle.
The now-deleted campaign from the brand’s social media showcased Sweeney whispering on camera: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring… My jeans are blue.” The ad concludes with the narrator stating: “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.”
This led to a wave of criticism. Many have labeled the ad as “tone-deaf” and even “eugenics-adjacent.” Some argue that it objectifies women under the guise of supporting domestic violence awareness, a cause Sweeney actively supports.
Others suggest that the reaction is exaggerated, attributing it to an overly critical and easily triggered online culture.
However, the underlying issue may not be as profound. The wordplay between “genes” and “jeans” appears to be a clever marketing strategy. Sweeney has long been subject to scrutiny regarding her appearance from various platforms, including unsettling Reddit forums and body shaming related to her role as boxer Christy Martin in an upcoming film.
We seem to have reached a point where every creative decision made by a prominent woman, especially one enjoying success and high demand, is met with outrage.
While it’s crucial to critique advertising, particularly when linked to social causes, one cannot help but wonder if this uproar is truly about the ad itself or rather about Sydney Sweeney.
There has been a growing vocalization regarding the numerous campaigns she has recently participated in, ranging from Miu Miu to Armani Beauty, Ford, and now American Eagle.
In interviews, Sweeney has candidly shared her upbringing marked by financial challenges and the reality that even successful Hollywood actors often struggle to maintain a stable lifestyle without consistent work. Not every acting role brings substantial financial rewards.
Let’s also confront the issue of her physique. While criticisms extend beyond the ad’s language to how the camera emphasizes her figure, this conversation is not novel. It touches upon the longstanding debate on who can embrace their sexuality without facing repercussions and invites questions on whether women can own their image without being accused of encouraging objectification, even when the campaign’s proceeds support a mental health crisis line.
Should brands be more mindful of how they link social causes to their marketing? Absolutely. Should we continuously discuss the portrayal of women in media? Without a doubt.
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