Staff Reports
In a world where it seems everyone has an opinion on everything, the latest controversy is swirling around a seemingly harmless American Eagle advertisement featuring Sydney Sweeney. For those who haven’t been keeping up, Sydney is a talented young actress who also, it turns out, fixes old muscle cars. This ad, which features her in some good-looking jeans, has managed to catch more heat than a Fourth of July barbecue. People are buzzing, and it’s not all about her literal “good jeans.”
Now, in the realm of advertising, the idea has always been to get someone attractive to show off your products. This approach hasn’t changed since the cavemen probably painted on walls to sell the latest loincloth fashion. Yet, here we are, where having a traditionally attractive person in an ad is suddenly revolutionary, or controversial, or who knows— maybe both? It’s like people forgot what ads are supposed to do: get our attention and make us think we might look that cool in those jeans. Simple, right?
Yet, somehow, we’re seeing the fiery reactions you’d expect from someone discovering pineapple on pizza. Some folks claim these ads are a step back to a time when advertisers promoted narrow standards of beauty. But hold on a minute—isn’t every standard of beauty ever seen as aspirational, whether it’s promoted now or back in the day? It’s interesting how when Sydney Sweeney dons a pair of jeans, all of a sudden, it becomes a cultural flashpoint.
The backlash hasn’t gone unnoticed, prompting commentary from various sources. From one perspective, outcry over someone wearing denim in an ad echoes the kind of cancel culture many have grown tired of. Perhaps there’s something to the idea that some folks are hunting far and wide for ways to feel disparaged.
Surprisingly, while some are busy crying foul, American Eagle might be laughing all the way to the bank. The company’s marketing buzz is climbing like a squirrel at an all-you-can-eat acorn buffet. It looks like there’s something to be said for sticking to timeless advertising tactics, even in this new era of cultural scrutiny. Maybe, just maybe, focusing on simply liking things for what they are, rather than digging too deep into controversies that really only exist if you squint hard enough, is how more people should approach these miniature social dramas. Until next time, let’s all try to take ads—and life—a bit less seriously.
