Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle marketing campaign is dealing with mockery on TikTok.
Final week, the retailer debuted “Sydney Sweeney Has Nice Denims,” its greatest marketing campaign to this point that goals to promote denims to cost-conscious customers this fall. Whereas American Eagle declined to reveal actual numbers for the marketing campaign, chief advertising officer Craig Brommer beforehand informed ADWEEK the media funding was “considerably extra” than previous fall campaigns.
After an preliminary inventory surge the day after the marketing campaign’s announcement, the marketing campaign sparked backlash because of accusations of racist undertones and catering to the male gaze. The marketing campaign facilities round the concept that Sweeney, a blonde with blue eyes, has nice genes. One advert exhibits Sweeney crossing out the “genes” in copy that reads “Sydney Sweeney has nice genes” and changing the phrase with “denims.” In one other clip, Sweeney breathily says, “Genes are handed down from dad and mom to offspring, usually figuring out traits like hair coloration, character, and even eye coloration.”
Social backlash
On TikTok, the advert is being mocked for allegedly selling eugenics and Nazi propaganda. American Eagle didn’t reply to ADWEEK’s request for touch upon the social media backlash.
Inside American Eagle’s TikTok publish of the marketing campaign, the publish comprises feedback like, “Is that speculated to get ladies shopping for your denims?” and “If not eugenics, why eugenics formed?”
TikTok customers are additionally posting comedic movies that use the controversial advert’s soundtrack. An audio clip of advert’s voiceover has been utilized in greater than 2,500 movies.
Mostly, TikTok customers use the audio clip to publish a video utilizing the portion of audio the place Sweeney explains how genes work. Lots of the movies mock Sweeney’s slurred pronunciation of the advert copy.
One video that accrued greater than 5.4 million views and 750,000 likes reads, “woman why the hell are you speaking like that.” One other video with 3 million views and over 410,000 likes exhibits the creator trying to mouth her phrases, with a caption insulting her pronunciation.
Others attempt to spell out her pronunciation and level out the inaccuracy in what she’s saying.
Even singer Doja Cat joined the pattern, posting her personal rendition of the advert to her 25.5 million followers. Her video obtained 8.6 million views and a pair of million likes.
Different movies utilizing the sound leverage extra critical criticisms. One spotlights a gaggle of numerous fashions and reads, “their denims are nice too btw.” It garnered 4.6 million views and 1 million likes. In a video posted by a creator with 1.5 million views, the creator calls the spot “actually an advert FULL of racist canine whistles.”
A number of movies present customers throwing away American Eagle denims of their closet. One accrued 4.6 million views. One other video with 2.5 million views says, “And so we’re not purchasing at AE or aerie proper? RIGHT???”
