When American Eagle tapped Sydney Sweeney for its fall marketing campaign, the model mentioned it wished to have a good time “trendsetting denim that leads, by no means follows.”
As a substitute, the advertisements, which promoted Euphoria actress Sweeney’s “good genes,” have change into a political flashpoint. Critics on the left declare they “promote eugenics,” whereas on the precise supporters (together with President Donald Trump) have praised the U.S. firm for subverting so-called “wokeness.”
Others within the center imagine the controversy has been overblown. For its half, American Eagle mentioned the marketing campaign has “at all times been concerning the denims.”
However what do creatives and strategists within the advert business make of the work?
ADWEEK requested advert business execs to weigh in on the inventive course, buzz, backlash, and double denim discourse.
Jamie Stark, group inventive director, High quality Meats
“I really feel like the entire thing is simply an try to get consideration with cheap-ass oversexualization and objectification of ladies, and it blew up of their faces. But additionally, individuals are type of overreacting to it. And now they’re simply dragging out previous skeletons in Sydney Sweeney’s closet. So type of an unlucky scorching mess throughout.”
Will Lion, chief technique officer, BBH
“It’s one other sturdy sign to adland that the world likes the blindingly apparent and we should always cease attempting so onerous to overcomplicate it. A scorching individual in denims. A Jet2 jingle. Michael Cera pretending to have invented CeraVe. Fundamental is sweet. And as for the response, it’s outrage farming from the cynical or annoying. We stay in a time when fringe opinion is offered as legitimate for clicks. If it enrages, it engages. Ignore the noise, let’s give attention to the sign.”
Emily Grey, founding associate, Untangld:
“Let’s be clear: this isn’t a eugenics marketing campaign. It’s a lazy pun. ‘Good genes’ is the type of line that comes up rapidly and is instantly dismissed as a result of it’s unoriginal and uninspired. The larger challenge isn’t intent; it’s creativeness. In banking on Sydney Sweeney—one other blonde, blue-eyed all-American face—American Eagle didn’t break any guidelines, however they did play right into a drained trope. One which feels extra early 2000s Jessica Simpson than culturally present.
“What’s placing shouldn’t be that this sparked backlash, however that it boosted the model’s backside line. That tells us extra concerning the state of tradition than any press launch might. In a second the place Sydney Sweeney and Alix Earle appear to have a monopoly on American promoting, Y2K nostalgia is having a full blown renaissance, and inclusivity is sliding off the agenda, this marketing campaign nonetheless resonated with its chosen demographic. It’s not that buyers don’t discover the dearth of variety. Possibly it’s that proper now, many simply don’t appear to thoughts. That ought to fear the business multiple poorly chosen pun.”
Katie Hunter, managing associate, Wonderhood Makers
“All of us bear in mind Pepsi’s Kendall Jenner advert—sadly, this marketing campaign was simply as tone deaf. The mathematics of it’s simple to know: a horny, humorous, sensible, and gifted actor fronts a world denim model marketing campaign. You’ll be able to image the high-fives over the denims/genes pun within the inventive presentation. However the nuances (and maybe much less nuanced messages) are simply… off.
“It’s remiss and even a bit silly to not take the larger cultural image and sensitivities into consideration for a launch of this scale. Significantly within the cultural strain cooker we’re working in.
“Maybe the Trump endorsement was the PR purpose they have been aiming for, however that feels unlikely. As at all times, do the homework, the analysis, and pay attention to the larger cultural image. We shouldn’t be working in an promoting vacuum.”
Sol Ricagni, vice chairman of inventive and managing director at Migrante
“Reactions to the marketing campaign are so polarized—it’s pushed each button on the left and the precise—that it’s difficult to make sense of all of it, which is when the ‘debate’ begins to change into simply a part of the continued noise of the tradition wars.
“On the one hand, it goes to indicate how drained shoppers are of elitist-skewing advertisements, and reminds us how necessary it isn’t to alienate your shoppers.
“However you possibly can’t ignore the truth that the controversy has received the entire world speaking about promoting, and it’s attention-grabbing that each Sweeney and American Eagle have leaned in relatively than backing down.
“Their perspective maybe says one thing invaluable to manufacturers concerning the significance of getting the braveness of your individual convictions, and it’s definitely labored for them by way of rapid gross sales and share worth—though it might all backfire on them in the long run.”
Geoff McHenry, head of technique, 72andSunny NY
“I could also be within the minority right here, however I don’t suppose that the model meant something deliberately dangerous once they created this marketing campaign. However good intentions and public notion are two fully various things.”
“In right now’s local weather, the job of a marketer is to not solely take into consideration what you need to say, however to be thoughtful and empathetic in the direction of how others could understand it. That’s why having individuals from various backgrounds, totally different generations, and other people with totally different lived experiences within the room is extremely necessary. They can help you discover blind spots, anticipate cultural dialog, and be certain that your intentions match the general public notion of no matter you create.”
