Sydney Sweeney’s new campaign with American Eagle has stirred debate online, with critics drawing comparisons to Brooke Shields’ controversial Calvin Klein advert from 1980.
The tagline, “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,” has been called out for its double meaning, with some viewers noting a perceived reference to “great genes.”
In the campaign video, Sweeney reclines while buttoning her jeans, saying, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour. My jeans are blue.”
Critics argue that, when delivered by a blond, blue-eyed actress, the message veers uncomfortably close to themes associated with eugenics.
The ad’s style also reminded many of Shields’ Calvin Klein commercial, which featured the then-15-year-old saying, “You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing.” That ad faced backlash for its suggestive tone and the sexualisation of a minor.
Social media users have reacted strongly, with some describing the American Eagle ad as “very uncomfortable” and “not even artistic or original.”
Others suggested the campaign deliberately mimicked Shields’ ad to provoke attention, especially given its link to the Crisis Text Line nonprofit.
While some defended the ad as harmless fashion marketing, others found the echoes of past controversies troubling.
“I was naive, I didn’t think anything of it,” Shields recalled of her own experience in a 2021 Vogue interview, noting how public reaction surprised her.
