what is the controversy with american eagle ad

The controversy surrounding the American Eagle ad featuring actress Sydney Sweeney centers on a play on words between "genes" and "jeans." In the ad, Sweeney says lines like “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color. My jeans are blue.” This sparked backlash because some people interpreted it as endorsing or alluding to concepts tied to eugenics and white beauty standards, with critics calling it a "white-supremacist dog whistle." Some viewed the ad as provocative and playing into current cultural polarization and nationalist rhetoric, while others saw it as a clever but risky marketing ploy aimed at pushing buttons and generating attention. The controversy also included criticism of the ad’s sexual undertones, reminiscent of past provocative fashion ads. Despite backlash, American Eagle stated the campaign was focused on selling jeans and celebrating individual confidence. The campaign has been politically and culturally divisive, with figures like former President Donald Trump praising the ad and its perceived "anti-woke" stance, while others saw it as a subtle nod to a conservative and nationalist audience. The campaign significantly boosted American Eagle’s sales, even though the company faced calls to pull the ad. In summary, the controversy revolves around the ad’s ambiguous language linking genetics ("genes") and jeans, which triggered accusations of promoting racist or eugenic ideas, while also igniting a wider culture war debate on beauty standards, race, and politics in advertising. The ad’s provocative approach appeared intended to generate buzz and sales, though it risked alienating some audiences and sparking heated public debate.