Sydney Sweeney’s ad campaign has sparked a eugenics scandal

Such is the febrile political environment in the US today, that an ad campaign for denim can spark a controversy about eugenics.

A few days ago, retailer American Eagle was chuffed about signing Sydney Sweeney for its new line of jeans. Its stock price surged 10 per cent on the day it launched its campaign. Everyone was probably patting themselves on the back.

Now, it and Sweeney are embroiled in a scandal that has drawn in even the actor’s German Shepherd dog.

At the core of the brouhaha is the punny, interchangeable use of genes and jeans. The tagline on the print ads and the online video is “Sydney Sweeney has good jeans”.

In one video, a horizontal Sweeney is pulling on the pants, a la Brooke Shields, while intoning, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even hair colour. My jeans are blue.”

What’s the harm in that, you might ask. Perhaps at another time in another world, not much.

But in America in 2025, the reactions have been visceral, ranging from “a little tone-deaf” to accusations of outright racism. Some of the comments beneath Sweeney’s Instagram post of the campaign have included, “Oh cute, she’s in her Nazi propaganda era!” and “Promoting eugenics (is) big (in) 2025”.

Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January has heightened anti-immigration sentiment in the US with much of the discourse centred on what characteristics (racial, physical) constitutes “American”.

Non-Anglo American citizens have been swept up in raids by immigration agents and imprisoned, with allegations they were targeted because of how they look.

The Trump administration has also banned diversity, equity and inclusion programs within federal agencies and required the same of any private companies with government contracts.

American Eagle declaring Sweeney’s blond-haired, blue-eyed attributes as “good” genes is indeed a sensitive play with American racial politics what it is under the current government. The brand likely didn’t mean anything by it, but the association is awkward nonetheless.

The fuel to the fire is the chequered perception of Sweeney’s politics.

As with any starlet who has had a meteoric rise over a handful of years thanks to high-profile roles in The White Lotus, Euphoria and Anyone But You, most aspects of Sweeney’s life has come under scrutiny.

In 2022, Sweeney was criticised for a series of photos she posted from a family party for her mother’s 60th birthday. In one picture, Sweeney had posed alongside her mother, her grandmother and a man wearing a Blue Lives Matter t-shirt.

The Blue Lives Matter movement emerged as a counter-argument to Black Lives Matter and is perceived as a right-wing response to protests against police brutality of marginalised communities.

Partygoers at the country western-themed event had also worn MAGA parody caps which read “Make Sixty Great Again”.

At the time, Sweeney responded to the furore, “You guys this is wild. An innocent celebration for my moms (sic) milestone 60th birthday has turned into an absurd political statement, which was not the intention. Please stop making assumptions.”

Despite having previously spoken out in favour of reproductive choice and LGBTQI rights, Sweeney is sometimes seen as perhaps rocking secret right-wing politics and that her love of cars and country music is a signal to conservative voters.

In the current controversy, online commentators have even raised the point that Sweeney’s dog, Sully, is a German Shepherd, which is, frankly, nonsense. Leave the dog alone.

What Sweeney has been upfront about is that she takes brand deals for the money. She said in a 2022 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, “If I just acted, I wouldn’t be able to afford my life in LA. I take deals because I have to.”

She is or has been an ambassador for Kerastase, Laneige, Armani Beauty, Miu Miu, Tory Burch and more.