Page 2 | Sydney Sweeney’s Jeans

Cortwater · 2025-08-01T11:15:40+00:00

I’m just reading about the controversy over the Sydney Sweeney jeans advert and wondered what others thought about it. AIBU to think it’s completely absurd? It’s a play on the word jeans. It’s probably also a reference to the fact she’s attractive. I don’t think it’s offensive, or supportive of eugenics, or “fascist”. Surely this is just people finding offence in anything? Happy to be convinced otherwise.

LouisaJG · 01/08/2025 19:14

Jamesblonde2 · 01/08/2025 13:24

And I know I’ll look good in them as I’m blonde with blue eyes. Glad to see some representation of myself on TV, even if some people want to slate it.

You poor thing, so glad you’ve got representation at last 🙄

I don’t know what the company’s intentions were, maybe they were innocent, but I think the political context, and the history of race, in the UK is sufficiently different from the US that we shouldn’t just assume it’s not a dog whistle just because it doesn’t seem like one to us. I’m more inclined to trust US commentators on this one. AFAIK Mumsnet is mainly posters from the UK, and I don’t think we’re the experts here.

CruCru · 01/08/2025 19:43

The thing is, the US is such a massive country. What people care about in places like New York (the city, not the state) and Washington DC is quite different from what people in West Virginia (say) are interested in. I lived in Virginia for a while as a child and remember going to a mall over in western Virginia - it was so different from the mall nearest us in Arlington.

It may be that those commentators do represent the views of the areas they live in … and the folks who shop in the malls over in western Virginia won’t care a jot about what those commentators say.

GoodPudding · 05/08/2025 07:41

Livelaughlurgy · 01/08/2025 12:23

I don't think American eagle are secret or subtle nazis though, I assume they just have the privilege that they don't think about racism or prejudice every day, so literally didn't see it. Which in itself is shocking to me.

No, they saw it alright, and it was deliberate… The reason it has been so successful (at least if American Eagle’s share price is anything to go by) is that it taps into the sentiment felt by many white people which basically goes something like:

“To hell with being expected to feel guilty for who we are and tiptoeing around it in case we cause offence. We’re proud of who we are and our heritage. If Beyoncé can strut around doing basically the same advert a couple of years without issue, and Black and other people of colour people can safely, and rightly!, say they are proud who they are, their skin colour and their heritage, then we can too! And if you have a problem with that, tough!”

Why should it be the case that a blonde haired, blue-eyed person is the only person who can’t be proud of who they are… simply because a bunch of evil people 80+ years idealised them. It’s a form of inverted racism, and those criticising should wind their neck in.

EasternStandard · 05/08/2025 07:57

It’s still getting so much free publicity on IG and everywhere. AE will be happy with that.

LouisaJG · 05/08/2025 08:38

GoodPudding · 05/08/2025 07:41

No, they saw it alright, and it was deliberate… The reason it has been so successful (at least if American Eagle’s share price is anything to go by) is that it taps into the sentiment felt by many white people which basically goes something like:

“To hell with being expected to feel guilty for who we are and tiptoeing around it in case we cause offence. We’re proud of who we are and our heritage. If Beyoncé can strut around doing basically the same advert a couple of years without issue, and Black and other people of colour people can safely, and rightly!, say they are proud who they are, their skin colour and their heritage, then we can too! And if you have a problem with that, tough!”

Why should it be the case that a blonde haired, blue-eyed person is the only person who can’t be proud of who they are… simply because a bunch of evil people 80+ years idealised them. It’s a form of inverted racism, and those criticising should wind their neck in.

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Beyoncé’s ad doesn’t say anything about genes. But you knew that.

Shoxfordian · 05/08/2025 08:48

They should have run the same ad with a diverse group of models not just a blonde white woman imo, its not a good look for them

lotsofpatience · 05/08/2025 09:24

I love the ad and I agree with the tagline.

CruCru · 05/08/2025 09:39

Shoxfordian · 05/08/2025 08:48

They should have run the same ad with a diverse group of models not just a blonde white woman imo, its not a good look for them

The slogan wouldn’t scan as well though … “Estelle, Sydney, Mariah and Rachel have great jeans”.

WeeBookworm · 05/08/2025 09:56

She isn't even blonde.

Arraminta · 05/08/2025 10:33

Oh thank God. Does this mean we can finally stop pretending that a green haired, trans woman who is only 3 cakes away from Type 2 Diabetes is 'beautiful'?

sweetpickle2 · 05/08/2025 10:39

Arraminta · 05/08/2025 10:33

Oh thank God. Does this mean we can finally stop pretending that a green haired, trans woman who is only 3 cakes away from Type 2 Diabetes is 'beautiful'?

This sort of comment is the tip of the iceberg as to exactly why the ad is so dangerous.

The people who made the advert knew exactly what they were doing my making reference to eugenics using someone blonde haired and blue eyed. Agree with PP who said it's deliberately 'anti woke' for MAGA America, as Trump himself has proven- https://www.euronews.com/culture/2025/08/05/donald-trump-weighs-in-on-sydney-sweeney-ad-controversy-and-takes-time-to-slam-taylor-swif

Arraminta · 05/08/2025 10:53

sweetpickle2 · 05/08/2025 10:39

This sort of comment is the tip of the iceberg as to exactly why the ad is so dangerous.

The people who made the advert knew exactly what they were doing my making reference to eugenics using someone blonde haired and blue eyed. Agree with PP who said it's deliberately 'anti woke' for MAGA America, as Trump himself has proven- https://www.euronews.com/culture/2025/08/05/donald-trump-weighs-in-on-sydney-sweeney-ad-controversy-and-takes-time-to-slam-taylor-swif

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What arrant rubbish. I also think Beyonce, Halle Berry and Prianka Chopra are staggeringly beautiful too.

sweetpickle2 · 05/08/2025 10:57

Arraminta · 05/08/2025 10:53

What arrant rubbish. I also think Beyonce, Halle Berry and Prianka Chopra are staggeringly beautiful too.

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Of course you do, they're beautiful women. Is there some reason why one wouldn't?

HornungTheHelpful · 05/08/2025 11:02

Livelaughlurgy · 01/08/2025 12:22

I think of all the beautiful young women out there it was incredibly shortsighted to pick one whose genes match those of the self proclaimed "master race". It wouldn't have been an issue with a white woman with brown hair, red hair, brown eye, green eye, still insensitive though. Literally anything other than blonde, white and blue eyed. I think when you talk about genes and start talking about great genes it's not a hop skip and a jump away from naziism. Especially because it's not an ad for health or physical prowess, it's literally how she looks.

Oh get a grip. “Self-proclaimed”? Point me towards one living person who has “proclaimed” that white, blonde, blue-eyed people are the “master race”? I can’t see SS has ever said so - so she’s not proclaimed it. I haven’t. I would bet that of that “race” almost all don’t believe it. As a general rule I don’t take into account the degree of physical resemblance to me when I’m deciding whether or not I agree with a person’s opinion. So don’t suggest that because some dead person - or even a living one - may have said this that all people matching the description you give agree.

Also, hair colour isn’t a race. Nor is eye colour. So what that has to do with a “master race” I don’t know.

LouisaJG · 05/08/2025 11:05

Arraminta · 05/08/2025 10:33

Oh thank God. Does this mean we can finally stop pretending that a green haired, trans woman who is only 3 cakes away from Type 2 Diabetes is 'beautiful'?

Please can you provide an example of a green haired trans woman 3 cakes away from Type 2 diabetes who has been celebrated in the mainstream media as beautiful and given an ad campaign?

Thanks in advance, looking forward to the evidence that you have been hideously oppressed by this false beauty standard that until recently was being unilaterally imposed upon us all. 🙄

SunnyPrague · 05/08/2025 11:07

What a load of nonsense

American Eagle have used a pretty young girl to advertise their jeans. She’s pretty because of the arrangement of her genetic material. It’s a play on words - genes/ jeans.

If people don’t want to buy AE jeans because of this ad then don’t.

HRTQueen · 05/08/2025 11:08

Its very deliberate

many meetings will have been held about the impact of the advert it will not come as a shock to those behind the production of the advert

I am not sure why her agent agreed to it unless SS understood that the message can be taken two ways

viques · 05/08/2025 11:10

Livelaughlurgy · 01/08/2025 12:23

I don't think American eagle are secret or subtle nazis though, I assume they just have the privilege that they don't think about racism or prejudice every day, so literally didn't see it. Which in itself is shocking to me.

This. Hard to fathom, but I suppose there are big enough bubbles .

I would be more concerned for her future career because apparently Trump has supported her.

StMarie4me · 05/08/2025 11:10

Livelaughlurgy · 01/08/2025 12:22

I think of all the beautiful young women out there it was incredibly shortsighted to pick one whose genes match those of the self proclaimed "master race". It wouldn't have been an issue with a white woman with brown hair, red hair, brown eye, green eye, still insensitive though. Literally anything other than blonde, white and blue eyed. I think when you talk about genes and start talking about great genes it's not a hop skip and a jump away from naziism. Especially because it's not an ad for health or physical prowess, it's literally how she looks.

Especially as she has been photographed with MAGA family members, and is a registered Republican.

Not short sighted. Deliberate casual racism.

AzurePanda · 05/08/2025 11:11

I think the fuss is absurd but given the sensitivity around genetics it is surprising they didn’t have models of different ethnicities. So yes, it was clearly deliberate and wow has it worked for them.

LouisaJG · 05/08/2025 11:11

HornungTheHelpful · 05/08/2025 11:02

Oh get a grip. “Self-proclaimed”? Point me towards one living person who has “proclaimed” that white, blonde, blue-eyed people are the “master race”? I can’t see SS has ever said so - so she’s not proclaimed it. I haven’t. I would bet that of that “race” almost all don’t believe it. As a general rule I don’t take into account the degree of physical resemblance to me when I’m deciding whether or not I agree with a person’s opinion. So don’t suggest that because some dead person - or even a living one - may have said this that all people matching the description you give agree.

Also, hair colour isn’t a race. Nor is eye colour. So what that has to do with a “master race” I don’t know.

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Point me towards one living person who has “proclaimed” that white, blonde, blue-eyed people are the “master race”?

Er, hello
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Duke

David Duke - Wikipedia

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Duke

Galdownunder · 05/08/2025 11:18

100% this is rage baiting all the perpetually offended folx. We all know at least one. They find fault everywhere, can't work because "the patriarchy" or "capitalism" or some shit. Sydney is hot and she has great genes.

EasternStandard · 05/08/2025 11:20

You’d probably be hard pressed to find a company that doesn’t have guidelines somewhere with inclusivity or other type of thing. Jaguar rebrand is a recent example of the general trend.

AE seems to be the first not to make sure more are represented and it stands out in the current marketing climate. It’s worked for them financially.

TheKeatingFive · 05/08/2025 11:21

ShesTheAlbatross · 01/08/2025 13:36

I agree. Even if you think the reaction is over the top, aren’t ad agencies paid to think about things like this? Even if the thinking was “ffs we really need to avoid a backlash from the bloody woke lefties”, didn’t it come up? Just have the campaign feature a number of different women.

Or maybe it did come up, and they thought “no this is what we want, way more people will see our ad this way and the backlash will make people who hate woke culture side with us and buy our jeans”

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The ad agency's job is to sell jeans/create value for shareholders. They appear to be succeeding very well in that regard.

paristotokyo · 05/08/2025 11:44

Definitely capitalising on the rage bait and it’s 100% intentional. This isn’t her first rodeo. She knows what sells and how to get people talking. She also promoted her movie with Glen Powell by strategically starting romance rumours between them whilst he had a gf. He actually commented after that she’s a very savvy business woman who does these intentional things to capitalise on them. It’s working well!