All Genes are Good Genes
Photo by Lilian DeFilippis '26.
It's not an over-exaggeration to state that both Sydney Sweeney and KATSEYE’s respective jean advertisements have taken over social media. However, they have both gained traction for very different reasons, causing viewers to compare the two in regards to what a successful advertisement requires.
The discourse on Sweeney’s ad for American Eagle began immediately after its release on July 25. The ad begins by panning up Sweeney’s body to reveal her wearing an all-denim outfit, slowly pulling up the zipper of her jeans as she says, “Jeans are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue,” followed by the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.”
The Euphoria star was already in hot water – for lack of better words – for her partnership with Dr. Squatch, a soap brand marketed towards men that was released at the beginning of June.
The now sold-out soap was advertised with a video featuring Sweeney in a bubble-filled bathtub, saying, “Hey, you dirty little boys. Are you interested in my body… wash? Well, you can’t have it. Because this isn't for boys. It’s for men.” One of the products from her line was a soap bar, titled “Sydney’s Bathwater Bliss,” advertised to have her actual bathwater in each bar.
With Sweeney already on the forefront of the never-ending online discussion of women who “set feminism back,” with her soap ad, not many were surprised that she would yet again put herself in the spotlight with an odd advertisement. However, many feel that the American Eagle ad does more than just sexualize her in the sake of profit – it pushes a disturbing agenda of white supremacy.
The tagline "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans” along with her genetics monologue left many to think that the actual thing being advertised was Sweeney’s blonde hair, blue eyes and white skin. Considering Sweeney, an actor whose career has so far revolved entirely around the over-sexualization of her appearance, it’s not surprising that an ad she is featured in would aim to prioritize her look above anything else.
In an attempt to squash the debate on whether or not the ad was intentionally promoting eugenics, American Eagle came out with a statement on the brand’s Instagram, saying, "'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
When KATSEYE’s advertisement for Gap was released on Aug. 19, many viewers speculated that this was a direct response to Sweeney’s ad, seeing that the global girl group is composed of a range of diverse women promoting the comfort and flexibility of the jeans being advertised without having to say a single word.
The group, based in Los Angeles, was formed through Dream Academy, an elimination-based competition series aimed at creating girl groups. The members consist of Lara Raj, Yoonchae, Daniela Avanzini, Manon Bannerman, Megan Skiendiel and Sophia Laforteza. They began gaining traction at the release of their song “Touch” in July 2024, and the Gap commercial has since skyrocketed them into the mainstream media.
The Gap ad features the group dancing to “Milkshake” by Kellis, all wearing various denim garments. The YouTube video on Gap’s official channel has garnered over 14 million views, 4 million likes on TikTok and inspired a dance trend in which TikTok users recreate the choreography of the ad. With overwhelmingly positive attention towards this advertisement, it’s easy to point out what the American Eagle ad lacked: both inclusivity with people of different races and a variety of styles.
The public’s response to both of these ads poses an important question; what aspects of marketing do people want to see? What do they not want to see?
In today’s political climate, Gen-Z especially is not likely to respond positively to advertisements that push an extremist right-wing agenda in the way many felt Sweeney’s did. To many young people who are growing up under a presidency rooted in despotism, it is disheartening to hear new initiatives taken by President Donald Trump every single day, then turn to social media and learn that they are being targeted by advertisements with seemingly similar ideas of supremacy.
On the opposite end, the KATSEYE ad emphasizes authenticity, which would naturally reach a broader audience that can find inspiration in the diversity and talent of the group. To many, finding a community in which they feel seen can be difficult, but the marketing strategy that Gap chose promotes just that.
As many have noted, the jeans don’t even fit Sweeney too great, anyway.