American Eagle’s campaign with Sydney Sweeney dominated headlines. People quickly pointed out that the ad—featuring Sydney all blonde and blue-eyed—was giving weird eugenics vibes. Like… “great genes”? Really? Some compared it to Nazi propaganda, saying it promoted this ideal of “genetic superiority.” American Eagle’s campaign, with its play on “genes” and “jeans” and visuals focusing on Sweeney’s appearance, triggered strong reactions tied to historical eugenics and white supremacist symbolism. Despite that, American Eagle has not issued any official apology or withdrawal of the ads. Old Navy and other companies have remained outwardly silent, making no official comments, distancing statements, or internal memos leaked to the press.
Meanwhile, Levi’s itself has not taken a direct stance on the issue; however, the brand has surfaced in social media discourse as part of broader comparisons. A viral post contrasted Beyoncé’s recent high-profile Levi’s campaign—where she appeared with blonde hair and wearing blue jeans—with the backlash targeted at Sweeney. Critics pointed out perceived inconsistency over outrage: Beyoncé received praise while Sweeney’s image triggered condemnation. There’s no evidence Levi’s responded to these debates.
Old Navy, although part of the same corporate family, has offered no comment—suggesting either a strategy of non-involvement or a desire to keep its brand separate from the controversy.
Levi’s wasn’t directly implicated in the campaign. Yet, social media users likened the situation to Beyoncé’s Levi’s ad campaign from 2024: Beyoncé, also styled with blonde hair and denim, did not draw the same backlash. One commenter on X captured this comparison:
A viral debate erupted after a tweet pointed out an alleged double standard in how audiences reacted to two similar denim campaigns:
“So it’s okay for Beyoncé to show off her blonde hair & blue jeans in a Levi’s AD. But Sydney Sweeney does it and the left has a meltdown. Unreal.”
— @SmashMemez on X (source)
Another viral comment added:
“So, Beyoncé can pose in Levi’s and it’s art… but when a white woman does it, it’s a national crisis?”
— X user via Sportskeeda
Replies to these posts sparked a wide range of perspectives:
Critics of the outrage argued:
“Hypocrisy at its finest.”
“It’s just jeans. Why make it about race?”
Others countered by saying the problem wasn’t with Sweeney’s appearance, but with the messaging:
“It’s not the same. Beyoncé’s ad didn’t say anything about ‘genes.’ That’s the difference.”
“No one’s mad about Sydney Sweeney being blonde. They’re mad about the ‘superior genes’ subtext.”
