Brands and advertising firms go crazy every time they have to find an actor for their new campaign, because finding the right face can be the difference between a successful product and one that will sit on the shelves. American Eagle tried to do something similar with Euphoria actor Sydney Sweeney when they released a new campaign titled Great Genes. What was supposed to be a play on the word jeans, opened a Pandora’s box filled with trouble and criticism, with many claiming that the ad is promoting white supremacy.
All hell broke loose after several ads featuring Sydney wearing the brand’s jeans dropped on the internet. The campaign aimed to highlight that Sydney has both great genes and jeans, with ‘genes’ referring to her beauty, according to the brand. The idea didn’t really translate, as some people pointed out that hiring a white woman with blond hair and blue eyes to talk about her ‘great genes’ is a bit eugenic in nature and cannot stand. However, many supported the campaign, and the latest to join that list is White House representative Steven Cheung, who in a post on X (formerly Twitter) called the entire backlash “moronic.”
He wrote, “Cancel culture run amok. This warped, moronic, and dense liberal thinking is a big reason why Americans voted the way they did in 2024. They’re tired of this bull****.” The voting comment is a reference to Donald Trump’s triumph over Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential elections. Another voice that supported Sydney and slammed liberals was American journalist and attorney Megyn Kelly, who didn’t mince any words while describing people who are against the campaign and said, “She’s advertising jeans, and yet the lunatics on the Left think she’s advertising white supremacy. This is obviously a reference to her body and not to her skin colour, but the lunatic left is going to do what the lunatic left is going to do.”
Cancel culture run amok. This warped, moronic, and dense liberal thinking is a big reason why Americans voted the way they did in 2024. They’re tired of this bullshit. pic.twitter.com/He7Ji6O3VF
— Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) July 29, 2025
She added that the only reason people were upset is because a white woman is the face of a campaign titled ‘great genes,’ and that people shudder at the thought of celebrating a white woman for her body or appearance. The ad has certainly given birth to a lot of opinions, with some calling it an idea in poor taste, something that the brand itself thinks is just ‘noise.’ An insider told TMZ, “This is yet another example of how social media doesn’t reflect real life. The absurd response from some corners of the internet is absolutely not how American Eagle’s customers feel.” American Eagle earlier shared plans of releasing a limited edition jeans named after the actor, whose sale proceeds will go to Crisis Text Line, a nonprofit organization offering mental health support.
Whether people like it or not, many argue that this controversy will probably end up working for the brand, as people are constantly talking about it on social media, which gives the campaign and the product more traction.
