Poll Finds Few Americans Offended by Sydney Sweeney American Eagle Ad

A new Economist/YouGov survey finds that controversy over American Eagle Outfitters’ recent denim campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney resonated far less with the public than on social media. Only 12% of the 1,635 U.S. adults polled from Aug. 9–11 said they found the ad offensive, while 39% considered it clever and 40% felt it was neither. Another 8% were unsure. The numbers suggest that the online backlash—where critics characterized the slogan “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” as coded racism or even fascism—was not widely shared off-platform. Demographic splits show men were more likely than women to view the ad positively, and Republicans more approving than Democrats, but no subgroup registered majority offense. American Eagle has stood by the campaign, saying it was intended solely to highlight Sweeney’s personal style and the brand’s jeans. The poll underscores a growing gap between social-media discourse and broader public opinion on cultural flashpoints.