American Eagle Outfitters is facing an internet-fueled backlash over its fall denim campaign starring actress Sydney Sweeney. The video and print spots feature the slogan “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” a wordplay on “genes” that critics say echoes language historically used by eugenicists; some posts went as far as labeling the promotion “Nazi propaganda.” After four days of mounting criticism, the apparel retailer issued a brief statement on Instagram on 1 August saying the message "always was about the jeans." The company neither apologized nor altered the ads, adding the tag line “Her jeans. Her story.” The controversy quickly became political theater. White House communications director Steven Cheung dismissed the outrage as “cancel culture run amok,” while Vice President J.D. Vance and Elon Musk’s Tesla used social media to mock detractors. Conservative pundits applauded the brand’s refusal to retract the campaign; progressive commentators faulted the company for centering a blue-eyed, blond spokeswoman without broader representation. The promotion includes a limited-edition “Sydney Jean,” with 100 percent of proceeds pledged to the mental-health nonprofit Crisis Text Line—an aspect largely overshadowed by the debate. American Eagle shares have seesawed since the ads debuted, gaining about $100 million in market value over the first week but slipping 2.2 percent on Friday as the backlash widened. Marketing analysts say the episode underscores how easily a lighthearted pun can ignite a culture-war flashpoint, and how brands increasingly weigh whether the free publicity of outrage is worth the reputational risk.