American Eagle Outfitters gained new momentum in the equity market after a denim campaign fronted by actress Sydney Sweeney sent its shares up 24 % on Aug. 4, the retailer’s steepest single-day climb in a quarter-century. The spot, built around the punning tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,” arrived at a moment when youth fashion spending has been under pressure, giving the Pittsburgh-based chain an unexpected lift. The rally intensified when President Donald Trump publicly praised the commercial and took a swipe at singer Taylor Swift, a post that traders said spurred fresh buying in early August. Trump’s intervention underscored his continuing ability to sway consumer stocks even outside core policy arenas. Controversy has fueled, rather than slowed, the campaign’s reach. Memo data cited by Axios show the ad has generated coverage in roughly 3,000 articles and attracted more than 50 million readers. Critics on social media accused the spot of flirting with eugenics imagery, but American Eagle told Axios it is “doubling down” on the promotion and maintains that the message is strictly about jeans. Marketing analysts say the global attention could translate into near-term sales gains, while warning that tying a mass-market apparel brand to polarizing political figures carries longer-term reputational risks. American Eagle is due to report second-quarter results later this month, offering the first concrete look at how the viral campaign is converting buzz into revenue.