‘Comment sections are not customers’: American Eagle brings back Sydney Sweeney amid celebrity push
By Kimeko McCoy • February 19, 2026 •
Ivy Liu
Less than a year after some backlash to American Eagle’s decision to enlist actress Sydney Sweeney as the face of its brand, the retailer is reinvesting in its celebrity strategy.
Last week, the blonde haired, blue-eyed actress joined the retailer to ring in the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. The NYSE appearance comes after the “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” ad campaign last summer which sparked debate as to whether the play on “jeans” and “genes” was racially charged.
American Eagle did not respond to a request for comment regarding the partnership in time for publication. After previously working with celebrity athletes like Trevor Lawrence and Coco Gauff, American Eagle has most recently signed country star Ella Langley, who has been crowned by American Eagle as its “denim darling.”
Marketers say Sweeney’s public appearance signals the continuation of their relationship even in light of the controversy.
“Instead of reversing course at the first sign of pressure, they’re holding steady and communicating that partnerships are based on strategy, not on the temperature of what’s going on in social media,” said Deb Gabor, founder and CEO of Sol Marketing, a brand strategy consultancy.
That’s not to say the blowback is unwarranted — especially as the nation grapples with heightened concerns about white supremacy. “In a way, people have more respect for a brand that sticks to their guns and says, ‘Listen, this is who we are’,” said Noah Mallin, founder of Mallination, a marketing consultancy.
American Eagle gone quiet
American Eagle CMO Craig Brommers told Digiday Media brand Modern Retail that the campaign was the brand’s attempt to “cut through the noise” of cluttered marketing.
The blowback showed up in headlines like “It’s not just ‘good genes.’ It’s a dark reminder of history” in The 19th News publication. Meanwhile, the campaign received praise from political figures, including President Trump.
And while the brand defended the ad and did not pull it, it hired a crisis comms firm to handle questions about the messaging. The retailer didn’t otherwise address the campaign until September in its Q2 earnings call.
“The fall season is off to a positive start. Fueled by stronger product offerings and the success of recent marketing campaigns with Sydney Sweeney and Travis Kelce, we have seen an uptick in customer awareness, engagement and comparable sales,” said Jay Schottenstein, executive chairman of the board and CEO AEO Inc. in a news release.
For all the online criticism, the numbers paint a different picture. In its Q3 fiscal results, American Eagle reported its total revenue increased 6% to $1.4 billion. American Eagle comparable sales increased 1%. In response, the company raised its Q4 outlook. Those results will be announced during American Eagle’s earnings March 4.
Online versus reality
Controversy doesn’t always equate to a material dent in sales or brand favorability — 30% of people had a “somewhat favorable” opinion of American Eagle between June and August last year, according to reporting from Morning Consult. Meanwhile 19% found the brand “very favorable” and only 4% found it “very unfavorable.”
“Online backlash rarely mirrors buying behavior. Comment sections are not customers,” said Gabor.
American Eagle’s pushback sparked over concerns of white supremacy and eugenics as opposed to simple creative differences. Regardless of marketers’ personal feelings about the ad and what it insinuated, American Eagle’s doubling down points to a new crisis comms playbook. Notably, there’s not a one-size-fits all for said new playbook, per experts.
“What it signifies is that her… behavior and controversy that she’s caused, it is consistent with how they see their brand — and more importantly, it’s consistent with how jeans buyers and clothing buyers see their brand as well,” Mallin said.
As cultural tensions reach a fever pitch, brands pulling ads in response to criticism has become the norm. For example, Cracker Barrel’s attempt to modernize its image with a new logo was met with backlash last fall. The company reversed course and scrapped its new logo. McDonald’s Netherlands produced an AI-generated holiday ad that went viral for all the wrong reasons. It was removed within days after the pushback.
Consistency is key
Pulling an ad in light of pushback isn’t a guaranteed strategy, marketers say, emphasizing that it may be smarter to appeal to target customers rather than respond to online critique. Brands need to be consistent, experts said.
“They’ve made a decision about what their values are, and they’re saying, ‘This is what we believe. We believe this, this is who we are, and we’re going to be consistent about it.’ Again, putting my personal feelings aside, that’s what brands should do,” said an agency executive, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
To marketers, American Eagle’s response to cultural backlash could signal a broader shift. Backlash is now a cost of doing business.
“Today’s brands are using risk as less of a cultural barometer, because stuff blows up every day,” said Tyler Moore, a brand and strategy consultant. “It’s impossible to mitigate that if you want to make a statement.”
