Sydney Sweeney’s viral jeans ad sparked major controversy on the internet and continues to be a major topic of discussion among fans. However, American Eagle’s CEO, Jay Schottenstein, stated in an interview that he stands by the denim campaign and will not let hate comments affect the company’s vision for the brand.
American Eagle CEO comments on Sydney Sweeney’s ad
Sydney Sweeney’s jeans ad may or may not have enticed fans, but it certainly has American Eagle’s CEO Jay Schottenstein’s full support.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Schottenstein stated matter-of-factly, “You can’t run from fear. We stand behind what we did.” He clarified that “we never would’ve done it” if he or the team at American Eagle had found it to be regressive or offensive.
Furthermore, Schottenstein instructed the executives and employees of the company to retain their composure and not comment on the backlash at all. He also revealed he assigned a designated social media team to track the campaign’s response, monitor fan comments, and survey consumer feedback.
For those unversed, the Euphoria alum headlined American Eagle’s “great jeans” campaign with the tagline, “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.” The campaign faced enormous backlash from a certain section of fans online, who claimed that the brand promoted racial and genetic superiority and regressive themes through their “great jeans” campaign.
When the backlash grew more intense, American Eagle issued a statement clarifying that the campaign solely intended to promote their brand and that there was no ulterior agenda behind it.
However, the company’s stocks surged by 25% in September after the brand shared its second-quarter earnings report. American Eagle highlighted that Sydney Sweeney’s jeans ad helped surpass even their initial expectations. (via Fox Business)
“The iconic fall denim campaign with Sydney Sweeney affirms we are the American jeans brand,” Schottenstein had said at the time.
Furthermore, he revealed that Sydney Sweeney’s jeans ad resonated with customers across the board, resulting in a new customer base and increased brand awareness among audiences from diverse demographics.
Originally reported by Anwaya Mane on Mandatory.com.
