July 31, 2025
Seth Horowitz Weighs in on American Eagle’s Controversial Ad Campaign in Marketing Brew, The Glossy Podcast, and The Mirror
Horowitz Agency Founder and President Seth Horowitz recently spoke to Marketing Brew, “The Glossy Podcast,” and The Mirror about the fallout of American Eagle’s controversial viral advertisement starring actress Sydney Sweeney.
In a play on words, the commercial shows Sweeney wearing AE’s denim, saying “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue.” The messaging sent shockwaves through social media, leading many consumers to compare the language to eugenicist rhetoric and others to take issue with the ad’s sexual tone.
The Marketing Brew article, titled “Lessons learned from American Eagle’s crash and burn,” explains that many critics have insinuated that the brand may be “rage- or engagement-baiting,” while others have suggested it may be an attempt to reach a conservative demographic, as many public figures on the right have since defended or praised the ad.
“If they’re going after that demo, and it boosted the stock price like 4% or whatever it is, then they’ve been successful,” Seth tells Marketing Brew.
Seth adds that while he does not anticipate the brand to issue an apology, their next move will likely depend on the campaign’s sales and engagement.
“If they’re looking at the bottom line and it’s boosting sales for them, then they might just move on from this,” he concludes.
Seth tells “The Glossy Podcast” that he believes AE was prepared for backlash and is ready to lean into the social media buzz, as the controversy has given the brand more time in the limelight than any ordinary denim ad campaign would have.
Seth expands on this sentiment in The Mirror, adding that the ad’s polarizing effect has contributed to the increase in sales and stock price, which points to the campaign being a strategic move rather than a misstep.
“If it were a ‘misstep,’ then AE would be developing a campaign around an apology. But here we are talking about it,” Seth tells The Mirror. “We live in an era where sales trump ethics, so unless a brand believes it will materially suffer, it will push the envelope and take bigger gambles.”
Read the full article in Marketing Brew.
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