“I was honestly surprised by the reaction,” Sydney Sweeney confessed to People. “I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand. I don’t support the views of some people who chose to connect to the campaign. Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren’t true.”
Recalling the uproar over her American Eagle jeans advertisement earlier this year, Sydney Sweeney stated to People magazine, “I’m against hate.” The slogan “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” served as the marketing effort’s focal point.
Online uproar was sparked by the pun about “great genes,” with many on social media claiming the firm was praising the actor’s slim build and white ancestry. The advertisements were even likened by some to “Nazi propaganda.”
She added, “Anyone who knows me knows that I’m always trying to bring people together. I’m against hate and divisiveness. In the past my stance has been to never respond to negative or positive press, but recently I have come to realise that my silence regarding this issue has only widened the divide, not closed it. So I hope this new year brings more focus on what connects us instead of what divides us.”
The Emmy nominee claimed that because “I’ve always believed that I’m not here to tell people what to think,” she wasn’t ever compelled to draft an official statement justifying or clarifying the advertisements amid the height of criticism. She claimed in her concluding statements, “I know who I am. I know what I value. I know that I’m a kind person. I know that I love a lot, and I know that I’m just excited to see what happens next. And so I don’t really let other people define who I am… I knew at the end of the day what that ad was for, and it was great jeans, it didn’t affect me one way or the other.”
Her uproar wasn’t limited to online users; Vice President JD Vance responded by making fun of leftists for inciting a frenzy around the campaign.
When queried about the advertisements amid rumours that Sweeney was also a registered Republican, Donald Trump said, “She’s a registered Republican? Oh, now I love her ad! You’d be surprised at how many people are Republicans… If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic!”
