Sydney Sweeney swaps 'Great Jeans' for Jean Shorts in new AE campaign

From Afaqs

A year after its "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans" campaign went viral amid backlash over eugenics implications, American Eagle has unveiled a new spot featuring the Euphoria star. This time, it promotes jean shorts. "Syd for Short" blends cool-girl vibes with AE's heritage of self-expression. The campaign hones in on what American Eagle dubs summer's must-have: jean shorts. "From the free spirits of the 1970s to today's trendsetters, jean shorts have defined summer fashion for generations. No one perfects warm-weather style like American Eagle," said Jennifer Foyle, President and Executive Creative Director for AE and Aerie. "Summer brings a rare kind of magic, a chance to live confidently in the moment. Pairing classic cutoffs with Sydney Sweeney's signature ease makes AE denim the essential shorts this season." Shot on sunlit sands against blue skies and open water, Sweeney appears playful and at ease. The campaign highlights key styles like the Low-Rise Shortie, delivering every summer wardrobe essential: AE jean shorts and the confidence to match. Read: Sydney Sweeney’s ‘great jeans’ ad for American Eagle divides netizens The 2025 campaign drew fire for its tagline wordplay on "jeans" versus "genes." Sweeney narrated: "Genes are passed on from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and eye color. My jeans are blue." American Eagle stood by the ad and followed up with a cheeky video of Sweeney scrubbing a billboard to change "genes" to "jeans."