Did American Eagle Instagram followers increase following Sydney Sweeney ad controversy? Report explored

The American Eagle x Sydney Sweeney controversy has taken another turn.

Newsweek has confirmed that the Instagram following count of the American denim company has skyrocketed in the wake of the campaign controversy in the last few weeks.

For the unversed, the brand drew the ire of the internet late in July for its ad campaign:

"Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color," the Euphoria actress says in the denim ad. "My jeans are blue."

Netizens were quick to point out that the campaign, with its wordplay on "jeans" and "genes," had white supremacist connotations. They also argued that it promoted eugenics.

The controversy involving American Eagle and Sydney Sweeney explored:

WWD has reported that American Eagle recently stood by its ad campaign in a statement uploaded to its Instagram Story, which read as follows:

"'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans' is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We'll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone."

Per Newsweek and Social Blade, American Eagle has gained over 142,700 followers on Instagram in the last month alone, a large chunk of which came after the ad was released. On August 1, the day the brand issued its statement, it gained 18,300 followers. The following day, it amassed 25,969 more, and by the third day, it grew by 15,492 people.

As of this writing, Sydney Sweeney has yet to weigh in on the debacle. However, the former brand president of Levi's, Jennifer Sey, has since weighed in, per WWD:

“There is no reason for American Eagle Outfitters to apologize or backtrack because some women on TikTok, who probably never bought the brand anyway, don’t like it,” she said. She claimed that she had been pitched “this exact campaign many times” over the years. “It’s an obvious one. A play on words. Nothing more. A beautiful woman, looking great in her jeans, [who is] at the top of her career and celebrity, and in on the joke? Sweeney’s self-awareness and humor are what make the ad unique and fun.”

She continued,

“If I were advising American Eagle Outfitters, I’d tell them to ignore the haters. Stand strong. Don’t cower to the bullies who want to make everything a tale of oppression — even a fun ad campaign for jeans. The cancelers can’t cancel anymore. They’ve lost their power. They just haven’t realized it yet.”

Scott Woodward, the founder of Sew Branded, also remarked that the ad was nothing but “clever word play," but it “just feels off” and that “struck a nerve with loyal Gen Z consumers and advertising media types, too.”

“Confidence in and celebrating everyone is a definitely good message for them, as they’ve owned that successfully and beautifully for a long time,” he said.

President Donald Trump also weighed in on the fiasco when he took to his platform, Truth Social, in the days since the ad came out to declare his support for the actress:

Sweeney "has the 'HOTTEST' ad out there" and "the jeans are 'flying off the shelves,'" he said. Speaking with reporters in Florida, he remarked: "I love her ad!"

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