Elon Musk has reacted to Sydney Sweeney’s much-talked-about American Eagle advertisement.
In the commercial titled “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” the Euphoria star, 27, says: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color. My jeans are blue.”
Newsweek reached out to Musk and Sweeney’s representatives via email for comment on Thursday.
Why It Matters
Musk, the CEO of Tesla and founder of SpaceX, is the world’s richest person, with a net worth of $407.3 billion as of July 31, per Forbes. The former head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is also the owner of X. Musk bought the company, then called Twitter, in October 2022 for $44 billion.
Sweeney rose to fame on HBO‘s Euphoria and The White Lotus, both of which earned her Emmy nominations. Other notable credits to her name include Anyone But You, The Handmaid’s Tale and One Upon a Time… in Hollywood.
L: Elon Musk attends the Breakthrough Prize Ceremony at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on April 13, 2024. R: Sydney Sweeney wearing denim in New York City on May 4, 2024.
L: Elon Musk attends the Breakthrough Prize Ceremony at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on April 13, 2024. R: Sydney Sweeney wearing denim in New York City on May 4, 2024.
Taylor Hill/Getty Images; Gotham/GC Images
What To Know
The wordplay between “jeans” and “genes” in Sweeney’s American Eagle ad has sparked a firestorm on social media, with some TikTok users accusing the brand of promoting “eugenics” and “white supremacy.” Others, meanwhile, have praised the fashion brand for pushing back against “woke” marketing campaigns.
On Wednesday, Tesla appeared to react to the commercial in a video posted to X with the caption: “Our seats robot also has great jeans.” In the clip, a robot can be seen moving a pair of blue jeans over a white seat.
In response, Musk said: “Testing rubbing jeans on our seats,” alongside a laughing emoji.
Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia also voiced his thoughts on the ad on X, resharing a video of a TikToker who encouraged fans to “boycott American Eagle.”
“The woke mind virus in full view,” Gebbia captioned it, to which Musk replied with a hundred points emoji, seemingly signifying he agreed with the entrepreneur’s message.
In 2023, Levi’s sparked boycott calls over a resurfaced advertisement showcasing their gender-neutral clothing line. The ad featured a model named Jesus, who wore a denim dress. At the time, the company was accused of being “woke.”
What People Are Saying
Jennifer Foyle, President and Executive Creative Director of American Eagle and Aerie, said in a press release: “This fall season, American Eagle is celebrating what makes our brand iconic—trendsetting denim that leads, never follows. Innovative fits and endless versatility reflect how our community wears their denim: mixed, matched, layered and lived in. With Sydney Sweeney front and center, she brings the allure, and we add the flawless wardrobe for the winning combo of ease, attitude and a little mischief.”
Sydney Sweeney said in the same press release: “There is something so effortless about American Eagle—it’s the perfect balance of being put-together but still feeling like yourself. Their commitment to creating pieces that make you feel confident and comfortable in your own skin is something that resonates with me. It’s rare to find a brand that grows with you, the way American Eagle has for generations. They have literally been there with me through every version of myself.”
Robin Landa, an advertising expert and professor at Michael Graves College at Kean University, previously told Newsweek: “The campaign’s pun isn’t just tone-deaf—it’s historically loaded.”
White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung, on X: “Cancel culture run amok. This warped, moronic, and dense liberal thinking is a big reason why Americans voted the way they did in 2024. They’re tired of this bulls***.”
Political commentator Megyn Kelly said on The Megyn Kelly Show: “We’re sick and f****** tired of the nonsense, where you are not allowed to ever celebrate someone who is white and blonde and blue-eyed. That we have to walk into a room apologetic for those things, or have for the past five years. In a way, this ad is the final declaration that we’re done doing that s***. It doesn’t mean we’re better, but you know what? We’re no worse than any other race or any other hair color or eye color.”
What Happens Next
At the time of publication, Sweeney and American Eagle have not yet commented on the internet debate.