The Great Denim War of 2025
If you're tapped into pop culture, you probably have heard about that one American Eagle Sydney Sweeny advert. Launched on July 23, 2025, American Eagle’s campaign featured Sydney Sweeney uttering the line “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,” a pun interpreted as a double entendre with “genes.”
The attempt at clever wordplay quickly blew up into a cultural firestorm. Critics argued the ad invoked themes of eugenics and white supremacy, with backlash amplified across media and social platforms.
On the flip side, right-wing commentators (and even President Trump) pumped the ad up as a welcome antidote to “woke” messaging, leading to a 10–24% spike in American Eagle's stock price. Yet, this social media heat didn’t translate to foot traffic; store visits dropped about 4% then another 9% in early August, and sales gains remained elusive.
Sydney Sweeney for American Eagle
Enter Gap, pivoting to an entirely different tone with its Fall 2025 “Better in Denim” campaign starring global pop group KATSEYE. Released August 19-20, the 90-second ad brims with movement, nostalgia, and representation.
KATSEYE dances to Kelis’s “Milkshake,” channeling Y2K flair, and reinforcing the tagline: “It’s better than yours.”
The campaign aimed for a "bold, expressive, and inclusive point of view," Gap brand CEO Mark Breitbard said in a press release.The Gap campaign celebrates diversity and self-expression, and that song choice is no accident.
KATSEYE for Gap
The results? Gap’s most viral ad to date, with Instagram reels amassing up to 20 million views, widespread praise for representation, and a renewed cultural buzz around denim.
Fans have called it the perfect antidote to American Eagle’s controversy.
One Instagram user wrote, “…a powerful reminder that our kids get to grow up with the kind of representation seven-year-old me could only dream of.”
AE’s controversy delivered headlines and clicks, but little purchase momentum. Gap’s approach generated warmth and community engagement, potentially translating into long-term brand favorability, especially among Gen Z and KATSEYE fans.
American Eagle tried to flex cultural muscle with a cheeky pun, and got burned by its own boldness. Gap, however, danced right into the conversation with KATSEYE, and scored with bold choreography, hearty representation, and nostalgic flair.
In this denim battle, I think it is obvious which brand will be a lasting icon and which brand will be a fleeting headline.
View the GAP ad on their website here.
View American Eagles ad here.
Written by Shaughnessy Hoefer