American Eagle Shares Plunge After Controversial Sydney Sweeney Campaign

7:17 AM ETDeveloping

World Desk

In Short: American Eagle's shares have plummeted this year, following a campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney that faced backlash and delivered mixed results.

The campaign, which faced social media backlash over perceived racial undertones, managed to deliver "unprecedented new customer acquisition," according to Brommers. However, erratic demand across the clothing sector has led to a 36% decline in American Eagle's shares this year, with price-conscious shoppers prioritizing essentials over discretionary purchases.

Despite the challenges, American Eagle has continued to invest in high-profile celebrity marketing, including its "Great Jeans" campaign starring Sydney Sweeney. The campaign generated over 40 billion impressions and saw customer numbers grow by over 700,000 around its launch, according to The Independent.

In the midst of these developments, US President Donald Trump's campaign promise to offer every adult American a $5,000 payout if Republicans win both chambers of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections has sparked debate. The plan, which would cost more than a trillion dollars, has been described as a "dividend for American workers" by some, while others question the feasibility of such a large-scale financial commitment.

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"It is an extraordinary promise, and I'm not sure where that money is going to come from – but it is campaign season," Robert Moran told the BBC World Service's Newsday programme.
"What the president is talking about is fundamentally a dividend for American workers," Vance told Fox News.
It may be the first time a US president offered such a payout to Americans, in the context of an election year plea to get out and vote.
Since its founding in 1922, Foreign Affairs has been the leading forum for serious discussion of American foreign policy and global affairs.
JONES is President of the Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the author of The American Edge: The Military Tech Nexus and the Sources of Great Power Dominance.
Despite the 9/11 terrorist attacks, this mix of geography, deterrence, and power has led many Americans to feel almost untouchable at home.
It is time for Americans to revise their assumptions.
"'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans' (the ad campaign) is not going anywhere. Sydney will be part of our team as we get into the back half of the year, and we'll be introducing new elements of the campaign as we continue forward," Chief Marketing Officer Craig Brommers said in September 2025.

Sources

The Independent link