31/07/2025
This is something I recently wrote on LinkedIn, and I wanted to share it here too.
👖 S*x appeal. Wordplay. Controversy. Is that still an effective marketing formula in 2025?
American Eagle’s recent campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney has stirred debate across the industry. The tagline
“Sydney Sweeney has great jeans”
-a play on “great genes” was meant to be witty and s*xy. But many saw it as tone-deaf, exclusionary, and out of touch with today’s cultural climate.
Yes, the ad went viral. But at what cost?
As marketers, this moment raises critical questions:
👉 Does s*x appeal still drive brand connection or just empty clicks?
👉 Is controversy a strategy or a sign of a lack of insight?
👉 Who benefits when we recycle beauty standards tied to race, body type, and privilege?
👉 Are we building brands for attention or for trust and cultural relevance?
This case challenges us to think beyond wordplay and celebrity influence.
It asks: Are we marketing for the moment or for the future?
💬 What do you think -brilliant buzz or branding blind spot?
*xAppeal
