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American Eagle Outfitters' new ad campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney has sparked controversy. The campaign, emphasizing Sweeney's jeans, used a wordplay on "genes," prompting accusations of eugenics. While some criticized the campaign and AEO's response, others defended it as a playful use of words. AEO maintains the focus was on the jeans and celebrating individual style, while experts offer differing opinions on the brand's crisis management approach. The campaign's initial success, reportedly boosting AEO's market value by $400 million, is now overshadowed by the negative reaction.

Prepared by Christopher Adams and reviewed by editorial team.