Abbie Chatfield, a podcaster and former reality star, has taken to social media to criticize Sydney Sweeney’s controversial American Eagle campaign, which some have labelled as “propaganda.”
The campaign, which features Sweeney modelling items for the clothing brand under the tagline “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” sparked outrage on social media, with some calling the backlash “woke” and “ridiculous.”
In an Instagram rant, Chatfield slammed Sweeney and American Eagle, stating that it’s “not a good look” and that the campaign points to issues of white supremacy in positions of power.
She argued that Sweeney is “DEFINITELY at fault” for participating in the campaign, and that the lack of representation of minority groups in powerful positions is to blame for the ad’s offensive content.
Chatfield’s post, which has gained over 5,000 likes, went on to say that people of colour in the workplace would have flagged the issue, but were silenced and dismissed.
Since the campaign’s backlash, American Eagle has defended Sweeney in a statement, saying that the ad was “always about the jeans” and that they will continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence.
The controversy has sparked a wider conversation about representation and diversity in the advertising industry, with many calling for greater accountability and inclusivity.