Marketing strategies have the power to elevate a brand or sink it.
A strong advertisement should do more than just showcase a product; it must captivate the audience, clearly communicate the value of the product and position it ahead of competitors. Beyond that, advertisements should create a strong, memorable image for a company that encourages repeat customers and fosters brand loyalty.
However, not all brands succeed equally in this arena. Consider the recent advertising showdown between Gap and American Eagle. One advertisement delivers an engaging, vibrant and memorable campaign, while the other falls flat.
American Eagle released its “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” ad campaign on July 23, to launch the brand’s fall ‘25 collection. This is a crucial time to be putting out engaging advertisements because of back to school shopping — a time when clothing companies get the most profit from sales.
The advertisement plays on a pun between genes and jeans. In a video promotion for the campaign, Sweeney looks into the camera, zips up her denim pants and says, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color.” Here, she is clearly referring to biological genetics, but then follows with, “My jeans are blue,” shifting the meaning to the denim she is wearing. A male voiceover concludes the ad by saying, “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,” ultimately tying together this play on words.
This advertisement is receiving widespread backlash, with many viewers calling attention to potential underlying racial messages. The advertisement’s use of the phrase “great genes” alongside a blonde, blue eyed white woman has led many to interpret the ad as promoting genetic superiority.
Online creators and commenters have even accused American Eagle of promoting white supremacy and ideals of genetic purity. During the controversy, foot traffic at American Eagle was down by around 9%, according to Forbes’ website. Ultimately, the campaign failed as it alienated audiences and harmed the brand’s image.
Other brands saw this opportunity to attract upset consumers.
In response to the American Eagle controversy, Gap released their own jean ad on Aug. 19, featuring the girls group KATSEYE. While American Eagle fumbled on wordplay, Gap leaned into individuality, inclusivity and self expression — everything American Eagle failed to achieve.
“Their namesake, KATSEYE, is inspired by a cat’s eye gemstone which radiates a variety of colors — much like their members. Each one unique. Together, an unstoppable force,” Gap states.
Gap made sure each detail connected back to inclusivity to shine light where American Eagle failed. Not only that, but the ad itself is addicting to watch thanks to the choreography and music, hitting on the importance of creating a memorable campaign that cuts through the noise.
They showcased a variety of different styles of denim they were selling to attract a wider variety of buyers and emphasized the comfort of the denim by showing the cast dancing throughout the majority of the ad. The song choice was clearly deliberate as they are always intentional by setting the tone for the advertisement. The cast danced to the song “Milkshake” by Kelis, a song widely known and loved for its infectious tune.
Additionally, the song has a clear, confident message in its lyrics, saying, “Damn right it’s better than yours.” That is not a coincidence, that is calculated shame, and in this case, it clearly says Gap’s denim is better than American Eagle’s, and consumers are believing it.
“20 million views in the first three days, 400 million views in total and eight billion impressions. ‘Better in Denim’ is the number one search on TikTok,” Gap CEO Richard Dickson said.
Ultimately, Gap jumped on American Eagle’s fumble and turned it into proof that their denim is for everyone. By being intentional about their sound and visuals, they were able to turn competitor backlash into their success.
Controversy for one can equal capital for another, and that is exactly what Gap achieved.
