American Eagle launched a new campaign with Sydney Sweeney. On the surface, it looked simple enough: she’s in jeans, she looks great, and the tagline says, “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.”

What AE probably thought was a cheeky pun ended up sounding a little… off. Because suddenly, people weren’t just talking about denim.. We’re talking about beauty ideals, genetics, and suddenly, without trying to, the ad started sounding a little too close to that whole “born beautiful” messaging that gets real uncomfortable real fast.

And when people online started calling it out?

American Eagle said nothing.For days.

Then, quietly on a Friday, they posted this:

“Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story.”

...Okay?

No apology. No real explanation. Just a “don’t overthink it, guys” tone. 

It didn’t land well.

But moments like this are actually great teaching tools, especially if you’re a small brand trying to find your voice.

Let’s break down what happened.

What We Saw in This Campaign:

1. Silence is a response

Waiting a week to say anything? That’s a choice.

And when you finally do respond with a half-baked caption that doesn’t really address the issue? That’s a choice too.

When things go wrong (or even just sideways), your audience is watching how you show up. And not saying anything sends a message all on its own.

The takeaway? If you go quiet when people are confused or upset, you’re still communicating, just not in the way you want to be.

2. Clarity is underrated, but so powerful

American Eagle’s post made one thing clear: they’re standing by the campaign.

And honestly? That kind of clarity helps.
Because now their audience can make a decision:
“Am I aligned with this or not?”

You don’t have to make everyone happy. But you do have to be clear about who you are and what you stand for.

3. Everything you say sends a message, even the puns

“Great jeans” and “great genes” wasn’t an accident. Someone in the creative team probably thought it was clever wordplay.

And hey, maybe it would’ve worked in another decade.
But in 2025? People read between the lines. Your audience feels the subtext.

And if your copy sounds like it might be saying something deeper (even if you didn’t mean it that way), it’s on you to clarify.

4. Bold brands attract, and repel

Here’s the interesting thing: AE didn’t back down.

They didn’t take the ad down. They didn’t apologize. They doubled down.
And honestly? That’s kind of bold.

Bold branding means knowing not everyone will clap for you.
And being okay with that.

It’s not about being controversial for attention. It’s about knowing who you’re for, and showing up unapologetically for them.

5. But if you’re going to be bold… own it

If you’re going to stir the pot, don’t whisper after the fact.

That vague post? It wasn’t bold. It was wishy-washy.

If they really believed in the campaign, they should’ve said it loud and proud. If they didn’t, they should’ve owned the misstep.

Lesson: Don’t be “kind of” bold. Go all in or don’t go there at all.

6. “Is this brand for me?”

After watching the whole thing unfold, I can say this:
AE’s not for me.

And that’s okay.

I don’t need every brand to reflect my values, but I do appreciate when they make it clear what they’re about.

Because now I know: I’ll spend my money somewhere else.

What You Can Do Differently as a Small Brand

You might not be a billion-dollar company with a PR department and lawyers reviewing every post.

And that’s actually your advantage.

Because you’re small, you can move faster. Speak more honestly. Show up with clarity and care, without waiting for approval from five different teams.

Here’s how to handle moments like this better than American Eagle did, not in spite of being a small brand, but because of it:

1. Respond quickly, don’t wait for it to blow over

Big brands have to run every word past PR teams, lawyers, and executives. You don’t.

Use that to your advantage.

If something feels off, or your audience is confused, say something within 24–48 hours. Even if it’s not the full answer yet. A quick story, a note in your caption, a simple post that says,

"Hey, we hear you. We’re working through this."

Reminder:
Things go wrong. Comments get misunderstood. That’s normal.

What matters is how you respond. And not responding at all? That’s where the damage really happens.

It doesn’t have to be perfect. The longer you stay silent, the more people start writing their own version of what you meant.

2. Be super clear about what you stand for

Clarity doesn’t require a manifesto. It just means saying things like:
“This is what matters to us.”
“This is who we help.”
“This is what we don’t do.”

As a small brand, you can talk to your audience like real people. That makes your values feel authentic, not like a mission statement no one reads.

3. Bold doesn’t mean loud

You don’t need to go viral to stand out.

Being bold can just mean having a strong point of view, and making sure that’s clear in your colors, tone, and copy.

4. It’s okay to turn people off

As a small brand you have the freedom to be specific, weird, niche, bold, whatever fits you. 

Let your brand feel personal, so the right people recognize themselves in it and think, “Finally, someone who gets me!”

If someone unfollows, unsubscribes, or disagrees? That’s okay.

Your job isn’t to be liked by everyone. It’s to build real connection with the right people.

Reminder:
If your brand never repels anyone, it’s probably not resonating deeply with anyone either.
Repelling the wrong audience is part of attracting the right one.

Lean into it.

5. Don’t go edgy unless you mean it

Want to write cheeky copy? Challenge the norm? Say something spicy? Go for it.
Just make sure it’s coming from your values—not just chasing a trend.

As a small brand, your voice is the brand.
So if you say something bold and someone asks why, you can answer honestly, without needing to hide behind a team or script.

That’s what makes your brand human. And powerful.

Reminder:
Before you post, ask yourself:

“If this sparks conversation, am I ready to explain why I said it?”

If the answer is no, pause. Realign.

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