American Eagle’s new campaign with Sydney Sweeney has sparked plenty of debate — mostly focused on its “genes/jeans” wordplay and whether it sends racially coded messages. But in all this noise, one of the most obvious elements is being completely overlooked: This campaign is selling Sweeney’s body.

It’s no secret that Sweeney’s figure has been central to how she’s portrayed in media. And this campaign leans into that with calculated subtlety: fitted denim, strategic posing and a playful spin on genetic “blessings.” While critics focus on eye color and ancestry, the visual focus of the campaign is unmistakably physical.

American Eagle gets to frame the campaign as playful and empowering while still tapping into the oldest marketing tool in the book: sexualization under the guise of style.

Let’s not pretend this is just about jeans — or genes.

Brad Fox
South Portland