'Sydney Sweeney's ad shows an unbridled cultural shift toward whiteness'

[sop]

(MSNBC) "This week, American Eagle, which brought us baby tees and low-rise denim in the aughts, debuted an advertisement campaign starring actor Sydney Sweeney. Sweeney, 27, is featured doing all sorts of Americana things in her American Eagle denim — like leaning over the hood of a white Mustang or lying on the floor holding a long-haired German shepherd puppy. At the end of each video, an off-screen voice speaks over blocky letters declaring that Sweeney — blonde, blue-eyed and white — 'has great jeans.' The wordplay was made even more explicit when American Eagle posted a video of Sweeney standing in front of a poster bearing her likeness with the word 'genes' crossed out and replaced with 'jeans.' "

"The backlash has been swift and fierce, and some of it, at least, if you ask me, is fair. The internet has been quick to condemn the advertisement as noninclusive at best and as overtly promoting 'white supremacy' and 'Nazi propaganda' at worst. These critics point to the copy and the implication of calling a white person superior because of their genes. In the videos, Sweeney exudes a sort of vintage sexiness that caters to the male gaze. She embodies the near mythological girl-next-door beautiful but low-maintenance sexy femininity that dominated media in the 1990s and the early 2000s. Together, the campaign feels regressive and not retro, offensive and not cheeky."

"An advertisement that so many are condemning as a 'eugenics dog whistle' fits into this movement. Sweeney and American Eagle deserve much scrutiny over this, but so does our own crumbling and fractured American culture that made this all possible in the first place."

More at link:

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/sydney-sweeney-american-eagle-ad-whiteness-rcna221630

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Thinking backward

I resent the ways in which Madison Avenue, networks, Hollywood influenced issues of race, sexuality. Subtle but creepy in a way.

[CincyDem]

2. This is a great concept and a shitty execution that could have been 180 degrees more impactful.

Don’t really know ms Sweeney but I’m sure she’s and up and coming beautiful young woman who, obviously, is white.

Some where, there’s an equally beautiful black woman, and equally stunning Latina woman, a Native American woman, and a middle eastern woman.

Exact same copy in the voice over…different videos. Break all 5 (or 6 or 7, whatever) together and let em rip.

Now it’s the same concept with a much more demographically forward looking message.

Their ad agency and CMO let them down.

IMHO.

[JustAnotherGen]

3. Bey if you are listening . . .