American Eagle’s Campaign Is a Story...

The data is crystal clear. Which is why the focus on Sweeney’s breasts and her sex symbol status feels like an odd play for a brand which arguably has been trying to market to “real women” for a decade-plus. The seemingly all-out shift in brand direction doesn’t make sense.

AE told Adweek that “Sydney is someone Gen Z can relate to,” hence their choice, but my Gen Z colleagues offered something far more nuanced. They’ve told me—full stop—that these spots don’t resonate with them; said it pisses them off that women like Sweeney have been repackaged into the same blue-eyed blonde bombshell their mothers were told men wanted. Interesting, considering that Edelman research reveals that spokespersons need to be relatable more than they need to be popular, with relatability nearly twice as important as “popularity as a quality that attracts people to influencers.”

So, what’s next? How does AE move forward? For one, don’t just roll back the campaign. Own the mistake, accept the blame. That’s the best PR move you could make, hands down … and it’s not (yet) happening. The brand’s marketing team has discontinued comments on their LinkedIn posts, but discourse will happen regardless, and it’s far better to participate than have it unfold around you.

Instead, solicit input from your consumer base—ask them what they want, then respond in kind. Maybe even revamp and reinvest in your #aeriereal campaign, hint hint.

It deserves mentioning that the brand’s CMO, Craig Brommers, called the actress “one of the biggest gets in American Eagle history,” before adding that he was hoping to see significant gains against the investment.

And he did—at first. That stock jump’s surely been thrilling, up just shy of 16% between the campaign’s air date and July 29. This (speculative) upturn follows a drop of 40% in the first six months of the year (32.7% year-to-date as of July 29).