Denim Ads Throw a Fit: Who Has Better Jeans?

A company knows they have struck gold when one of their advertisements reaches a widespread sense of virality. The ultimate goal of any advertisement is impact — and for the right reasons. The last couple of months have shown how volatile the world of advertisement is right now, especially in the world of denim. 

TikTok sensation turned pop singer Addison Rae recently dropped a collaboration with Lucky Brand, while A-Lister Beyoncé has been partnering with Levi’s since the release of her country album “Cowboy Carter.” However, these two ads have faded into the background as American Eagle and Gap have been battling it out with denim collaborations of their own.  

Sydney Sweeney, an American actress known best for her role as Cassie in “Euphoria,” partnered with American Eagle and dropped a series of video advertisements earlier this summer on July 23rd. The campaign was titled “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” and featured Sweeney in head-to-toe denim, talking about both her “genes” and “jeans.” The internet went crazy over this advertisement, and Sweeney received backlash for a multitude of reasons — most seemingly focused on the jeans wordplay. 

Some people think the ad was blatantly promoting the idea of eugenics, while many think it was a play on words that others are blowing way out of proportion. Either way, Sydney Sweeney is definitely making a killing off of these ads — and so is American Eagle. Sweeney’s signature jeans line sold out in a week and caused the company’s stock to soar nearly 40% after reporting successful quarterly results. Whether or not you support the messaging of this ad, it’s clear that it was a marketing success. 

While all of this was going down in the world of denim, Gap decided to use this window of online debate and controversy to their advantage. On Aug. 19th, Gap dropped its “Better in Denim” ad campaign starring global girl group KATSEYE. The ad features the group dancing to a version of Kelis’ song “Milkshake.” The girls look amazing in the denim and are just mesmerizing to watch, so it’s safe to say it’s already iconic. This campaign was immediately compared to American Eagle and was praised for being authentic and inclusive, as the women of KATSEYE are very diverse themselves, representing various countries and cultures.

Other praised aspects of the campaign include the nostalgia factor from the 2000s hit song and the ad’s choreography, which only escalated its online virality. Many in the media and public are calling it a “masterclass in marketing,” as it generated record-breaking engagement for Gap. CEO Richard Dickson even stated that the campaign received over 400 million views across all platforms, beating American Eagle’s 150 million, and also received 8 billion total impressions.

So, the question remains: Who has better jeans?

When it comes to ad campaigns and marketing, the numbers don’t lie. Gap was successfully able to shift the public conversation in the denim market towards a positive, inclusive messaging that everyone can relate to and feel empowered by. While American Eagle profited from controversy and negative opinions, Gap proved that a positive and straightforward campaign could also achieve major viral success. Plus, who can get that dance out of their head?

Were these jeans a fit or a faux pas? Let us know by tagging us @VALLEYmag on X!

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