The apparel retailer says it expects comparable sales to increase by low single-digit percentages in the third and fourth quarters

By Kelly Cloonan and Megan Graham – Updated Sept. 3, 2025 8:40 pm ET – Wall Street Journal

The retailer’s denim ad campaign, themed “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” sparked controversy this summer. Photo: david ‘dee’ delgado/Reuters

My cmnt: “Controversy” is when two normal, Republican politicians disagree on how best to tackle a problem a democrat as created by their anti-reality policies. Controversy is NOT when some Leftwing nutjob opens her pie hole about anything that upsets her or her cat.

American Eagle Outfitters’ top marketing executive said its recent ad campaign starring “Euphoria” actress Sydney Sweeney has given its brand and business a reset. 

“In just six weeks, the campaign has generated unprecedented new customer acquisition,” American Eagle Chief Marketing Officer Craig Brommers said on an earnings call Wednesday. “To be clear, that consumer acquisition is coming from every single county in the U.S. This momentum is national, and it is pervasive.” 

The company said it is also getting a boost from a separate collaboration with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, announced shortly after he and pop star Taylor Swift made headlines late last month with their engagement.

“We have seen periods of very strong demand from both campaigns, fueling positive traffic in August, which was up consistently throughout the month,” Chief Executive Jay Schottenstein said on the call.

Brand awareness, consumer engagement and comparable sales are all rising, Schottenstein said, crediting improved product offerings alongside the celebrity efforts.

American Eagle said it expects comparable sales to increase by low single-digit percentages in the third and fourth quarters, resulting in the metric finishing the year about flat. It had withdrawn its full-year outlook in May, citing difficulties predicting consumer spending because of macroeconomic volatility.

Its Sweeney campaign, called “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” has generated attention and controversy since its introduction on July 23.

American Eagle went big with the push, planning elements including a Sphere takeover in Las Vegas, 3-D billboards in Times Square and Los Angeles, and a “Euphoria” partnership on HBO Max, according to a post by Brommers on LinkedIn. 

Search interest for American Eagle jumped 186% in the week ending Aug. 3 compared with the week prior, while traffic to its website grew 15% in July compared with June, according to Carma, a media research and reputation firm.

For some of American Eagle’s historical core of young female shoppers, though, the campaign seemed to stray from the brand’s usual female-focused marketing efforts. 

Some on social media cited an ad in which the camera pans down to Sweeney’s breasts before she playfully scolds, “Hey, eyes up here.” And some said the pun on “great genes” with Sweeney as the sole example glorified blonde hair and blue eyes.

Other consumers, as well as public figures including President Trump, praised the campaign. “Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the HOTTEST ad out there,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Aug. 4. “Go get ‘em Sydney!”

American Eagle’s market share versus its competitors rose from 18.5% on Aug. 2 to 19.5% on Aug. 9, then ticked down to 18.9% by Aug. 24, according to Consumer Edge, a firm that analyzes purchase data from card transactions, receipts and point-of-sale systems.

But the impact of the celebrity campaigns will become clearer as the year goes on.

For its fiscal second quarter ended Aug. 2, American Eagle posted a net income of $77.6 million, up from $77.3 million in the same period a year earlier. Total net revenue fell 1% to $1.28 billion, topping the $1.24 billion expected by analysts polled by FactSet.

Comparable sales declined 1% across the company as comparable sales fell 3% at the American Eagle brand and rose 3% at its Aerie chain.

Shares jumped 24.9%, to $17, in after-hours trading.

Write to Kelly Cloonan at kelly.cloonan@wsj.com and Megan Graham at megan.graham@wsj.com

Appeared in the September 4, 2025, print edition as ‘American Eagle Credits Sydney Sweeney Ads for ‘Brand and Business Reset’’.