Carl Jones interviewed on Mexican radio about US advertising campaign

13 October 2025

Advertising

One of Mexico’s most popular journalists Danielle Dithurbide interviewed Dr Carl W. Jones in August on her radio programme on Radio Fórmula about the controversial American Eagle social media and print campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney. The advertising has been criticised for promoting white superiority through the slogan that says “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans” (the word Jeans is crossed out and replaced with the word ‘genes’). Critics argue that it is a coded message promoting eugenics.

Jones discussed how millions of dollars in earned media was gained by the campaign’s brand, American Eagle, due to the online discussion including support from President Trump. Jones also mentioned how the campaign is viewed differently in Mexico vs. the USA due to the two countries unique histories regarding race politics.

Jones recommended that companies should take into consideration that advertising broadcasts two messages, one the brand wants the consumer to see (jeans/genes) and the secondary messaging (white superiority) that is reflected in the ads.

Finally, Carl supported the idea that marketing departments and advertising agencies need to place more people of colour (POC) in decision-making roles to capture these types of controversies before they occur.

Concluding that the strategy of creating controversy could have been planned all along by their Public Relations agency as American Eagles stock prices have gone up along with an increase in sales. After all it is an advertising campaign that was designed to sell jeans .