David Awoyode
In July, American Eagle launched its campaign “Sydney Has Great Jeans” starring Sydney Sweeney. The ad quickly went viral, but not without backlash. Some critics accused the campaign of echoing eugenics undertones, while others — including President Donald Trump — defended it, saying people were reading too much into the message.
Despite the uproar, American Eagle stood by the campaign, declaring, “Great jeans look good on everyone.”
Gap Enters with Katseye and “Milkshake”
On Tuesday, Gap unveiled its own denim ad featuring global girl group Katseye, dancing in all-denim outfits to Kelis’s hit song “Milkshake.” According to CEO Mark Breitbard, the campaign was designed to project a “bold, expressive, and inclusive” vision.
The internet quickly compared it to American Eagle’s controversial campaign. Within days, Gap’s ad had racked up 2 million Instagram likes and over 22,000 comments, with users praising it and throwing subtle shade at its rival.
Lucky Brand Joins the Race with Addison Rae
Not to be left behind, Lucky Brand dropped its denim campaign on Thursday featuring TikTok star Addison Rae. The ad revives the low-rise jeans trend with a Y2K-inspired vibe, set to Rae’s own song “High Fashion.”
The campaign, described as a “celebration of self-expression and nostalgia,” also caught social media’s attention, with commenters joking that Lucky Brand had told American Eagle to “hold my beer.”
Who’s Winning the Jeans War?
Other retailers, including Levi’s, Old Navy, and Abercrombie & Fitch, have also pushed new denim campaigns this summer. But data shows Gap leading the pack.
According to Metricool, Gap’s Katseye ad generated 2.01 million total Instagram interactions, compared to American Eagle’s 306,100 and Lucky Brand’s 192,300.
As the lyrics of “Milkshake” cheekily declare: “Damn right, it’s better than yours.”
Charles Esther