What to Know
After its controversial ad campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney earlier this year, American Eagle has teamed up with an unexpected model for its holiday campaign: Martha Stewart, who is 84. And people have mixed feelings.
On one hand, there are lots of people who love Martha and think she’s an obvious choice for a holiday campaign. But on the other hand, people are still thinking about the brand’s controversial summer ad campaign.
You probably remember how AE’s jean campaign sparked a ton of backlash because many people saw it as a conservative dog whistle that promoted eugenics.
Via the campaign, we were told that “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.” The campaign was clearly a play on the word jeans/genes. In one video, Sydney says, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color.”
On some level, the brand is clearly still embracing the “Great Jeans” controversy, as the holiday campaign is called “Give Great Jeans.”
Many see the collab as “iconic.”
Martha is not exactly immune to controversy herself, but she still has a huge (and loyal) fanbase. Unsurprisingly, when American Eagle shared videos from the holiday campaign on social media, the brand received tons of comments calling Martha “legendary” and “iconic.”
In one video shared via Instagram, Martha says, “This holiday season, we’re settling for nothing less than a perfect fit…This gift is giving. Giving generously during the holiday season is one of my greatest joys.” In response, one fan wrote, “The holiday queen has spoken.”
In another video, Martha reads an embroidered label that says, “Live Laugh Low Rise.” One fan called it “the absolute cutest campaign ever.” To some, the collab was unexpected, but they love it nonetheless.
But some commenters were clearly still alluding to the controversial Sydney ad campaign, as they left comments like, “Martha Stewart has great jeans.”
Martha explained why she decided to model for the campaign.
She told People, “I have spent decades helping people create beautiful holidays — from setting the perfect table to trimming the tree to finding that last-minute gift that saves the day. So, when American Eagle approached me about being part of their holiday gifting campaign, I was immediately intrigued.”
Describing what she loves about the campaign, she added, “The concept of an all denim world was playful, smart and whimsical: an entire gift-wrapping workshop constructed from denim, complete with bows, garlands and wrapping paper.”
And as an expert on holiday planning and hosting, it’s no surprise that Martha also offered some gift-giving advice. “Denim is a universal gift that works for everyone on your list,” she said.
