GAP's 'Better in Denim' Ad with Katseye Takes a Subtle Dig at American Eagle's Sydney Sweeney Campaign

A dynamic new denim campaign reclaims inclusivity after controversy.

The renewed GAP brand just dropped its bold 'Better in Denim' campaign, starring internationally diverse girl group Katseye dancing to Kelis's 'Milkshake', and it landed with perfect timing amid the uproar surrounding American Eagle's Sydney Sweeney jeans ad.

GAP leapt into the cultural spotlight with unity and style, while American Eagle grapples with controversy and uncertain footfall and sales impact.

All About Diversity

GAP's 'Better in Denim' is a burst of choreography and colour, showcasing low-rise jeans as a symbol of self-expression, not exclusion. Set to 'Milkshake' and choreographed by Robbie Blue, the advert features Katseye radiating individuality while moving as one. Critics note it revives GAP's legacy of ensemble joy and cultural relevancy in fashion marketing.

Katseye, a six-member group with members from the Philippines, South Korea, Switzerland and the US, brings global representation and fresh energy. Fans say GAP's ad feels like 'denim as you define it... powerful on your own, even better together.'

A Sharp Contrast with American Eagle's Controversy

American Eagle's 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans' campaign launched on 23 July 2025, drawing widespread attention due to its pun on 'jeans' versus 'genes', and featuring Sweeney herself in a provocative pose and dialogue.

The pun, 'My genes are blue; Sydney Sweeney has great jeans', sparked backlash for echoing eugenics and white supremacist messaging, with terms like 'Nazi propaganda' thrown around online.

Despite the uproar, the campaign delivered a quick financial boost as American Eagle's stock surged by around 10–24 percent following the launch, and web traffic spiked. But amid increased visibility, real-world engagement fell. Foot traffic to AE stores initially dropped 3.9 percent and then 9 percent year-over-year in early August.

Early data from Consumer Edge also shows market share remained flat and sales gains were absent, despite website traffic surges. This shows the gap between viral marketing and actual consumer behaviour.

Behind the Campaigns

GAP's film leans hard into inclusion by design and by casting. The 90-second 'Better in Denim' spot is directed by Bethany Vargas with cinematography by Bjorn Iooss and choreography by Robbie Blue; it revives GAP's music-and-movement heritage with a Y2K flourish and a licensed remix of Kelis's 2003 hit 'Milkshake', whose hook 'my milkshake... better than yours' cheekily echoes the campaign line.

The cultural callbacks do strategic lifting. GAP nods to the return of low-rise denim while centring self-expression and belonging, positioning the brand as a safe, stylish foil to controversy-driven virality.

American Eagle's creative, by contrast, became the story; for the wrong reasons. Launched on late July 2005, 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans' was criticised for a wordplay many read as 'genes', igniting accusations of eugenics-coded messaging across social platforms and press.

The competitive takeaway is stark. AE's campaign achieved cultural heat but correlated with softer store metrics and no early market-share gain; GAP's film builds social currency around inclusive joy while avoiding ideology-triggered blowback.

What to Watch Next

So far, American Eagle's campaign has provoked engagement, but not necessarily shoppers. As one analyst remarked, even viral attention doesn't guarantee sales.

The real test lies ahead: can GAP's 'Better in Denim' campaign translate its inclusive energy and choreography into tangible sales uplift? With stylish diversity and cultural fluency at its core, this advert may restore the momentum that fashion brands crave.

We'll be watching GAP's retail performance closely in the coming months to see if its values-driven message resonates where American Eagle's sensationalism faltered.