American Eagle’s latest campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney with the tagline “Great Jeans” and a not-so-subtle play on “Great Genes” sparked backlash across the internet. On the surface, it was a cheeky pun meant to sell denim. But for many viewers, especially Black audiences and others who have long been excluded from mainstream beauty standards, it hit differently. The blonde hair, blue eyes, and emphasis on genetics struck a nerve, evoking eugenics, white supremacy, and the kind of narrow ideals that have historically defined who gets to be seen as aspirational.

The fact that this ad made it all the way through approvals, production, and launch tells us something deeper than poor copywriting. It reveals a glaring gap in representation and insight in the rooms where marketing decisions are made.

As an insights professional, I do not just track trends. I help brands understand meaning. Because meaning is not neutral. It is cultural. It is historical. It is emotional. And if your team does not reflect the cultural complexity of the audiences you serve, you will miss the mark. Every time.

This campaign did what many ads are designed to do, it sparked buzz and moved the market. American Eagle’s stock jumped. But let us be clear, revenue does not always equal resonance. A campaign can be commercially successful and still be culturally harmful. That is the paradox many brands are navigating right now, especially those who believe performance metrics alone are proof of relevance.

Here is the truth: having OUR voices in your insights and marketing teams is not a “nice to have.” It is a strategic imperative. Without them, you risk misreading the moment, alienating core audiences, and reinforcing the very systems you claim to stand against.

A more diverse team might have asked:

• What associations might “great genes” conjure up in today’s cultural context?
  
  

• How might this visual imagery land across racial and ethnic groups?
  
  

• Is this reinforcing a narrow standard of beauty, even if unintentionally?

These are not nitpicky questions. They are the questions that prevent brand missteps and protect trust.

So if you are building campaigns in 2025 and beyond, here is your blueprint:

Bring multicultural insight in from the start, not just to avoid backlash, but to create work that actually connects. That sees people. That reflects the nuance of the world we live in. Because the cost of exclusion is higher than ever, and consumers are paying attention.

Representation in the room is not just a goal. It is the difference between “good jeans” and good judgment.