Photo Credit: American Eagle
Between controversial advertising campaigns, dubious social ties, and a tiring insistence on her own sex appeal, Sydney Sweeney has undoubtedly become one of Hollywood’s most recognizable faces. While there is inherently nothing wrong with being attractive, the way Sweeney’s appearance has been sold and repeatedly used shows that she appeals to some questionable ideals.
For instance, take Sweeney’s American Eagle jeans advertisement, which quickly accumulated clout for its “great jeans/great genes” wordplay. Its language use invited comparisons between ideal physical attractiveness and the idea of genetic superiority, insinuating that Sweeney’s pale complexion, blonde hair, and blue eyes are an example of “great genes.” The message the ad sends, whether intentional or not, is aligned with right-wing, white supremacist culture. The controversy was hardly helped by the ad’s sexual nature, making it less about selling denim and more like another opportunity to sell a woman’s body.
Then came the Dr. Squatch soap ad, featuring visuals of a near-nude Sweeney in a bathtub, advertising a soap bar made with her bathwater. This was another example of Sweeney using her sexuality as the main selling point. This campaign turned predominantly male desire into a marketing strategy, with the consumer being encouraged that buying and using the product would bring them closer to possessing the fantasy itself. The product being advertised was so outrageous that a rumour spread across social media that the soap had a hole in it for male self-pleasure, and for a while, many believed it to be true.
This brings us to the most recent of Sweeney’s controversial advertising campaigns: the infamous sports gambling ad for Novig, which, yet again, used Sweeney’s near-nudity, with her covering herself up merely with sports equipment. One line from the ad in particular, “Think you know sports?” went viral on social media due to its condescension toward female athletes, who have spent decades fighting to be taken seriously. By using their industry as the backdrop for yet another advertisement selling sex appeal, Sweeney is showing just how little she cares about the feminist movement.
Additionally, the actress was personally invited to and attended Jeff Bezos’ wedding on Jun. 27, 2025. Bezos’ wedding was a symbol of extravagant billionaire wealth, attracting a fair amount of criticism over its scale and impact on Venice, according to ABC News. Sweeney’s attendance alone does not establish her political beliefs, but it does situate her comfortably within a social circle associated with immense wealth and conservative culture. Combined with her advertising choices, it raises lots of questions about the image that Sweeney is cultivating.
Through her countless sexualized advertising campaigns, Sweeney proves to be a major hindrance to feminism. By repeatedly promoting female objectification, she reduces the idea of female empowerment and liberation down to the freedom to sell one’s body, pushing down a movement rooted in gender equality. Her attendance at Bezos’ wedding only adds to the mix, placing her amongst the uber-wealthy whose interests often intersect with conservative, MAGA politics. These associations paint a rather telling portrait of a self-entitled celebrity who is content to benefit from the progress of feminism while disregarding how her own public image undermines it.