Sydney Sweeney isn’t slowing down — even as a viral denim ad campaign has ignited a social media firestorm over claims it flirts with eugenics-era rhetoric.

The 26-year-old Euphoria and The White Lotus star is now front and center in a brand-new HeyDude Shoes commercial — and this one trades denim for a skimpy one-piece swimsuit, a cowboy hat, and a beach backdrop.

From “Great Jeans” to “HEYDUDE COUNTRY”

Earlier this month, Sweeney became the face of American Eagle’s fall denim campaign with the cheeky tagline: “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.”

The double entendre — playing on “great genes” — sparked immediate backlash online, with some critics accusing the brand of peddling “racialized dog whistles” by showcasing a blonde, blue-eyed actress in a slogan reminiscent of early 20th-century eugenics language.

Supporters dismissed the outrage as overblown, noting the pun was clearly about denim, not DNA. But the debate spread fast, landing the ad — and Sweeney — at the center of a heated online culture clash.

Sydney Sweeney (Photo via Twitter)
Sydney Sweeney is used to going viral over her looks, but she had no clue that talking about herself and what she wore would garner so much backlash.

The New Ad Everyone’s Talking About

Now, in the middle of the American Eagle uproar, Sweeney has rolled out a new spot for HeyDude Shoes — and it’s pure country-glam.

In the 30-second video, Sweeney walks barefoot on the sand in a curve-hugging black one-piece swimsuit and a tan cowboy hat, carrying a portable stereo.

“You can take the dude out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the dude,” she says to camera, before dropping to her knees in front of the boombox as music blasts.

Other shots feature her driving a John Deere Gator, riding a horse across a pasture, and lounging on a sun-bleached beach, all set to the campaign’s tagline: “POV: You’re in HEYDUDE COUNTRY with Syd.”

Strategic Timing — or Just Coincidence?

The HeyDude ad’s release comes as the American Eagle “Great Jeans” debate shows no signs of cooling.

Neither Sweeney nor American Eagle has issued a formal public statement addressing the controversy, but the denim brand has doubled down, telling media outlets that the campaign “is and always was about the jeans” and celebrating “how everyone wears their American Eagle jeans with confidence, their way.”

Ironically, the uproar may be working in American Eagle’s favor: on Tuesday, shares of American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) surged to a high of $12.20 before closing at $11.54 — signaling that the ad is generating buzz, if not universal approval.

Sydney Sweeney (Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images)

Social Media Reacts

Reaction to the HeyDude video has been swift — and split.

Fans flooded Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) with praise for Sweeney’s Western-inspired look:

“Sydney in a swimsuit and cowboy hat? That’s my campaign of the year.”

“She’s living her best life. Haters stay mad.”

But others noted the ad’s timing.

“Interesting she drops another hot-girl commercial while the AE thing is still blowing up,” one user posted.

“Feels like she’s leaning into the attention now — controversy is currency.”

From Hollywood Darling to Cultural Flashpoint

Sweeney’s career trajectory has been rapid. Breakout roles in HBO’s Euphoria and The White Lotus made her one of Hollywood’s most in-demand young stars. She’s also moved into blockbuster territory with Anyone But You and the Marvel-adjacent Madame Web, and she’s a fixture in high-profile brand partnerships.

But this latest saga has pushed her into more polarizing territory, with the American Eagle backlash turning her into an unlikely symbol in the ongoing battles over celebrity image, branding, and political subtext.

The Bottom Line

Whether the HeyDude campaign was planned long before the “Great Jeans” blowback or fast-tracked to shift the conversation, Sweeney is clearly not retreating from the spotlight.

If anything, the swimsuit-and-cowboy-hat imagery plays directly into her public persona: glamorous yet approachable, with a hint of playful rebellion.

And with American Eagle’s stock still holding strong despite (or because of) the outrage, it seems both Sweeney and her brand partners are betting that in the age of social media, any buzz is good buzz.