A Denim Debate Ripping through Ad Land
Photo courtesy of Magpieturtle/Wikimedia Commons
Behind the denim debate: Advertising campaigns that challenge societal norms. Which company is your favorite?
In the past few months, denim advertisements have gone from forms of promoting fashion to full-blown cultural debates. The first company to start this trend was American Eagle with a commercial featuring actress Sydney Sweeney. The slogan from the commercial, “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans” sparked online controversy, since some argued the wordplay linking “genes” with “jeans” unintentionally echoed societal toxic beauty standards and reinforced pressures tied to body image.
Some argued the ad hinted at outdated ideas of beauty and exclusivity of such ideas of beauty based on race, while others brushed it off as overreaction. Still, the controversy pushed jeans advertising into the spotlight and forced people to look closer at how brands deliver their messages.
While American Eagle was dealing with the backlash from the ad, Levi’s took a similar yet specifically different approach and attempted to step up their game. They too used a celebrity, featuring Beyoncé in their ad. The series, called “Reimagine,” brings back some of Levi’s most famous ads but with Beyoncé’s unique twist. One chapter, “Launderette,” shows her tossing jeans and sparkling diamonds into a washing machine while her new track "Levi's Jeans” plays in the background. Another, “Pool Hall,” positions her as the star of a modern western scene, dressed in wide-leg jeans and a braided vest. The final chapter, “The Denim Cowboy,” sees Beyoncé in a rhinestone-studded jacket and jeans, riding a motorcycle into the sunset.
The Levi’s campaign quickly was praised online for inclusion, empowerment, and creativity. Many saw it as everything the American Eagle ad was not. Critics highlighted how Beyoncé redefined Americana through her own lens, linking her fashion choices with her musical “Cowboy Carter” era and showcasing how denim carries history, identity, and artistry. For Levi’s, the campaign was more than advertising—it was a cultural moment that reminded audiences how clothing can tell powerful stories when paired with the right voice and vision.
Then, Gap appeared with a surprising move. The brand teamed up with KATSEYE, a rising pop group, for a commercial to challenge its competition . Instead of focusing on a single celebrity, the ad burst with the exceptional choreography, energy, and diversity brought by multiple performers. The production was set to Kelis’s hit “Milkshake” with the group dancing in Gap jeans and spotlighting movement over wordplay. The ad stood out for its colorful visuals, inclusive cast, and upbeat mood, offering something lighthearted at a time when the other ads were shrouded in debate. Fans quickly declared it one of the smartest ads, going viral all over TikTok and generating millions of views in just a few days. Compared to the other two commercials, Gap positioned themselves as a fresh, playful, and uncontroversial alternative that appealed to younger audiences.
Given all this, what does this mean for denim marketing in 2025? Well, it shows that now more than ever jeans are about more than just the fabric: they are about the stories the brands tell. American Eagle’s wordplay may have misfired, but after watching Levi’s and Gap thrive, many believe American Eagle will try for a creative comeback in the near future.
At the end of the day, the “jeans wars” highlight how advertising can spark conversations far beyond fashion. Every brand wants to sell jeans, but how they do it reveals that what they think matters: Do they value inclusivity, empowerment, or just a quick laugh? As audiences continue to hold brands accountable, one thing is clear—jeans ads now carry more weight than ever before.