Gap VS American Eagle: Who wins?

A rivalry has started between two major brands, American Eagle and Gap. But who’s to say selling their jeans does better? Both brands used different tactics to sell their denim products, Gap having the global famous girl group KATSYE, and American Eagle using famous model and actress Sydney Sweeney. Controversy has come up between the two brands.

With both brands competing to get the most attention on social media, Gap has led with an advantage, with KATSYE showing inclusivity with the many different nationalities apart of the group, and being ahead on trends on Instagram and other social media platforms, using the 2002 song “Milkshake” and there own dance to it creating a major trend across social platforms. It was shown that KATSYE has created more social traction in one week in their ad then American Eagle has in four weeks, shown from Case Western Reserve University.

On the other hand American Eagles ad with Sydney Sweeney has brought up controversial and varied opinions. The ad was named “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” It has come up between many netizens on social media that this ad may be connected with the idea of white superiority, using the line in the advertisement that Sweeney states, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue.” Many have also associated this with it being a Neo-Nazi campaign because of this ad’s context of Sydney Sweeney being of the white race and her stating that her “Jeans” are blue.

        Though many do question the real meaning of this ad since in the past American Eagle has shown inclusivity and the opposite of what people are seeing in their newest ad with Sydney Sweeney. For reference one of American Eagles campaigns #Aeriereal campaign which started in the spring of 2014. This ad had included models of all body types and nationalities, presenting a theme of inclusivity in American Eagles brand that many question now with their new ad, which has attracted a mass of attention. President Donald Trump commented on the advertisement with a post stating “Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the HOTTEST ad out there” This has also led to more controversy about Sydney with many having mixed opinions on how fans of Sweeney as well as people who shop at American Eagle feel about the add, and if they still want to go to American Eagle or not depending on their opinions. 

      Both Gap and American Eagle have come up with big campaigns for their companies, even with the controversy between the two major brands, and attention that the ads have created the sails for both brands are flying.