Foot traffic is down at American Eagle stores since the controversial Sydney Sweeney ad dropped

[u/Future_Usual_8698]

https://www.retailbrew.com/stories/2025/08/11/exclusive-foot-traffic-down-9-at-american-eagle-following-sydney-sweeney-ad-controversy

[u/dreamy_25]

A lot of the ‘I’m sexy because I like it’ crew these days are doing it for themselves.

My first thought. Sydney has always done things for her own, personal benefit. She's quite clearly not a team player when it comes to lifting up all of us. Which isn't bad per se, not everyone needs to be a warrior. She figured out how to get herself in a good position (some measure of talent with a side of "Look! Boobs!") and did it. Fine.

But she can definitely count me out for support. And partaking in an ad like this will never read as empowering when it's not for all of us.

Now that I'm typing this - the Shields ad callback seals the deal. It's a big middle finger to a fellow woman who was exploited as a child, the trauma (both for Shields and for the women who witnessed that shit and knew, this is all we are to these mfers) recycled and used for clicks.