American Eagle is standing firmly behind its Sydney Sweeney ad campaign that has caused an uproar on social media and cable news over the last few days, saying the campaign “is and always was about the jeans.”

“We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone,” the company said on Instagram on Friday.

Controversy erupted online last week after Sweeney’s ad started making the rounds. In the spot, the actress touts herself as having great jeans – a play on the actress’ genes. Other billboards for the campaign show her painting over the statement “Sydney Sweeney has great genes” with “jeans.” Some online have called the ad tone-deaf, saying it celebrates her whiteness and thinness.

Many viral comments deriding t

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