Thu, 04 Sep 2025

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 American Eagle shares soar as Sydney Sweeney ads seen driving sales

The US actress was part of the company's controversial "Great Jeans" campaign which drew a backlash.
American Eagle's shares surged by 25% in after-hours trading on Wednesday, following a strong second-quarter performance that "exceeded expectations". CEO Jay Schottenstein attributed this success to viral advertising campaigns featuring celebrities Sydney Sweeney and Travis Kelce. Despite sales slipping 1% over the May-July period, executives now expect low single-digit sales growth in the coming months. The company's autumn season is off to a positive start, driven by stronger product offerings and marketing campaigns. American Eagle has faced controversy over its "Great Jeans" ad featuring Sweeney, but the campaign drew significant attention, with 40 billion impressions online. Sales of Sweeney's signature jeans sold out within a week of the campaign's launch. The company also announced a collaboration with athlete Kelce, who recently became engaged to popstar Taylor Swift. American Eagle executives expect continued momentum from its marketing campaigns and stronger sales in the coming months.
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