Shares of American Eagle Outfitters Inc. (NYSE:AEO) rose 6.5% on Wednesday morning after the retailer launched a new summer campaign featuring its partnership with actress Sydney Sweeney, expanding a marketing collaboration that has drawn both attention and controversy.
The campaign centers on a broad denim push, including more than 200 shorts styles and over 850 new seasonal items, with a focus on jean shorts, the company said in a statement.
To launch the campaign, the company posted a promotional video titled “Introducing Syd, for Short” on its Facebook page, featuring Sweeney modeling denim shorts styled with casual outfits including an oversized white shirt, a denim jacket, and striped tops.
The summer marketing rollout comes as American Eagle continues to deepen its partnership with Sweeney following earlier advertising efforts that generated mixed reactions online. The retailer’s previous “great jeans” campaign sparked controversy on social media, with some critics alleging it promoted eugenics, while others defended the ads as standard marketing. The company said last year it planned to expand its marketing work with Sweeney despite the backlash.
American Eagle said 100% of sales from select “Syd” branded items will be donated to Crisis Text Line, a nonprofit that provides mental health crisis support services.