Part 5/8:
The controversy was not just a cultural moment but a commercially lucrative one for American Eagle. Since the uproar, their website reportedly received over 4 billion hits. Media coverage of the incident has been valued at approximately $65 million in free publicity—an incredible return on investment.
This attention has significantly boosted their brand value by roughly $310 million, illustrating how controversy, when managed and amplified effectively, can be a powerful marketing tool. In fact, many marketing experts argue that the media coverage generated surpasses what paid advertising could achieve.