Part 2/9:
The controversy ignited around a highly successful American Eagle jeans ad featuring Sweeney. The campaign was broadly praised by ordinary consumers as clever and fresh, resulting in a significant boost in sales for the clothing retailer. However, critics—many of whom are associated with the "woke" ideological camp—attempted to frame the campaign negatively, accusing Sweeney of promoting racist or Nazi-like sentiments without any factual basis.
Rather than participating in the virtue signaling expected by these critics, Sweeney refused to apologize or conform to their narrative. Her response was straightforward and unapologetic, which only added fuel to the fire for her detractors.