Part 8/11:
A broader point that Sweeney’s experience highlights is the double standard in media coverage and public outrage. The controversy was rooted in superficial stereotypes—an attractive blonde girl in blue jeans, promoting all-American values—being unfairly labeled as promoting hate. If the ad had featured a diverse cast in a similar context, the criticism might not have materialized the same way. Instead, the outrage seemed fueled by a desire to villainize a stereotypically attractive, all-American figure—a complex and troubling commentary on societal biases.