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Everyone is talking about who has the best jeans … ad.
Gap, American Eagle, and Lucky Brand each dropped new star-studded denim campaigns in the last month that are going viral. While American Eagle’s controversial ad with Sydney Sweeney sparked online debate, Gap and Lucky Brand are being praised for their dance ads and style.
American Eagle started the jeans war in July with its campaign, “Sydney Has Great Jeans.” Critics suggested it was a nod to eugenics and the idea of racial supremacy. Others, including President Donald Trump, praised Sweeney and American Eagle, or said people were reading too much into the ad. (Trump’s response sent the retailer’s stock soaring in early August.)
American Eagle stuck by its ad, saying in a statement following the controversy, “Great jeans look good on everyone.”
American Eagle
Whether people loved it or hated it, American Eagle sent the internet into a frenzy.
On Tuesday, Gap threw down the gauntlet with a new ad of its own. It features the global pop girl group Katseye dancing fully clad in denim to “Milkshake” by Kelis. The campaign aimed for a “bold, expressive, and inclusive point of view,” Gap brand CEO Mark Breitbard said in a press release.
Gap didn’t directly throw shade at American Eagle or Sweeney in the ad, but users on social media started comparing the two campaigns as the Gap ad grew viral.
As of Friday morning, the full version of the Gap ad had garnered nearly 2 million likes on Instagram and more than 22,000 comments. Many commenters referenced Sweeney and American Eagle.
“I like these genes better,” said one commenter, referencing American Eagle’s pun. “american eagle and sydney sweeney need to take notes,” said another.
Then, on Thursday, Lucky Brand jumped into the ad race with a low-rise jean campaign with TikToker and pop singer Addison Rae. The brand partnered with Rae to bring back an old favorite silhouette with a refreshed design.
The collaboration “is a celebration of self-expression and nostalgia, with a modern twist” for a new generation, said Stefani Fleurant, executive vice president of sports and lifestyle marketing at Lucky Brand owner, Authentic.
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Rae’s ad is a slow-motion dance rehearsal to her song “High Fashion.” It channels the 2000s with white tops and blue jeans. Some commenters on social media praised the ad for bringing back the style, which is in line with today’s Y2K fashion trends.
“Lucky told American Eagle ‘hold my beer,'” one comment on Instagram read.
Other brands have also entered the recent blue jeans battle, such as Levi’s, which released a new ad this month in its ongoing campaign with Beyoncé, Old Navy, and Abercrombie & Fitch.
While American Eagle may have started this summer’s denim wars, if Instagram engagement is any indication, Gap appears to be winning it.
Metricool, which tracks social media engagement, told Business Insider that the Instagram engagement on Gap’s video post was leading as of Friday afternoon with 2.01 million total interactions, including comments and likes. The data only gives insight into direct engagement with the brand’s post on Instagram, and doesn’t capture the full extent of the conversation happening online. But Gap’s engagement dwarfed American Eagle’s main Instagram post for its ad, which had an estimated 306,100 interactions, and Lucky Brand’s, which had 192,300.
Gap’s message was subtle but clear, as the song in the ad says: “Damn right, it’s better than yours.”
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