A racy, widely panned jeans campaign for American Eagle Outfitters starring “Euphoria” actress Sydney Sweeney is bringing into question whether the retailer accidentally strayed from its typically female-friendly marketing or deliberately tried to shift focus.

Sydney Sweeney’s latest campaign for American Eagle looks, on the surface, like a textbook win. The imagery is rich with sun-faded nostalgia, vintage muscle cars, classic denim, and a warm palette. It’s Americana with a high-gloss finish,

Sydney Sweeney's nonresponse to backlash over her American Eagle "Good Jeans" ad suggests a brand strategy that embraces controversy, PR experts say.