GAP takes a sneaky dig at Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle campaign with their ad featuring K-pop group KATSEYE. This reignited the brand’s cultural relevance with the launch of its bold Better in Denim campaign as the international girl group danced to Kelis’s Milkshake.
The ad dropped at a perfect moment, as GAP seized the spotlight with a message of unity, while American Eagle continues to wrestle with controversy, falling foot traffic, and questions about sales impact.
Also Read: Sydney Sweeney’s ‘Americana’ Flops After American Eagle Controversy Clouds Release
Celebrating Diversity
The Better in Denim spot showcases low-rise jeans as symbols of self-expression rather than exclusion. Katseye radiates individuality while moving as one, reviving GAP’s legacy of ensemble joy and cultural resonance in fashion.
The six-member group – featuring artists from the Philippines, South Korea, Switzerland, and the US – brings global energy and representation. Fans praised the ad as “denim as you define it… powerful on your own, even better together.”
Contrast With American Eagle
American Eagle launched its Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans campaign on July 23, 2025, using a pun on “jeans” versus “genes.” The ad, featuring Sweeney in a provocative pose, sparked outrage from language critics compared to eugenics and white supremacist rhetoric.
The outrage prompted Donald Trump to take time off from his presidential duties to praise Sweeney. The President wrote that Sweeney is the “HOTTEST ad out there” and the jeans are “flying off the shelves”.
Sweeney is yet to address the controversy, but instead chose to comment on another headline-making campaign from earlier this year: A soap made from her bathwater.
KATSEYE on a Roll
Earlier this month, KATSEYE didn’t just debut on Lollapalooza 2025 – they exploded onto the scene. The group turned heads with a slick, high-energy performance that immediately sparked buzz and the inevitable comparisons to BLACKPINK.
The new band also holds the second-highest monthly listeners among all girl groups on Spotify – right behind BLACKPINK.
