American Eagle Outfitters saw a notable uptick in its stock performance on July 24 following the announcement that actress Sydney Sweeney will front the company’s fall 2025 advertising campaign.

According to CNBC, shares of the retailer spiked more than 4% after “soaring in premarket trading,” marking a rare financial gain in a retail environment still adjusting to shifting consumer tastes and marketing strategies.

The boost followed American Eagle’s unveiling of its latest promotional push, titled “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.”

The campaign features Sweeney in a series of denim-focused ads, including photos and videos that have quickly spread across social media platforms, particularly on X.

In the released visuals, Sweeney poses in American Eagle jeans across various settings, and the campaign has garnered significant engagement online since its debut.

American Eagle’s collaboration with Sweeney comes amid a broader trend among retailers reconsidering their branding approaches following years of consumer pushback over marketing strategies that emphasized social messaging over mainstream appeal.

The success of the Sweeney campaign has sparked renewed discussion over corporate advertising direction.

Sweeney, known for her roles in film and television, has also recently collaborated with other brands.

In May, personal care company Dr. Squatch released a limited-edition product described as soap made with her bathwater.

The company announced the item under the name “Sydney’s Bathwater Bliss” and promoted it via social media.

“Introducing: Sydney’s Bathwater Bliss,” read an Instagram post by Dr. Squatch, which included a promotional image of Sweeney in a bathtub.

“We created a limited-edition soap infused with [Sweeney’s] ACTUAL bathwater. Why? Because y’all wouldn’t stop asking.”

While that particular campaign drew a mix of reactions, the American Eagle campaign has been widely regarded as a return to more traditional marketing tactics that focus on aesthetics and brand alignment with widely recognizable public figures.

Some social media users noted the contrast between the current campaign and earlier marketing trends from major retailers and brands.

Companies such as Calvin Klein, Jaguar, and even American Eagle themselves have previously received attention for campaigns that emphasized nontraditional models or messaging focused on identity politics.

In 2019, Calvin Klein made headlines for featuring a plus-size indie rapper on a large billboard in New York City.

That same year, American Eagle launched a campaign with an expanded size range, including models of different body types.

The brand’s fall 2019 campaign included sizes from 00 to 24, according to Glamour magazine.

In November 2024, luxury automaker Jaguar rebranded one of its campaign efforts to feature a non-binary character, a move that coincided with a sharp downturn in sales.

The success of American Eagle’s current campaign has prompted speculation that major brands may be reevaluating their marketing approaches to better align with consumer behavior and brand performance metrics.

As the campaign featuring Sweeney continues to circulate, American Eagle has not commented on whether it plans to expand the partnership or adjust its broader advertising strategy.

Investors, however, have already responded favorably, as demonstrated by the immediate reaction in the market following the announcement.