American Eagle Outfitters Reports 4% Loyalty Boost Following Controversial Sydney sweeney, Travis Kelce Campaigns
American eagle Outfitters (AEO) saw a 4% increase in customer loyalty this past quarter, a rise executives attribute to high-profile marketing campaigns featuring actress Sydney Sweeney adn NFL star Travis Kelce, despite initial criticism leveled at the Sweeney ads. The campaigns generated a combined 44 billion ad impressions, according to Jennifer Foyle, president and executive creative director for American Eagle and Aerie.
The Sydney Sweeney campaign, launched this summer, faced backlash from some who accused it of promoting eugenics and criticized its suggestive imagery. However, CMO Craig Brommers stated that the majority of consumers approved of the advertisement. Following the controversy, AEO partnered with Kelce on a clothing line, further expanding its reach.
While the core American eagle brand benefited from the increased visibility – with sydney’s jeans selling out in days and men’s apparel sales rising by a “mid single digit” – it’s AEO’s sub-brand, Aerie, that is experiencing more substantial growth. Aerie accounted for approximately 33% of American Eagle’s total revenue this year, driven by popular items like sleepwear and leggings.
“Although it’s still early days of our renewed marketing strategy, we know that having the right talent amplifies our brand and product at key moments,” Foyle said.She also pointed to the brand’s current campaign with Martha Stewart as an example of its focus on building brand awareness, emphasizing the need to remain competitive in the current market. “As a company, we’re leaning into advertising-we need to compete when we see what our competition is doing,” Foyle added.
