Is the meme market back?
American Eagle’s Fall 2025 denim campaign launched yesterday with actor Sydney Sweeney as the star of the show. Signature pieces from the launch include a limited-edition denim jacket and a new silhouette called “The Sydney Jean,” both of which Sweeney helped design.
The market responded quickly to the campaign with shares jumping over 6% on the day. Then Reddit and Wall Street Bets got ahold of the stock. American Eagle stock (ticker: AEO) started to fly after hours close to 24% adding over $500 million in market cap for the company in a single day.Today, at the time of writing, shares trade at $12.55 pre-market (Thursday), with short interest reaching 12.2% of the public float, a potential setup for volatility. The stock has also become the fourth-most trending ticker on Stocktwits, signaling a wave of attention from retail investors. As highly shorted stocks like Kohl’s have surged recently on retail investor interest, American Eagle’s latest campaign may be about more than just marketing, it could spark serious momentum in the markets.
Celebrity partnerships have proven to be effective for retail brands in the past. American Eagle itself has previously collaborated with names like tennis star Coco Gauff and actress Jenna Ortega, while other retailers like Crocs (which saw a share bump after teasing a Justin Bieber collaboration), have similarly benefited from celebrity-driven buzz. Sweeney’s campaign, which debuted Wednesday, is set to run on prominent platforms, including the high-profile 3D display Sphere in Las Vegas.
Written by: Gannon Breslin
