American Eagle launches holiday campaign with Martha Stewart
American Eagle Outfitters Inc. is celebrating the holidays with a legendary lifestyle icon.
In an email to Chain Store Age, the specialty apparel retailer said it is kicking off a new promotional campaign, "Martha Stewart Hosts the Holidays in American Eagle," on Tuesday, Nov. 25. The first piece of content in the series, "Martha Wraps The Gifts in American Eagle" offers what American Eagle says is a “playful and creative twist on the everyday art of gift giving and wrapping.”
The content will be available throughout the holiday season on American Eagle’s and Stewart’s owned brand channels on Instagram and TikTok, as well as on connected TV. According to the retailer, the campaign is part of an effort to reach consumers beyond its core Gen Z shopper base.
"The holidays are a time for thoughtful giving, and I’ve always believed there’s nothing more useful or more universally appreciated than a pair of jeans," said Martha Stewart. "American Eagle makes denim that feels exceptional, fits beautifully, and lives up to the demands of everyday life, which is exactly what we all need during the busy holiday season. If you want to give a gift that will be worn, loved, and appreciated long after the wrapping paper is gone, give the gift of American Eagle jeans."
American Eagle soars with celebrity campaigns
American Eagle is teaming with Stewart following its highly successful – and controversial – summer 2025 "great jeans" promotional effort featuring actor Sydney Sweeney, who called out her great jeans and great genes, with the latter reference being criticized by some as a nod to eugenics.
[READ MORE: American Eagle touts success of ad campaign: Sydney Sweeney is a ‘winner’]
Some data in August suggested the campaign, which launched the week before the end of the retailer’s second quarter, had an immediate sales impact that was minimal at best. However, American Eagle executives said it drove traffic and "unprecedented" new customer acquisition which will be felt through the end of the year.
“The iconic fall denim campaign with Sydney Sweeney affirms we are the American jeans brand," American Eagle CEO Jay Schottenstein said in the company's second-quarter earnings statement. "We saw a record-breaking new customer acquisition and brand awareness cutting across age demographics and genders."
In addition, American Eagle said its recent limited-time collaboration with NFL star — and Taylor Swift's fiancé — Travis Kelce and his Tru Colors clothing line drove three-times more sales in one day than past collaborations did in a week.
