If I had a nickel for every major brand that released an ad referencing genetics in late July, I’d have two nickels — which isn’t a lot, but it’s kinda weird that it happened twice. In the midst of the ongoing controversy surrounding Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle ad campaign, Dunkin’ is now facing scrutiny (although to a significantly lesser degree) for its latest ad with on of the leads from The Summer I Turned Pretty. So, why is there discourse around Gavin Casalegno’s Dunkin’ ad? Let’s get into it. (Her Campus reached out to reps for Dunkin’ and Casalegno regarding the ad’s backlash but did not hear back in time for publication.)
In the ad, which dropped on July 29, Casalegno not-so-humbly accepts Dunkin’s title of “King of Summer” to promote Dunkin’s new Golden Hour Refresher (a combo of Mango Pineapple and Strawberry Dragonfruit flavors mixed with lemonade). At first glance, it’s all pretty innocuous — the ad is all about summer vibes, and Casalegno is the star of a show that literally has the name “summer” in it. Plus, the “Golden” in the drink’s name is fully aligned with Casalegno’s well-known reputation for having golden retriever energy, which he displays both as himself and as his TSITP character, Jeremiah.
It’s really just one line that’s sticking out to people: Near the start of the ad, as Casalegno is sharing his credentials for the “King of Summer” title, he says: “This tan? Genetics.”
Since the ad is all about Casalegno saying he “can’t help it” that he’s the right person to be named “King of Summer,” it tracks that he’d attribute his tan to his DNA, not something he actively works for. It’s seemingly a throwaway line that serves to support his claim.
Except… consumers are already on high alert for any kind of content that celebrates genetics, especially when it’s coming from white, conventionally attractive spokespeople. Sweeney’s AEO campaign made sure of that. Critics say the AEO campaign has racist and pro-eugenics undertones, with many seeing its intense focus on Sweeney’s “good genes” as less of a way to sell jeans and more of a way to celebrate her being a a blonde-haired, blue-eyed white woman. Her Campus reached out to reps for Sweeney and AEO for comment on the controversy but did not hear back in time for publication.
Comparing the Dunkin’ and AEO ads side by side, AEO’s is clearly more blatantly about Sweeney’s genetic makeup than Dunkin’s is about Casalegno’s. It begs the question: If Sweeney’s AEO campaign hadn’t just come out and caught so much heat, would people have called out Casalegno’s Dunkin’ ad? “I think the use of the word genetics came at a bad time following Sydeny’s ad,” one TikTok commenter wrote about the situation.
However, many people online are concerned the two ads back-to-back are a sign of something more sinister. “2 ads in a row now referring to genetics, what are we doing here?” one TikTok commenter wrote. Another said, “AGAIN??? They’re trying to push this narrative to us SOOO bad.” There are also some who are interpreting both the Dunkin’ and AEO ads as pro-white or anti-woke content, and celebrating it as such. Meanwhile, others are planning to boycott both brands.
Just as with Sweeney’s campaign, it’s likely that Casalegno’s ad will continue inspiring more conversations about race, media literacy, and what messages brands are sending to their consumers — whether they’re intentional or not.