This summer has been full of PR blunders across entertainment, politics and consumer brands. From the mishandling of the Epstein case to the Sydney Sweeney–American Eagle campaign that sparked discourse around eugenics, one theme stands out: the rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is showing its costs.

DEI initiatives were never about box-checking; they were about bringing different voices to the table so brands could avoid blind spots. Without those perspectives, leadership teams (who still overwhelmingly look the same) default to decisions rooted in their own limited worldview. The result? Campaigns that not only alienate or exploit marginalized groups but also make the decision-makers themselves look incompetent.

That dynamic is on full display with e.l.f. Cosmetics, which recently found itself in the hot seat. The brand’s stumble highlights how quickly things can go wrong when brands ignore cultural context (especially in contrast to how competitor NYX has been executing talent partnerships with far more authenticity).

Talent Reputation Matters More Than Creative Context

E.l.f. launched a parody courtroom ad starring comedian Matt Rife and drag queen Heidi N. Closet as “affordable beauty attorneys.” The campaign was meant to humorously position e.l.f. as the defender of consumers against overpriced makeup.

But for audiences, the concept didn’t matter – Rife’s reputation did. He was widely criticized for a domestic violence joke in his 2023 Netflix special and for dismissive responses to backlash. For a brand whose core customers are women, putting him front and center came across as careless at best, antagonistic at worst.

And let’s be clear: Heidi N. Closet’s inclusion couldn’t offset the damage. Instead of signaling inclusivity, her casting looked like tokenism – a way to neutralize Rife’s baggage rather than a genuine celebration of diverse talent.

Beauty influencers like NikkieTutorials condemned the move and fans quickly organized boycotts. Even after the ad was pulled and apologies were issued, the narrative didn’t reset. Audience perception stuck, proving once again that trust is far harder to rebuild than to maintain.

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Authentic Agility Wins

While e.l.f. scrambled, NYX Cosmetics leaned into an opposite playbook – agility rooted in authenticity. The brand partnered with Love Island USA fan-favorites Nic & Olandria (aka “Nicolandria”) after Olandria’s lip combo using NYX’s Butter Gloss in Lava Cake went viral.

@notoriouslynashWere you able to score Olandria’s lip combo + tickets? … Hopefully @NYX Professional Makeup restocks soon so we can sell it out again #olandria #nyxcosmetics #nicolandria

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This collaboration felt organic because it was. Nicolandria weren’t parachuted in for optics – they were already driving buzz around the product. NYX amplified the story their audience was already telling. And, guess what? The combo sold out almost instantly.

Agility works when it’s authentic. Fast-moving campaigns succeed when they amplify real cultural momentum rather than trying to manufacture it.

The Skinny

Recently, American Eagle launched a new “Good Jeans” campaign starring Sydney Sweeney, a tongue-in-cheek play on words, out of context. However, within the context of the current cultural climate in the States, a script nodding to blonde hair and blue eyes being seen as the ultimate blessing, and visuals leaning into Americana and old-school ad tropes (read: sex appeal), it’s easy to see how similar this feels to propaganda of a certain time period.

Naturally, the internet had questions, especially around the layered implications of the “good genes” phrase, given the racial and eugenicist undertones that phrase has historically carried. And that’s where I chimed in.

My 2 Cents

I posted, “If I had worked on the campaign, I would have recommended choosing a successful “nepo baby” known for having two famous parents. This would allow the brand to utilize the fun play on words without the racial undertones.” The people I pitched? Gigi and Bella Hadid, Blue Ivy Carter, Willow Smith and Maya Hawke.

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I picked them specifically because they each have two famous parents, poking fun at the nepo baby conversation, which would then draw attention away from the controversial subject of genetics. This route would play into the cultural moment and keep the “good jeans/genes” pun intact, but with a wink toward an ongoing social conversation around talent, instead of biology.

When I posted this suggestion, I wasn’t expecting backlash. I didn’t share a personal takedown of the campaign or claim offense. I simply offered a more playful, culturally aware alternative. But the reaction? Full-blown MAGA meltdown.

Suddenly, I was being accused of “reaching,” “making something out of nothing,” and “manufacturing outrage.” MAGA-types flooded the comments, furious that I’d even imply American Eagle had made a misstep. The irony? I was doing the thing brands literally hire people like me to do: offer thoughtful, culturally aware alternatives before something becomes a real problem.

You can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube. Once the backlash reaches a fever pitch, it’s a danger to both the brand and the talent.

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Where This Leaves Us

This is a perfect case study of where we are as a country. Because one of two things happened:

1. A brand intentionally used a racially coded dogwhistle to appeal to the very demographic now defending them in my comments.

   Or

2. The room where this campaign was concepted and approved was so white, so male, and so lacking in perspective that no one even noticed how it might read.

And I’ve seen this happen firsthand. I’ve had to kill more than a few ideas in my own day-to-day work—not because I’m hypersensitive, but because I know how these creative choices land. I know what audiences will read into them. I know when something is off, even if it’s not intentional.*

This wasn’t outrage for the sake of it. It was a call for more thoughtful, inclusive storytelling. And the fact that even that triggered such a defensive response? Well, that says it all.

*reserving my thoughts about whether or not it was actually a dog whistle