Digiday Daily

February 19, 2026

Less than a year after some backlash to American Eagle’s decision to enlist actress Sydney Sweeney as the face of its brand, the retailer is reinvesting in its celebrity strategy.

Last week, the actress joined the retailer to ring in the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. The NYSE appearance comes after the “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” ad campaign last summer which sparked debate as to whether the play on “jeans” and “genes” was racially charged.

TOP STORY

Brands in Culture

'Comment sections are not customers': American Eagle brings back Sydney Sweeney amid celebrity push

Anatomy of how brands like American Eagle decide whether cultural backlash is noise — or a business threat.

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW

Weather impacts what people try, buy and how they feel. This powers targeting to predict the moments when weather shifts a consumer’s mindset toward purchase, driving sales and long-term growth. Learn more in this video. Partner insights from The Weather Company.
Well-designed incentives offer value, not just discounts. “The building blocks of a loyalty program are about getting benefits from being part of a program,” said Emeline Berlind, svp and general manager of loyalty at Sephora. Partner insights from Talon.One.
For advertisers, the challenge that comes with TV is not whether people will watch. It is where they watch, how they move between platforms and how quickly plans need to adapt. Partner insights from Nexxen.

MEDIA & PLATFORMS

Member exclusive

Media Briefing: Publishers explore selling AI visibility know-how to brands

Publishers are seeing an opportunity to sell their AI citation playbooks as a product to brand clients, to monetize their GEO insights.

Evolving Agencies

Omnicom's lack of surprises in its 2025 earnings is both a good and bad thing

Results were neither spectacularly good nor terribly bad, with 2025 revenue up 10%, thanks in part to including one month of revenue from Interpublic Group

PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM CHANNEL FACTORY

Three priorities that define the next stage of brand suitability

The discussion around brand safety and suitability has matured. The industry is now entering a new phase, where brands expect more control, more extensibility into walled gardens and closer accountability to outcomes.

Marketing on Platforms

TikTok Shop reverses U.S. shipping policy amid merchant concerns over costs and fulfillment challenges

TikTok Shop has reversed its plan to end seller-fulfilled shipping in the U.S., telling merchants that previously announced deadlines will no longer go into effect.

PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM EXPERIAN

Why context is key to making AI successful in marketing

As AI takes center stage in marketing strategy, context is emerging as the differentiator that turns reactive automation into predictive intelligence.

MARKETING

Marketing in Sports

How the MLS plans to convert World Cup interest into lasting soccer fandom

Alongside advertisers and publishers, the league hopes to use a rare opportunity to promote soccer in the U.S.