With almost the entire world having some kind of reaction to American Eagle’s ad featuring Sydney Sweeney, which continues to garner backlash, Stephen Colbert recently called the response an “overreaction.

The ad itself features Sweeney in denim, musing about genetics before flashing a knowing smile. At one point, the camera pans downward. She interrupts: “Hey, eyes up here.” A wink, a joke, a reset. It was all part of the script.

Sydney Sweeney's nonresponse to backlash over her American Eagle "Good Jeans" ad suggests a brand strategy that embraces controversy, PR experts say.