Sydney Sweeney's jeans to Matt Rife's ELF ad | Are fashion brands trying to cause controversy?

Some recent collaborations have had questionable concepts, from Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle jeans/genes ad to Matt Rife's recent ads for ELF Cosmetics. It raises the question; Are fashion brands doing this on purpose? It's no secret that rage-bait can generate engagement and raise your brand's prominence in THE DISCOURSE, but what happens when that rage-bait goes too far, or alienates your core customers? Is this controversy even real, or made up by the brand as a desperate move to get editorials and articles to promote their campaign? I work in the advertising field, so I have some inside perspective on this. Business of Fashion article on Matt Rife's ad: https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/beauty/exclusive-the-story-behind-elfs-controversial-matt-rife-campaign/ Sydney Sweeney American Eagle ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK8s3iqL99c Matt Rife ELF Cosmetics ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ23mb8sDR4 #fashionnews #elfcosmetics #sydneysweeney #mattrife