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- Gavin Casalegno's Controversial Dunkin' Ad Explained</p>
<p>Moná ThomasJuly 31, 2025 at 10:51 PM</p>
<p>Dunkin'</p>
<p>Gavin Casalegno, Dunkin'</p>
<p>Gavin Casalegno's Dunkin' ad draws backlash for referencing "genetics," with critics calling it a dog whistle for upholding Eurocentric beauty standards</p>
<p>Critics compare the promotion to Sydney Sweeney's controversial American Eagle spot amid eugenics discourse</p>
<p>Some fans defend the ad as harmless and tied to his Summer I Turned Pretty character</p>
<p>Dunkin's new commercial starring Gavin Casalegno is the latest ad to spark heated debate over its alleged underlying tones following the Sydney Sweeney and American Eagle campaign controversy.</p>
<p>The Summer I Turned Pretty actor, 25, is featured in an ad promoting one of the breakfast chain's newest Refresher drinks, the Golden Hour Refresher. The video, posted to Dunkin's social channels on July 29, stars Casalegno poolside, where he hails himself as "King of Summer."</p>
<p>"This tan? Genetics," he says, as he strolls around the pool. "I just got my color analysis back. Guess what? Golden summer, literally!"</p>
<p>As he sits on a pool lounge chair, he adds, "I can't help it. Every time I drink a Dunkin' Golden Hour Refresher, it's like the sun just finds me. So if sipping these refreshers makes me the king of summer? Guilty as charged."</p>
<p>What seemed to be a light-hearted, summertime campaign from the brand ultimately led to questions from online users on the intended messaging in light of the American Eagle ad that became a talking point in heated online discussions on eugenics signaling.</p>
<p>Here are all the details on Casalegno's Dunkin' campaign.</p>
<p>Sara Jaye Weiss/Getty Images for DUNKIN'</p>
<p>Gavin Casalegno shoots for DUNKIN's Golden Hour RefresherGavin Casalegno's Dunkin' commercial: Why are people upset?</p>
<p>The latest ad starring Casalegno comes on the heels of an American Eagle ad featuring Sweeney. In the fall campaign titled "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,", the actress is seen lying down and zipping up her jeans, saying, "Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color."</p>
<p>When the camera pans up to her face, Sweeney adds, "My jeans are blue," followed by a voiceover that says, "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans." Critics claim the use of "jeans" is a double entendre in reference to her "genes," which led many to draw connections to eugenics and the open promotion of a superior bloodline.</p>
<p>Defined by the National Institute of Health (NIH), and debunked as a pseudoscience, eugenics "is broadly defined as the use of selective breeding to improve the human race."</p>
<p>Casalegno references his "genetics" while highlighting his tan, which critics have slammed as reinforcing Eurocentric beauty standards, as suspected of the American Eagle campaign.</p>
<p>"Why are ads so obsessed with genetics all of a sudden?" a TikTok user commented on Dunkin's post. Another user questioned, "Genuinely, what does a drink have to do with genetics?"</p>
<p>In light of the ongoing American Eagle discussion, the Dunkin' ad's timing has not gone unnoticed, with critics calling it ill-timed.</p>
<p>What else are critics saying?</p>
<p>The discourse surrounding the Dunkin' ad has quickly spread to Reddit, where many swarmed the celebrity-focused subreddit r/Fauxmoi to comment on the script of the ad altogether, calling it "word salad."</p>
<p>"I'm failing to see the connection from genetics to colour analysis to sunshine to he loves to drink dunkin drink??" a Redditor wrote in response to another commenting, "Wouldn't shock me if they had AI write it up."</p>
<p>Critics are calling the specific phrasing a dog whistle to netizens who believe in a superior skin tone and eye color, as Casalegno makes mention of his golden tan coming from his "genetics."</p>
<p>"While the Dunkin' ad's mention of genetics is subtler, it has struck a nerve for praising traits associated with white beauty ideals while mentioning genetics," explained Elena Cavender from AdWeek. "In the ad, Casalengo says, 'This tan? Genetics. I just got my color analysis back and guess what? Golden summer.' Color analysis refers to the beauty trend of picking colors that look best on based on skin tone."</p>
<p>Why are some defending the campaign?</p>
<p>Though the backlash seems to be overwhelming, there are fans of the star and the show who have expressed that the outpour of negative comments towards the ad and Casalegno is forced and "a stretch," especially for those who may not watch the Prime Video series, The Summer I Turned Pretty.</p>
<p>"This ad is not about eugenics, it's about the golden summer and the drink," said one TikTok user. "Is it bad timing? Could they have waited? … But there are deadlines they had to meet and they probably wanted to get this out before the end of summer, because he's in the show The Summer I Turned Pretty."</p>
<p>The TikToker goes on to say that "if this had been released before the Sydney Sweeney ad, we would not be having this conversation," and explains that in the show, Casalegno's character, Jeremiah, enjoys the Taylor Swift song titled "Golden" and is known for being the more "outdoorsy, athletic, tan type."</p>
<p>Has Gavin Casalegno responded?</p>
<p>Casalegno has not made a formal statement in response to the controversy around the ad.</p>
<p>Dunkin' and Casalegno have not responded to PEOPLE's requests for comment.</p>
<p>on People</p>
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