Converse apologises after sneaker ad sparks accusations of racist imagery
Converse withdrew a promotional image featuring K-pop star Karina after users said the lighting resembled a Ku Klux Klan hood and evoked lynching, and the company issued an apology.
Converse removed a recent advertisement for its Chuck 70 X and Run Star Crush sneakers after it was criticized on social media for visual elements that some said resembled a Ku Klux Klan hood and lynching imagery. The campaign featured K-pop singer Karina standing under a star-shaped spotlight while holding black high-top shoes and wearing a white skirt. Users noted that the spotlight created a silhouette similar to a KKK hood and that the pose appeared to reference the historic practice of hanging victims from trees.
The brand said it understood why the image was “deeply upsetting” and acknowledged that it had “got this wrong.” In a statement, Converse said the ad had been removed from its channels and that the company would work to eliminate it from all other placements, adding that “this should not have happened and we will do better.”
U.S. Representative Troy Carter condemned the ad, stating that the depiction of a white hood and hanging figures was “a symbol of terror, murder and generations of racial violence” and that the campaign should never have been created or released. He called for accountability from Nike and Converse, the parent company.
The incident prompted a backlash from fans, some of whom posted videos burning their Converse shoes in protest.