Converse withdraws Instagram sneaker ad after criticism of racist imagery

Converse pulled an Instagram advertisement after it drew criticism for visual cues that some observers said echoed a Ku Klux Klan hood and the dangling feet of a lynching victim. The ad showed K-pop artist Karina in a skirt holding a pair of Chuck 70 X sneakers, with lighting that created a white triangular shape on the skirt.

The company, a Nike subsidiary based in Boston, released a statement on Friday apologizing and confirming the image had been removed from its channels and would be taken down wherever it appeared. "We’re sorry," the statement read. "We understand why this image is deeply upsetting and recognize that we got this wrong. We removed it from our channels and are working to remove it everywhere it appeared. This should not have happened and we will do better."

Converse declined to comment further on its ad-approval process. Karina’s management, SM Entertainment Group, did not respond to inquiries. The incident follows previous controversies involving retailers and fashion brands over racially insensitive products, including a recent Target costume withdrawal.

Civil-rights attorney Lee Merritt posted on Instagram that the apology does not undo the lapse, adding that corporations must catch such issues before they are released. "Do better means catching this before it airs — not after we’re offended," he wrote.