Converse withdraws ad after backlash over KKK-related imagery
Converse apologized and removed a promotional video featuring K-pop star Karina after critics said it evoked Ku Klux Klan and lynching symbols, prompting condemnation from a U.S. lawmaker.
Converse said it had taken down a recent advertisement after viewers noted that a projected image of the brand’s five-pointed star resembled a Ku Klux Klan hood and that a pair of sneakers appeared to reference a lynching victim. The video, which debuted internationally in late August and featured Karina of the K-pop group Aespa, showed the singer in a white skirt and black-and-white Chuck shoes. In response, the company issued a statement to Footwear News apologizing for the “deeply upsetting” imagery and confirming that the content had been removed from its social-media channels and other platforms.
Louisiana Congressman Troy Carter released a statement condemning the ad, emphasizing that the white hood is a symbol of terror and racial violence and that “Black pain is not a marketing prop.” Converse declined further comment on its marketing approval process, but a Bloomberg report said CEO Adam Cain sent an internal memo acknowledging the mistake and promising a review of the company’s internal review procedures.
The controversy has sparked consumer backlash on social media, with some users posting videos of burning the brand’s shoes and calling for a boycott.