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Converse apologizes and pulls sneaker ad that critics said included racist imagery
The brand said it removed the image after critics called it racially insensitive and questioned how the ad passed review.
- On Friday, Converse removed a social media advertisement featuring K-pop star Karina of Aespa after critics argued the lighting and composition resembled Ku Klux Klan hoods and lynching imagery. The Nike-owned brand issued a formal apology, stating it understood why the image was 'deeply upsetting.'
- The Chuck 70 X campaign, launched globally August 27, featured Karina standing under a star-shaped spotlight wearing a white skirt. Social media users claimed the lighting created a triangular silhouette resembling a KKK hood, while dangling shoes evoked lynching imagery, intensifying when a separate Converse x Palmes collaboration surfaced showing sneakers hanging from a tree.
- Chicago-Based photographer Stephanie Schwartz wrote that 'whoever did this ad knew EXACTLY what they were doing,' while civil rights attorney Lee Merritt, based in Texas, stated the apology 'doesn't undo what got past legal, marketing and leadership at every step.' Both critiqued the company's vetting process.
- Converse Chief Executive Officer Aaron Cain acknowledged in a memo that 'The images should not have been used' and committed to reviewing internal processes. The company confirmed removal from all social channels and pledged to eliminate the advertisement everywhere it appeared.
- Target pulled a Halloween costume last month after critics said it evoked racist minstrel caricatures, while Urban Outfitters sold a Kent State sweatshirt in 2014 with blood stains referencing a deadly shooting. These recurring brand failures reflect mounting pressure on retailers to improve cultural sensitivity in advertising oversight.
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Converse removes ad campaign criticized over KKK-esque imagery, issues apology
Lee Merritt, a civil rights attorney in Texas, criticized the company's apology in an Instagram post, saying that it “does not undo what the legal, marketing, and management departments went through.
·Jerusalem, Israel
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Converse Yanks South Korean Shoe Ad After Woke Online Mob Accused Them of Racism
"How any American who is remotely educated can look at this horrifying ad & not see a klan hood and the feet of a hanging body…makes me speechless. " The post Converse Yanks South Korean Shoe Ad After Woke Online Mob Accused Them of Racism first appeared on Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion.
·Barrington, United States
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The announcement, posted on the company's Instagram account, was starred by K-pop singer Karina of the AESPA group.
·Guayaquil, Ecuador
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Total News Sources317
Leaning Left53Leaning Right53Center104Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Center
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
50% Center
L 25%
C 50%
R 25%
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