Converse pulls ad after claims it appeared to show a KKK lynching
Currently.com • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Converse has apologized and withdrawn a sneaker ad featuring K-pop star Karina after online criticism likened its imagery to Ku Klux Klan hoods and lynching scenes.
- The ad, part of the Chuck 70 X sneaker campaign, showed Karina under a star-shaped spotlight wearing a long white skirt, with lighting that made her silhouette resemble a KKK hood, while the dangling sneakers evoked lynching imagery.
- The backlash intensified after an uncropped version of the image circulated on social media, prompting Converse, owned by Nike, to remove the ad and pledge to do better.
- Public figures and fans condemned the ad, with comments highlighting the racist connotations and accusing the company of intentional or negligent design choices.
- The controversy also revived criticism of a separate Converse campaign featuring sneakers hanging from a tree, which users linked to the same troubling imagery.
