Converse Apologizes After Ad Draws Backlash Over Racist Imagery
Converse has pulled a global ad campaign and issued a public apology after critics said an image featuring K-pop star Karina resembled Ku Klux Klan and lynching imagery.
Ad Sparks Immediate Backlash
The image was part of Converse's Chuck 70 X campaign starring Karina, a member of the K-pop group aespa. It showed the singer in an oversized white skirt, holding a pair of black sneakers at her side. A pointed section of light fell across the white fabric in a way that some viewers said resembled a Klan hood. Because Karina's arm was largely obscured by shadow, the sneakers hanging from her hand also appeared to some to look like feet suspended above the ground.
The image spread quickly across social media, with many users questioning how it made it through the layers of approval involved in a major global ad campaign. The controversy also renewed attention on a separate, earlier Converse campaign image that showed shoes hanging from a tree branch. The Washington Post reported that users circulated that photo alongside the Karina ad, arguing the two images together made the imagery even more troubling.
Public Figures Respond
Actress Yvette Nicole Brown was among those who spoke out publicly. According to a report from TheGrio, Brown reposted the image on Threads and wrote, "That's a lynching, yes?" She followed that with, "AND a Klan robe. Damn, Converse."
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump also weighed in on the controversy through an Instagram post addressing the image, adding to the wave of public figures who said the campaign's imagery evoked painful historical associations tied to racist violence.
Converse Issues Apology
Converse began removing the image from its social media accounts and other platforms as the backlash grew. In a statement to Footwear News, the company acknowledged the harm caused by the campaign.
"We're sorry. We understand why this image is deeply upsetting," the company said, "and recognize that we got this wrong." Converse added, "We removed it from our channels and are working to remove it everywhere it appeared." The statement continued, "This should not have happened, and we will do better."
Despite that pledge, the image was reportedly still visible on Converse's Threads account even after the company's statement was issued, according to the Footwear News report. There is no indication that Converse or anyone involved in the campaign intended to reference the Klan or lynching imagery, but critics have continued to press the company on how the image cleared its internal review process before publishing.
Karina joined Converse as a global ambassador earlier this year, fronting two new releases for the brand: the Run Star Crush and the Chuck 70 X. She joins a roster of Converse ambassadors that includes Tyler, The Creator and Charli XCX. The Chuck 70 X campaign had been positioned as a major push for the brand ahead of the shoe's global release. It is not yet clear whether the controversy will affect the rollout of the broader campaign or Karina's continued partnership with the brand.
The backlash adds to a string of advertising controversies in recent years in which brands have faced criticism for imagery or messaging that critics said carried racially insensitive undertones, prompting quick apologies and campaign pulls once the images gained traction online.
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