Converse removes sneaker ad that includes racist imagery

Sneaker company Converse has removed a social media ad that sparked outrage among critics who viewed it as evoking the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and lynching.

The Instagram ad photo showed K-pop singer Karina wearing a skirt and holding a pair of Chuck 70 X sneakers. But critics said a white triangular image created by lighting on the skirt resembled a KKK hood and the way she held the sneakers made them look like the dangling feet of a lynching victim. Converse, owned by Nike, therefore issued a statement apologising and said it had removed the ad.

The Converse photo sparked swift criticism, including calls to fire staff involved in the ad and boycott the company. Retailers and top fashion brands have issued a string of apologies over the years for products and advertising criticised for being racially insensitive; Last month, US retailer Target Corporation pulled a children’s Halloween costume from its shelves after widespread social media backlash, apologising for selling a garment that critics said evoked racist minstrel caricatures.

Other commenters defended Converse, saying they did not believe it was intentional.