September 22, 2026
Converse Apologizes For Triggering Ad With Resemblance To KKK And Lynching
The global sneaker brand apologized and removed the campaign ad following a storm of backlash.
Converse is facing a firestorm of backlash over an advertisement for its Chuck 70 X sneakers that critics said evoked imagery of the Ku Klux Klan and lynching.
The Nike-owned footwear company apologized for the image, which featured K-pop star Karina wearing a long white skirt while holding black Converse sneakers, with lighting creating a triangular shape that some viewers compared to a KKK hood. Others said the placement of the shoes resembled the dangling feet of a lynching victim.
Converse acknowledged the controversy in a statement released Friday.
“We’re sorry,” read the statement, according to CNN. “We understand why this image is deeply upsetting and recognize that we got this wrong. We removed it from our channels and are working to remove it everywhere it appeared. This should not have happened and we will do better.”
Journalist Don Lemon blamed the ad on the removal of diversity, equity, and inclusion officers and departments following the Trump administration’s attack on DEI in corporate spaces. He also compared the controversy to the backlash Target received last month for selling a children’s Halloween costume that critics said resembled a racist minstrel show.
“These people are playing in our faces,” Lemon said in an Instagram video posted on Sunday. “We need to stop demonizing diversity, equity, and inclusion,” he continued. “Take diversity seriously, and maybe you wouldn’t end up with something that looks like a damn KKK lynching.”
Likewise, comedian Tony Baker said the imagery was jarring, especially in light of the recent wave of Black people susicipously found hanging on trees around the country.
“The Klan could use this on their flyers,” he said in an Instagram video. “We not fallen for the okie doke. You know what the hell that looks like,” he continued. “How did you let this slip through the cracks if you’re approving the ads?”
On CNN, commentator Jahmal Lee questioned how the image made it through the company’s internal review process.
“We know that these things go through a significant vetting process.”
Lee added that the controversy represented a preventable risk, saying, “This is a landmine that could have been avoided,” reports CNN.
The ad has also prompted broader questions about who is included in advertising review processes and whether brands are adequately considering historical and cultural context before campaigns go live.
Converse has not publicly detailed how the ad was approved or what changes it plans to make to its review process. Karina and her management company also have not publicly commented.
Nevertheless, the controversy is a reminder that representation in advertising is not simply about who appears in front of the camera. It also involves understanding how imagery, symbolism, and history can shape how a campaign is received.
RELATED CONTENT: Bath & Body Works Pulls Holiday Candle After KKK Comparisons