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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Erin Keller

Converse forced to apologize after ad sparks widespread backlash

Converse KKK
  • Converse issued an apology and removed a sneaker advertisement following widespread online backlash over imagery that critics compared to the Ku Klux Klan and lynchings.
  • The ad for the Chuck 70 X sneaker featured K-pop star Karina under a spotlight that cast a silhouette resembling a pointed KKK hood, while dangling shoes drew comparisons to a lynching victim.
  • Public figures and social media users condemned the campaign, with critics noting that the composition and lighting made the racial symbolism clear.
  • The controversy also resurfaced a separate Converse marketing image that featured a pair of sneakers hanging from a tree branch.
  • Parent company Nike and Converse acknowledged the mistake in a statement, promising to remove the deeply upsetting ad from all platforms.

IN FULL

Converse pulls ad after claims it appeared to show a KKK lynching

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