Converse pulls ‘deeply upsetting’ advert after backlash

Converse has withdrawn an advertisement that social media users claimed resembled Ku Klux Klan imagery, stating they had "got this wrong." The photo, which appeared on the company's Instagram account, drew criticism after observers noted the lighting in the image resembled a white pointed hood. Additionally, the shoes dangling in the picture were likened to an image of a lynching victim by netizens.

Converse issued an apology on Friday, announcing that the photo had been taken down from its social media channels and that the company was working to remove it from other platforms as well. The company acknowledged that "this should not have happened" and expressed regret, saying, "We're sorry. We understand why this image is deeply upsetting and recognize that we got this wrong."

The image was part of a campaign promoting Converse's Chuck 70 X trainer, which launched globally on August 27. The campaign features South Korean singer Karina of the K-pop group Aespa, who is showcased in a series of advertisements for the shoes. Converse, founded in Massachusetts in the early 1900s, gained popularity following the introduction of its Chuck Taylor sneaker to US basketball courts in 1917. The global brand became a subsidiary of Nike in 2003.