Converse responds to outrage over the Instagram ad for its Chuck 70 X sneakers
The sneaker company Converse has removed a social media ad that sparked outrage among critics who viewed it as evoking the Ku Klux Klan and lynching. The Instagram ad photo showed K-pop singer Karina wearing a skirt and holding a pair of Chuck 70 X sneakers. Critics lashed out online, saying that a white triangular image created by lighting on the skirt resembled a KKK hood and that the way she…
Converse, a sneaker company under Nike, removed an Instagram ad featuring K-pop singer Karina wearing a skirt and holding a pair of Chuck 70 X sneakers. Critics accused the ad of resembling the Ku Klux Klan and lynchings due to a white triangular image created by lighting on the skirt and the way Karina held the sneakers, making them appear like dangling feet.
Converse, based in Boston, issued an apology and stated that they removed the ad from their channels. The company declined to provide further details on their ad screening process. Similar instances of racial insensitivity have led to apologies from other retailers and fashion brands, such as Target, which pulled a controversial Halloween costume from its shelves last month.
The Converse ad quickly sparked outrage, with calls for staff involved to be fired and a boycott of the company. Some defended Converse, claiming the apology was insufficient, as they believed the ad should have been caught before it aired.
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