Converse removed an Instagram campaign featuring K-pop star Karina after critics said imagery in the ad evoked the Ku Klux Klan and a lynching.
BOSTON — Converse, the Nike-owned footwear brand, has pulled a controversial advertising image and issued an apology after a campaign featuring K-pop star Karina drew intense criticism over what viewers described as racist imagery.
The advertisement promoted Converse’s Chuck 70 X line and showed Karina holding a pair of sneakers while wearing a white skirt. Critics said the lighting and shape of the skirt created an image resembling a Ku Klux Klan hood, while the positioning of the shoes prompted additional comparisons to the feet of a lynching victim.
Converse removed the advertisement from its platforms after the backlash spread online.
Converse Says It Recognizes ‘Offensive Connotations’
The company acknowledged the criticism and apologized, saying it recognized the imagery had offensive connotations.
Converse said it was taking steps to remove the material from all of its platforms and pledged to do better with its review process going forward.
The controversy centered on a campaign tied to Karina’s work as a Converse global brand ambassador. The aespa member has been featured prominently in the company’s promotion of its newer Chuck 70 X line.
The Chuck 70 X collection remains available through Converse, including high-top and low-top versions of the sneaker.
Ad Draws Questions About Approval Process
The episode quickly moved beyond criticism of the image itself, with some social media users questioning how the advertisement made it through internal creative and approval reviews.
Civil rights attorney Lee Merritt told The Associated Press that controversies of this kind can point to broader failures inside corporate marketing operations when offensive imagery is not identified before publication.
The Associated Press reported that neither Karina nor her management had responded to requests for comment as of Monday.
There is no indication Karina designed or approved the disputed composition herself.
Converse Has Been Part of Nike for More Than Two Decades
Converse was founded in 1908 and became one of the best-known footwear brands in the United States through its Chuck Taylor All Star line.
Nike acquired Converse in 2003.
The company has since operated Converse as a separate brand under the Nike corporate umbrella while expanding the label beyond its basketball roots into fashion, music and streetwear.
The current Chuck 70 X campaign is part of Converse’s effort to update the classic silhouette with additional cushioning and a wider fit while marketing the sneaker to a younger global audience.
The company has not announced whether the broader campaign involving Karina will continue after the disputed advertisement was removed.
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