Converse, a Nike-owned brand, has pulled a sneaker ad after critics claimed its imagery evoked lynch mobs and the Ku Klux Klan, a US white supremacist group. The campaign featured K-pop singer Karina of the girl group Aespa dressed in a long white skirt and holding a pair of black high-top sneakers beneath a spotlight. Critics argued that the lighting made her outfit resemble a KKK hood, while the dangling shoes evoked the feet of a lynching victim.
The ad sparked widespread criticism, with Democratic Congressman Troy Carter describing it as "racist, reckless and deeply offensive." Civil rights attorney Lee Merritt also criticized the company, arguing that removing the ad did not address how it had been approved in the first place. Merritt wrote on Instagram that the apology "doesn't undo what got past legal, marketing and leadership at every step."
Converse apologized on Saturday, saying it understood why the image was "deeply upsetting" and acknowledging that it had "got this wrong." The company said it had removed the ad from its channels and was working to remove it everywhere it appeared. Converse CEO Aaron Cain has since told employees that the company is reviewing its internal processes and pledged to "make needed changes."
The criticism also resurfaced a separate Converse campaign with the Danish brand Palmes, which showed models climbing a ladder toward sneakers hanging from a tree branch. Some social media users said the imagery also evoked a lynching. This incident adds to a series of controversies involving Nike and its subsidiaries.
Nike and its subsidiaries have faced criticism over advertising before. In April 2025, the company apologized for a London Marathon billboard reading "NEVER AGAIN. UNTIL NEXT YEAR" after critics linked the phrase to Holocaust remembrance. Nike said it had intended to reference runners vowing not to compete again before eventually returning.
The controversies come as Converse parent Nike is struggling to reverse a prolonged decline in its business and share price. The sportswear giant has lost more than $200 billion in market value since its shares peaked in 2021, as it has faced increased competition, weaker demand in China, and criticism over a lack of product innovation.
Nike, which has owned Converse since 2003, is also set to leave the S&P 100 index after nearly 18 years, although it will remain part of the broader S&P 500. The company is taking steps to address its challenges and improve its brand image, including reviewing its internal processes and making changes to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Key points
- Converse apologized and vowed changes to its internal review process after critics claimed its ad evoked lynch mobs and the Ku Klux Klan.
- The incident adds to a series of controversies involving Nike and its subsidiaries.
- Nike is struggling to reverse a prolonged decline in its business and share price.
