Converse Pulls Advert After Backlash Over KKK Imagery
The footwear brand apologized after social media users criticized an Instagram post for evoking Ku Klux Klan imagery and lynching.
American footwear brand Converse has removed an advertisement from its social media channels after it drew criticism for resembling Ku Klux Klan imagery and suggesting a lynching.
The company stated that it "got this wrong" and recognized that the image was "deeply upsetting." The advertisement was posted to the brand's Instagram account, where critics pointed to the lighting as evoking the appearance of a white pointed hood associated with the KKK. Additionally, a pair of shoes dangling in the photo were compared by some social media users to an image of a lynching victim.
Converse issued an apology on Friday, confirming the photo had been removed from its social media platforms and that the company was working to remove it from other sources. "This should not have happened and we will do better," the brand said in its statement. The company has acknowledged the error and expressed regret for the offense caused.