Converse forced to publicly apologize — what does the Ku Klux Klan have to do with it? | Watch

Converse halted its Chuck 70 X sneaker ad campaign and apologized after social media users saw a resemblance to Ku Klux Klan robes and a lynching scene in one of the photos. The image shows the lower half of a person in a white robe holding black sneakers. Critics said the lighting made the shoes appear to be hanging in the air, with shadows resembling a KKK hood. The company acknowledged the mistake and removed the image.

Converse, a subsidiary of Nike Inc., halted its Chuck 70 X sneaker ad campaign and publicly apologized after a wave of criticism on social media. Users saw a resemblance to Ku Klux Klan robes and a lynching scene in one of the photos. The image shows the lower half of a person in a white robe reaching mid-calf; in one hand, they hold a pair of black sneakers, with the arm fully extended along the body. Critics noted that due to the lighting, the shoes appear to be hanging in the air next to the person in white, and the shadows form a triangular reflection resembling the top of a KKK hood. Converse stated it understands why the image deeply upset people, acknowledged the mistake, and removed the photo from its channels. Civil rights attorney Lee Merritt, who represented the family of Ahmaud Arbery, and U.S. Representative Troy Carter criticized the ad, stating that Black pain is not a marketing ploy and lynching is not a creative concept.