Culture
Converse Apologizes for Online Campaign Criticized as Resembling Ku Klux Klan Imagery
American shoe brand Converse, owned by Nike, issued an apology and removed an advertisement featuring South Korean pop singer Karina after online critics argued the imagery resembled Ku Klux Klan symbols. Critics noted that a triangular light on Karina’s dress combined with how she held the shoes evoked images of white hoods and lynching victims' feet. The company stated it regretted the offense and was working to remove the image from all platforms, but many felt the response came too late. Texas civil rights attorney Lee Merritt criticized the incident, noting that the ad passed through legal, marketing, and management teams without detection, arguing that true improvement requires identifying such issues before publication rather than after public hurt.
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