{"id":2152310,"date":"2026-09-18T21:48:41","date_gmt":"2026-09-18T18:48:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2152310"},"modified":"2026-09-18T21:48:41","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T18:48:41","slug":"converse-apologizes-for-ad-compared-to-kkk-lynching","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2152310","title":{"rendered":"Converse Apologizes for Ad Compared to KKK, Lynching"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/0a\/16by9\/2026\/09\/18\/0ae9b2e6f2894cb8b2398fd2b6a722be_xl.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"article article--permalink \">\n<header class=\"article__header\">\n<h1 class=\"article__header--headline-title\">Converse Apologizes for Ad Compared to KKK, Lynching<\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"article__header--headline-fragments\"><span class=\"article__header--hf1 text-uppercase h3\">Converse<\/span><span class=\"article__header--hf2 text-uppercase h1\">Sorry For Our Controversial Ad!!!<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"social-media-container\" role=\"region\">\n<ul class=\"social social--sm\">\n<li class=\"social-item\">\n<li class=\"social-item\">\n<li class=\"social-item\"><\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tmz.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"google-preferred-btn js-track-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"google-preferred-btn__icon\" src=\"https:\/\/static.tmz.com\/tmz-web\/img\/article\/google-icon.svg\" alt=\"Google\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"google-preferred-btn__title\">Add TMZ on Google<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/pages\/about\/\">TMZ Staff<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"date-wrapper\">\n                                                                        Published <time class=\"published-datetime\" datetime=\"2026-09-18T14:48:41-07:00\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/sitemaps\/article\/202609\"><br \/>\n                September 18, 2026<br \/>\n                <\/a><br \/>\n                            2:48 PM PDT<\/time><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article__blocks clearfix\">\n<section id=\"cb-d38896266e974d96d38ce46577a9183c\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-image-block canvas-image-block-permalink canvas-image-block--default  canvas-block-is-first \">\n<div class=\"image-block\"><a class=\"js-click-image js-track-link image-lightbox-preview\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:image-asset:image_jpg_20260918_0ae9b2e6f2894cb8b2398fd2b6a722be\" data-container-ref=\"tmz:article:106638cb-fb39-4a52-a3f4-b75b7afbd518\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;image&quot;}\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"img-wrapper\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/0a\/4by3\/2026\/09\/18\/0ae9b2e6f2894cb8b2398fd2b6a722be_md.jpg\" alt=\"converse racist ad\" width=\"728\" height=\"546\" class=\"img-fluid image-block__img-fluid img-aspect-auto\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"image-block__card-footer\"><span class=\"media-credit image-block__media-credit\">converse<\/span><\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-092d2121b29ca404d7386e001a0c1a91\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>Converse has apologized and pulled a controversial ad after critics compared the imagery to the Ku Klux Klan and lynching.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-d5aa05107a5969077211955027c642c1\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>The ad, part of Converse&#8217;s global Chuck 70 X campaign featuring K-pop star <strong>Karina<\/strong>, showed her holding a pair of black sneakers. The lighting and positioning made it look like the black shoes were dangling beneath a large, pointed piece of white fabric that some folks said looked like a Klan hood.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-ca30bf3732b674fc56f4aca3ad7d2834\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>The image quickly sparked outrage online, with critics saying the hanging shoes evoke lynching imagery.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-e147b04474dcf8f0d788e1a88bf2ba6c\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-image-block canvas-image-block-permalink canvas-image-block--default  \">\n<div class=\"image-block\"><a class=\"js-click-image js-track-link image-lightbox-preview\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:image-asset:image_jpg_20260918_ff3d498decd1479d99ff4e08abaec442\" data-container-ref=\"tmz:article:106638cb-fb39-4a52-a3f4-b75b7afbd518\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;image&quot;}\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"img-wrapper\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/ff\/4by3\/2026\/09\/18\/ff3d498decd1479d99ff4e08abaec442_md.jpg\" alt=\"converse shoe reactions x 1\" width=\"728\" height=\"546\" class=\"img-fluid image-block__img-fluid img-aspect-auto\"><\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-a6de981ebdb77c14a9245fb70de92066\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>Converse removed the ad from its social media accounts and other platforms &#8230; and apologized for the campaign.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-0682d3e211a02a7eb8527f3599879450\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>The company said in a statement to<a href=\"https:\/\/wwd.com\/footwear-news\/sneaker-news\/converse-campaign-ad-kkk-lynching-comparisons-apology-1239244502\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Footwear News<\/strong><\/a> it understands why the image was &#8220;deeply upsetting,&#8221; acknowledged it &#8220;got this wrong,&#8221; and vowed to do better.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-d1cd917c63f0430bc33285f09a2f29ca\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  canvas-block-is-last \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>There&#8217;s no indication Converse intended to reference the KKK or lynching, but critics are questioning how the images made it through the company\u2019s approval process.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-12\">\n<ul class=\"social social--permalink\">\n<li class=\"social__item social__item--3items\"><a class=\"btn social__btn social__btn--facebook js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/09\/18\/converse-apologizes-for-ad-compared-to-ku-klux-klan-lynching\/\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:article:106638cb-fb39-4a52-a3f4-b75b7afbd518\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;facebook-footer&quot;,&quot;pos&quot;:1}\"><br \/>\n                Share<span class=\"social__hide-sm\"> on Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"social__item social__item--3items\"><a class=\"btn social__btn social__btn--x js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/09\/18\/converse-apologizes-for-ad-compared-to-ku-klux-klan-lynching\/\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:article:106638cb-fb39-4a52-a3f4-b75b7afbd518\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;twitter-footer&quot;,&quot;pos&quot;:2}\"><br \/>\n                Share<span class=\"social__hide-sm\"> on X<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"social__item social__item--3items\"><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"related-articles\">\n<header class=\"card-section-header related-articles__card-section-header\">\n<h3 class=\"card-section-title related-articles__card-section-title\">\n              Related articles<br \/>\n            <\/h3>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"row related-articles__row\">\n<div class=\"col related-articles__col\">\n<article class=\"related-articles__card\"><a class=\"related-articles__card-link js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/09\/15\/arch-manning-apologizes-for-laughing-at-controversial-ai-video\/\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:article:106638cb-fb39-4a52-a3f4-b75b7afbd518\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;related-article&quot;,&quot;pos&quot;:1}\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"related-articles__card-img ratio\">\n<div class=\"ratio-item\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/02\/16by9\/2026\/09\/15\/02f4ddc1b92341e0b4f24084afbff749_xs.jpg\" alt=\"Arch Manning getty\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"img-fluid\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"related-articles__card-body\">\n<h4 class=\"related-articles__card-title\">\n                        Arch Manning Apologizes For Laughing at A.I. 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Add TMZ on Google By TMZ Staff Published September 18, 2026 2:48 PM PDT converse Converse has apologized and pulled a controversial ad after critics compared the imagery to the Ku Klux Klan and lynching. The ad, part of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,77],"class_list":["post-2152310","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-tmz-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2152310","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2152310"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2152310\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2152310"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2152310"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2152310"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}