Converse Retracts Controversial Sneaker Ad Amid Backlash

WHO:

Fast Company - Karina's management company is SM Entertainment Group.

Fast Company - Converse, owned by Nike, is the company involved in the controversy.

Fast Company - K-pop singer Karina is featured in the controversial ad.

Fast Company - Lee Merritt, a civil rights attorney based in Texas, commented on the situation.

WHAT:

Fast Company - The backlash included calls for staff involved in the ad to be fired and for a boycott of Converse.

Fast Company - Converse stated, “We’re sorry,” in their apology regarding the ad.

[11:06 AM EDT] - CBS News - Converse stated, “This should not have happened, and we will do better,” in their apology regarding the ad.

Fast Company - Converse removed a social media ad that was criticized for evoking the Ku Klux Klan and lynching.

CNN - The ad featured Karina wearing a skirt and holding a pair of Chuck 70 X sneakers.

Fast Company - Converse issued an apology stating, “We’re sorry. We understand why this image is deeply upsetting and recognize that we got this wrong.”

Fast Company - The company is working to remove the ad from all channels where it appeared.

WHERE:

Fast Company - Converse is based in Boston, Massachusetts.

Fast Company - The ad was posted on Instagram.

WHEN:

[11:06 AM EDT] - CBS News - The ad was pulled on September 21, 2026, following the backlash.

WHY:

Fast Company - Lee Merritt stated, “Do better means catching this before it airs — not after we’re offended.”

[11:06 AM EDT] - CBS News - Critics claimed the imagery in the ad evoked racist themes, specifically referencing the Ku Klux Klan and lynching.

Fast Company - Critics viewed the ad as racially insensitive, with some stating that the lighting on the skirt resembled a KKK hood and the way the sneakers were held evoked the feet of a lynching victim.

Fast Company - Lee Merritt stated that the apology “doesn’t undo what got past legal, marketing and leadership at every step.”

HOW:

Fast Company - Converse declined to answer questions about how the ad was approved and what their advertising vetting process entails.

(UPDATED September 22, 2026 02:06 UTC)

Converse is facing significant backlash over a controversial ad, with calls for the firing of staff involved and a boycott of the brand. In response, the company issued an apology, stating, “We’re sorry,” but has not provided details on how the ad was approved or what their advertising vetting process looks like. Activist Lee Merritt criticized the situation, saying, “Do better means catching this before it airs — not after we’re offended.”

(UPDATED September 21, 2026 15:58 UTC)

Converse has issued an apology, stating, “This should not have happened, and we will do better,” after facing significant backlash over a controversial advertisement. The company decided to pull the ad on September 21, 2026, following widespread criticism. Critics argued that the imagery in the ad evoked racist themes, drawing specific references to the Ku Klux Klan and lynching.

(UPDATED September 21, 2026 15:02 UTC)

Converse, owned by Nike, has removed a controversial social media ad featuring K-pop singer Karina, which drew criticism for its unsettling imagery that some claimed evoked the Ku Klux Klan and lynching. The company issued an apology acknowledging the ad's insensitivity and is actively working to take it down from all platforms where it appeared. Civil rights attorney Lee Merritt commented on the situation, stating that the apology “doesn’t undo what got past legal, marketing and leadership at every step,” while Converse has not provided details on how the ad was approved.