Story perspectives

Converse Removes Instagram Ad Over KKK, Lynching Imagery

By Drooid · Sep 22, 2026, 11:10 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Converse removed a social-media ad after critics said it evoked Ku Klux Klan and lynching imagery.
The Instagram post featured K-pop star Karina in a white skirt holding Chuck 70 X sneakers.
Critics noted the triangular light resembled a KKK hood and the shoes appeared like a lynching.
Converse apologized, deleted the ad from its channels, and said it is working to remove it everywhere.

History

Historical Context

Benetton shifted to socially charged advertising after hiring creative director Oliviero Toscani in 1982, and early-1990s billboards—including a newborn-baby image that prompted roughly 650 complaints and a 1992 AIDS activist David Kirby photo—highlighted its provocative style. Building on that legacy, the 2011 UNHATE campaign placed altered photos of leaders—including Pope Benedict XVI—prompting Vatican protests and a Cannes Press Grand Prix win in 2012.

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Story summary

Converse removed a social-media ad after critics said it evoked Ku Klux Klan and lynching imagery.
The Instagram post featured K-pop star Karina in a white skirt holding Chuck 70 X sneakers.
Critics noted the triangular light resembled a KKK hood and the shoes appeared like a lynching.
Converse apologized, deleted the ad from its channels, and said it is working to remove it everywhere.

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