‘Deeply disturbed’: Black congress members respond to Converse ad and request urgent meeting

Black lawmakers in the US Congress are now seeking a meeting with Nike executives over Converse’s latest ad, which was accused of resembling the racist hate group, the Ku Klux Klan.

The American shoe brand, which is owned by Nike, shared a new advertising campaign with K-pop singer Karina last week, which shows her wearing a white skirt and grey T-shirt while surrounded by loads of pairs of black Converse sneakers. A bright light creates a star shape on the floor to mark the iconic Chuck Taylor logo.

As soon as the advert was shared, people quickly began claiming that the way the light reflects off Karina’s skirt looks like a Ku Klux Klan hood. The racist, white supremacist hate group was at its peak in the 1920s and was known for wearing distinctive white robes and hoods.

A cropped version of the campaign that was shared on Converse’s Instagram drew the most criticism as people also likened the way she was holding a pair of Converse in her left hand to lynching imagery. Converse has since apologised in a statement to Footwear News, saying they “understand why this image is deeply upsetting” and recognise that they “got this wrong”. 

Credit: Instagram

Now, the Congressional Black Caucus, made up of Black members of the United States Congress, has called for a meeting with Nike over the advert. 

“As we all gathered for the 55th Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference—the nation’s largest convening of Black leaders, activists, academics, and advocates—the Congressional Black Caucus was deeply disturbed and disappointed by Converse’s decision to release this advertising campaign,” Chair Yvette D. Clarke wrote in a statement.

“With 62 Members of Congress gathered to celebrate Black excellence, honour the contributions of those who came before use, and invest in the next generation of Black leaders — including the young interns joining us —it was particularly disheartening to see an advertisement that many found deeply insensitive.

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“This moment is part of a larger conversation about corporate responsibility and the obligations that companies have to the communities they serve, the consumers who support them and the broader society in which they operate. Corporate leaders must understand that their decisions, messaging and investments carry significance, particularly when they intersect with communities whose history, culture and contributions have helped shape their success.”

 

 

 

 

 

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Clarke said the Congressional Black Caucus will be reaching out to Nike executives to request a meeting “as soon as possible” and look forward to speaking about “Nike’s broader commitment to corporate responsibility, meaningful engagement with the Black community, and support for the next generation of Black leaders”. 

The advert has now been removed. In its full apology statement, Converse said: “We’re sorry. We understand why this image is deeply upsetting and recognise that we got this wrong. We removed it from our channels and are working to remove it everywhere it appeared. This should not have happened, and we will do better.”

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Featured image credit: Converse