Oct 27, 5:01 AM
Mbappe Loses Major Chinese Endorsements After Mao Remark
Two top Chinese brands drop the French football star following a viral video mocking former leader Mao Zedong.
Global corporate endorsements demand strict adherence to local political sensitivities, a reality that high-profile athletes often disregard at their financial peril. Kylian Mbappe, the 27-year-old Real Madrid and France forward, learned this lesson when two major Chinese corporate partners terminated their commercial agreements with him overnight.
The commercial rupture followed the online circulation of a video clip featuring the French international discussing digital internet memes. In the recording, Mbappe remarked that the funniest meme he had seen involved his face photoshopped onto a figure he identified as a Chinese dictator. The comment was an apparent reference to a viral image combining his features with those of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong, one of several online edits pairing the footballer with prominent historical figures. While the video spread rapidly across internet platforms, its authenticity could not be verified by AFP Fact Check.
The corporate reaction from China was immediate. Beverage giant Dongpeng announced an abrupt end to its contractual relationship with the player. In an official statement, the enterprise declared, Our company firmly opposes and has a zero-tolerance policy towards any behaviour that offends national sentiments, confirming the immediate cancellation of all joint projects.
Dairy manufacturer Mengniu, China's largest producer in the sector, severed its ties simultaneously. The firm issued an official statement reading, With immediate effect our company is terminating all cooperation with Kylian Mbappe, adding that Mengniu firmly opposes and has a zero-tolerance policy towards any words or actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.
The commercial fallout resonated strongly across Chinese digital media, where the termination announcement from Dongpeng rapidly became the top-trending topic on the social network Weibo. The financial loss caps a frustrating week for the footballer, who had missed out on the Ballon d'Or to Harry Kane just a day prior on Monday.
Written by Andreas Hofer andreas.hofer@alpineweekly.com
