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Kylian Mbappé loses three Chinese brand deals after dictator comment
The soccer star apologized and saw endorsements end with Dongpeng, Mengniu and Milkground following a controversial remark about Mao Zedong.
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Fortune reported that French soccer star Kylian Mbappé issued a public apology on Tuesday after three Chinese companies terminated their endorsement agreements with him. The brands – beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy giant Mengniu and cheese producer Milkground – cited “any words and actions that hurt national sentiment” as the reason for ending the partnerships.
The backlash began when a short video from an interview ahead of the French online talk show “The Bridge” was posted on X. When asked about his favorite meme, Mbappé said he thought the subject was “a Chinese dictator,” pointing to a doctored image that placed his face on Mao Zedong’s body. The clip quickly spread, prompting criticism across Chinese social media.
Dongpeng, Mengniu and Milkground each released similarly worded statements on Tuesday confirming the cancellations. Their releases did not detail the specific trigger but aligned with the companies’ stated opposition to remarks that could offend Chinese national sentiment.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun responded that “words and actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally be met with joint opposition.” Social platform RedNote also announced that its content partnership with Mbappé had ended on Dec. 31, 2024, and it would remove related promotional material, additionally banning his account from gaining new followers.
Mbappé had been a prominent face in Chinese advertising, appearing in ads from subway stations to elevators for electrolyte drinks, milk and cheese. One Dongpeng commercial featured him delivering a slogan in Chinese, while a Mengniu spot paired him with fellow soccer star Lionel Messi.
Mao Zedong, the figure referenced in the meme, founded the People’s Republic of China after leading the Communist Party to victory in the civil war. His legacy includes the Great Leap Forward, a campaign that resulted in a famine causing an estimated 30 million deaths.
Why it matters: The incident shows how a single remark can swiftly cost a global athlete lucrative Chinese market partnerships, underscoring the sensitivity of national sentiment in China’s consumer sector.