Chinese Brands Drop Mbappé Over Mao Meme Remark
Kylian Mbappé has lost several of his Chinese sponsors after a video emerged in which he appeared to joke about Mao Zedong.
What Happened
Two major brands, Dongpeng and Mengniu, dropped the Real Madrid star on Tuesday after the clip circulated online. A third company, Milkground, also announced it was ending its deal. Both of the first two said they were terminating all cooperation with immediate effect, and Dongpeng said it has a zero-tolerance policy on behaviour that offends national sentiments.
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The Trigger
The clip is linked to the French online show The Bridge, where Mbappé was asked about his favourite meme of himself. He described one showing his face photoshopped onto “some guy” he thought was a Chinese dictator. This appeared to refer to a meme of his face on an image of Mao. The footage has not been independently verified, and the BBC reports the show has since removed the original upload from YouTube.
Backlash
The hashtags about Dongpeng and several brands ending partnerships with Mbappé topped Weibo’s trending list. Chinese football outlet Dongqiudi said his remarks were offensive to China and hurt the feelings of Chinese fans. China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that words and actions hurting the feelings of the Chinese people will meet joint opposition from all sectors of society. The fallout has also reached LaLiga’s TV coverage in China, one of football’s most valuable markets.
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Why It Matters
Mbappé’s face has been all over Chinese advertising for months, from subway stations to residential elevators. He has appeared in campaigns for Dongpeng’s electrolyte drinks and Mengniu’s dairy products, in one of them alongside Lionel Messi. The episode comes a day after he lost out to Harry Kane for the Ballon d’Or.
The Apology May Douse The Fire
“During a recent interview, I reacted to an image of myself. My comment was ill-judged and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world,” Mbappe said in a statement on Tuesday, which, in my opinion, may douse the fire which was beginning to rage.
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