Three major Chinese consumer brands have announced the termination of their advertising partnerships with French soccer captain Kylian Mbappé. The companies – beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy giant Mengniu and cheese producer Milkground – issued similarly worded statements on Tuesday, saying they could not continue to work with the athlete after comments that appeared to label China’s founding leader Mao Zedong as a “dictator.”
Brands cite protection of national sentiment
Each company said it opposes “any words and actions that hurt national sentiment.” The statements were released shortly after a short video clip circulated on the social‑media platform X. In the clip, Mbappé is asked about his favorite meme and replies, “a video someone made of a guy … I think he was a Chinese dictator,” before an edited image shows his face superimposed on a portrait of Mao Zedong.
Social‑media backlash fuels the decision
Chinese netizens quickly reacted, with hashtags such as “Dongpeng ends partnership with Mbappé” and “Several brands end partnerships with Mbappé” topping Weibo’s trending list. Some users called for a boycott of the player, while others expressed disappointment that a global sports figure would appear to criticize a historic Chinese leader.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun responded, stating that “words and actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally be met with joint opposition from all sectors of Chinese society.” The statement underscored the government’s expectation that foreign public figures respect Chinese national sentiment.
RedNote ends content partnership
Social‑media platform RedNote also announced it had ended its content partnership with Mbappé as of Dec. 31, 2024, and would remove related promotional material. The platform’s statement echoed the brands’ language, condemning conduct that “hurts national sentiment.” Mbappé’s RedNote account was blocked from accepting new followers on Tuesday.
Mbappé’s previous Chinese market presence
Mbappé has been a prominent face in Chinese advertising, appearing in campaigns for electrolyte drinks, milk and cheese products. In a Dongpeng commercial, he delivered a slogan in Mandarin; in a Mengniu ad, he shared screen time with Argentine star Lionel Messi. The recent controversy marks a sharp reversal of that visibility.The Associated Press was unable to reach Mbappé’s representatives for comment at the time of publication.
Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.
