Chinese Brands Drop Mbappé After Backlash Over Mao Joke
Chinese brands terminate contracts with Mbappé after online backlash over alleged Mao Zedong references.
At a glance
- Chinese brands terminated contracts with Mbappé after online backlash over alleged Mao Zedong references.
- The incident involved a meme on French show The Bridge and drew criticism from Chinese officials and social media.
- CCTV has suspended La Liga matches and Chinese dairy and beverage companies have stated zero-tolerance policies.
Several Chinese brands have dropped French footballer Kylian Mbappé as backlash grew online over alleged comments by him referring to the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong. Mbappé reportedly told French talk show The Bridge a meme "that makes me laugh the most...the one where there's a video of a guy, I think it's a Chinese dictator." The Real Madrid forward added in unverified clips that he uses the meme with friends, though the original video is no longer on the show's YouTube channel.
The incident drew swift condemnation from Chinese authorities and social media. China's foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that words and deeds hurting Chinese people would face opposition from all sectors of society. A Chinese football forum called the comments "inappropriate" and "hurt the feelings of Chinese people." On Weibo, users criticized Mbappé for "profiting from the Chinese market yet making remarks that offend the Chinese public."
The backlash has prompted Chinese state broadcaster CCTV to suspend La Liga matches, according to The Paper. Several Chinese brands have also taken action. The country's largest dairy producer, Mengniu, said it "firmly opposes and has a zero-tolerance policy towards any words or actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people." Similarly, drinks giant Dongpeng stated its company "firmly opposes and has a zero-tolerance policy towards any behaviour that offends national sentiments."
Mbappé, who made his debut for Real Madrid in August 2024, has been nicknamed "the dictator" in the football world due to his influence over club and international operations. In 2024, he sued a French influencer and kebab shop owner for using his name in a sandwich description. In a September 2024 interview with France Football, Mbappé acknowledged the light-heartedness behind many memes but said they "sometimes reveals a lack of political and human awareness among people." He noted that comparing himself to historical figures who "murder others" or "made millions upon millions of people miserable" was not his intention.
Source: BBC Business
Questions and answers
- Why did Chinese brands drop Mbappé?
- They cited hurt feelings and the backlash over his alleged Mao Zedong comparison.
- What was the nature of the controversy?
- Mbappé reportedly used a meme with a Chinese dictator image on French talk show The Bridge, sparking online backlash.
