French soccer star Kylian Mbappe has been dropped by several major Chinese brands after a video circulated online in which he appeared to joke about Mao Zedong, the founding leader of Communist China. Energy drink giant Dongpeng Beverage and dairy producer Mengniu have terminated their partnerships, citing remarks that offended Chinese national sentiment. At least three companies are cutting ties with the national team captain.
The controversy stems from a clip on a French TV show where Mbappe was asked about his favorite meme of himself. He allegedly responded that his favorite is the one where his face is put on a Chinese dictator. In China, jokes about Mao, who died in 1976, are considered disrespectful and remain a social taboo.
The fallout occurs as Mbappe's image had been appearing in ads throughout China, including in subway stations and elevators. In addition to the terminated sponsorships, state television has suspended broadcasts of the Spanish league. Mbappe has since apologized, stating that his comment was ill-judged and that he now understands it hurt many people.