French football superstar Kylian Mbappe has reportedly lost endorsement deals with two major Chinese brands following the circulation of a video in which he allegedly joked about former Chinese leader Mao Zedong.
The incident has sparked controversy in China, where jokes about Mao, the country’s founding leader who died in 1976, are widely considered disrespectful and remain a social taboo.
Dongpeng, a Chinese sports drink brand, had previously featured AI-generated advertisements showing the 27-year-old France captain drinking its products, with the adverts regularly appearing in China during this year’s World Cup.
China’s largest dairy producer, Mengniu, has also reportedly severed ties with the Real Madrid forward following the controversy.
The reported decisions mark a setback for Mbappe, who has enjoyed significant popularity among Chinese football fans and amassed millions of followers on Chinese social media platforms.
The France international has also earned the affectionate nickname “Guigui” among Chinese fans, a reference to the Chinese translation of “Turtle”, inspired by his association with a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles meme.
The controversy highlights the cultural sensitivities international celebrities must navigate when engaging with audiences in China, where public perceptions of respect towards national history and prominent political figures can have significant commercial implications.
