Sportswear brand On is ‘listening and learning’ in China after Mbappe’s misstep

BEIJING: Sportswear brand On is in close contact with its China teams and with Kylian Mbappe, the face of its push into soccer, after his comments referring to Mao Zedong caused a backlash there, co-CEO Caspar Coppetti said on Tuesday.

“We’re speaking to government, we’re speaking to landlords, we’re obviously speaking to Kylian and his team, and most importantly, we’re listening to the consumer,” Coppetti said in an interview with Reuters.

Asked how the Swiss company is changing its approach to marketing in China, Coppetti did not provide details, but said the company planned to launch its first soccer products in 2027. On signed the French player as a global ambassador in September, entering the world’s biggest sport in a move that raised the running shoe brand’s profile.