What do French soccer star Kylian Mbappé and the Japanese company behind Hello Kitty have in common? Before this week, very little. Now, they share the unenviable position of having angered Chinese fans and consumers – then having to quickly apologize and do damage control, with big earnings on the line.
It’s not the first time this has happened. In recent years, other foreign brands and prominent figures, from athletes to fashion houses, have found themselves in hot water. But this week’s back-to-back backtracks illustrate how difficult it can be to do business in China – where once you cross a perceived red line, people aren’t so quick to forgive and forget.
