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.
“We’re in listening and learning mode right now,” said Coppetti.
On, which was founded in 2010, has built its brand through big-name athlete tie-ups, most notably Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer, who in 2019 bought a stake in On and became the brand’s top ambassador, helping design its tennis shoes.
On raised its 2026 gross margin forecast after beating third-quarter sales estimates, as new shoe launches and a clothing collection advertised by American actor Zendaya drove sales.
It kept, however, its annual sales forecasts of between 3.47 billion Swiss francs and 3.56…
