Canadian outdoor apparel brand Arc’teryx, part of China’s Anta Group, is under intense scrutiny after a collaboration with Chinese artist Cai Guo-qiang backfired. On September 19, Cai staged a fireworks display in Tibet’s Shigatse region at the foot of the Himalayas, a spectacle that quickly went viral. Social media backlash focused on the stunt’s environmental impact and cultural sensitivity, prompting local authorities to launch an official investigation.
Arc’teryx responded with apologies in China via Weibo and internationally on the brand's Instagram channel on September 21. But the messaging was inconsistent. The global statement expressed “deep disappointment” and framed the issue as involving local teams and the artist, while the Chinese statement focused on cooperation with authorities and corrective actions.
The discrepancy has sparked debate on social media, with users questioning the brand's accountability and its approach to cross-cultural collaborations. Arc'teryx has not yet clarified the differences between the two statements, and its parent company, Anta Sports, has also not issued any statement regarding this issue.
Ludovic Bacque, a senior advisor at Daxue Consulting who previously worked for Decathlon and Adidas in China, said in a LinkedIn post: “What should have been a landmark cultural moment may now become Arc’teryx's toughest brand test in China. While no ecological damage has been reported, the backlash seems to stem from issues of values. Consumers view this act as contradictory to the brand's core identity.”
The controversy lands against a backdrop of Arc’teryx’s parent company, Anta Sports, which acquired Amer Sports (Arc’teryx’s parent) in 2019 for €4.7 billion. Arc’teryx is a key growth engine: in H1 2025, Amer Sports generated $2.709 billion in revenue, up 23.5% year-on-year, with Greater China revenue surging 42.4%.
Campaign reached out to marketing leaders to get a sense of ESG and brand accountability in the light of this situation.
A Canadian brand owned by Anta is under fire for an ESG misstep. Beyond the headlines, what’s the real lesson for marketers here? And when a crisis like this hits, what’s the smartest way for brands to steady the ship and win back consumer trust—not just patch things up in the short term?
Ludovic Bacque,
Senior advisor, Daxue Consulting
ESG can’t be treated as a checklist. Even if a campaign is technically compliant, perception matters more than process. Especially in the outdoor category, consumers judge brands on values like respect for nature and Leave No Trace. A single symbolic misstep can outweigh years of ESG reports. ESG needs to be lived as a cultural practice, not just a marketing layer—evaluating not just environmental impact but also cultural and symbolic impact.
The brand's apology was fast, clear, and admitted fault. That is an important first step. Many Chinese consumers even agreed the responsibility sat with the local China team, but they still expect the brand globally to take ownership. To restore trust, Arc’teryx needs to unify its voice, acknowledge accountability at a brand-wide level, and show concrete action: transparent monitoring, ecological restoration, or low-impact activations that reinforce its DNA. Apologies are words but trust is rebuilt through actions.
Ashley Dudarenok
Founder, ChoZan and Alarice
Three key lessons: ESG must be authentic (not a marketing veneer), cultural sensitivity is non-negotiable, and crisis response consistency is critical. Arc’teryx’s environmental message clashed with the fireworks stunt, violated Tibetan cultural reverence, and its inconsistent apologies created a secondary crisis.
To move forward, four immediate actions are needed: a unified global apology signed by the CEO and China head; a transparent third-party environmental assessment; tangible long-term conservation investment; and direct consumer dialogue through live Q&A.
What about Anta? As Arc’teryx’s parent company, it has remained silent so far. Do you agree with this strategy?
Ludovic Bacque,
Senior advisor, Daxue Consulting
Anta faces a delicate balance here. As Arc’teryx controlling shareholder, Anta doesn’t need to micromanage the response but it should signal its commitment to ESG at the group level and show it empowers its portfolio brands to act responsibly. Silence may protect the group brand in the short term but in the long term, there is a risk to fuel perceptions of disconnect or lack of accountability.
In China, group reputation and brand reputation are all connected. If Anta remains silent, the crisis may scale up from a brand issue into a group issue.
Ashley Dudarenok
Founder, ChoZan and Alarice
Chinese netizens are already demanding responses on their platforms. Anta should acknowledge the situation's gravity, endorse Arc'teryx's remedial actions, and reaffirm corporate values while conducting internal reviews across their brand portfolio.
Tom Zhang
Associate partner, Prophet Shanghai
This is a delicate balancing act. Anta should avoid appearing to distance itself from the controversy, yet it should also not rush to make a hasty response, as doing so could unnecessarily expose the broader portfolio to risk. The purpose of building a multi-brand portfolio is to enhance resilience – even if Arc’teryx faces headwinds, it should not jeopardise Anta’s overall growth. Responding prematurely without a comprehensive assessment and clear action plan would likely backfire, extending blame to Anta and its wider portfolio and harming stakeholders, including investors, supply chain partners, and employees.
The better course is for Arc’teryx to move swiftly with a transparent investigation (in collaboration with local authorities and Cai’s team), alongside specific commitments, next steps, and measurable actions. Anta can then follow with a parent-level statement that emphasises active oversight and long-term responsibility, while ensuring Arc’teryx remains the independent and leading voice on this matter.
