On September 19, 2025, at an altitude of approximately 5,500 meters in the Ronglung area of Gyangze, Shigatse, Tibet, within the Himalayas, an outdoor brand marketing event aimed at "paying tribute to mountain culture" and "interpreting the auspicious meaning of Eastern dragon culture" sparked widespread controversy both domestically and internationally.

The "Rising Dragon" fireworks show, created by Arc'teryx in collaboration with artist Cai Guoqiang, used 145 fan-shaped colored smoke trails to outline a 3-kilometer-long "giant dragon" landscape along the mountain ridge.

After the video spread rapidly, it ignited public debate, with environmentalists and the public raising waves of criticism: Was this visual spectacle taking place on the "Roof of the World" eroding the fragile ecosystem of this region known as "Asia's Water Tower"?

This seemingly singular brand marketing event actually reflects the disregard for ecological protection shown by certain high-end outdoor brands during commercial expansion. A deeper observation reveals that Amer Sports, Inc., Arc'teryx's parent company, is facing challenges in performance growth, while ANTA SPORTS, which built its multi-brand matrix through acquisitions, is also encountering management considerations in its globalization journey.

When we debate the boundaries between commerce and nature at the foot of snow-capped mountains, perhaps we should remember: true premium quality always begins with reverence for every inch of land beneath our feet.

**Cai Guoqiang's Fireworks Show Sparks Major Controversy**

This widely controversial fireworks show was the third season of Arc'teryx's "Upward Beauty" series activities. The first two seasons were held in Shangri-La, Yunnan in 2023, and at Namcha Barwa in the Himalayas in 2024, both positioned with "mountain culture + professional outdoor" as their core theme. However, this "mountain blasting" operation in the Himalayas violated multiple core principles of outdoor sports and quickly sparked controversy.

Looking at the timeline of events, after the activity was held on September 19, related videos spread online on September 20. Public criticism focused on concerns such as "whether fireworks residue caused pollution in the fragile ecosystem of high-altitude cold regions," "whether noise and light pollution disturbed wildlife," and "whether the so-called environmental protection measures were effective."

In the early hours of September 21, Tibet's "Cloud Peak Everest" WeChat official account issued a notice stating that the Shigatse Municipal Committee and Government had established an investigation team to rush to the site for verification, and "subsequent actions will be taken according to laws and regulations based on the verification results."

On the same morning, Arc'teryx and Cai Guoqiang's studio issued statements successively. Arc'teryx expressed in an apology letter on its official Weibo: "We sincerely thank the public for their concern and supervision of the ecological environment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and humbly accept criticism and suggestions," promising to "cooperate with the artist team under government supervision to review the project's ecological impact, invite third-party professional environmental organizations for assessment, and take remedial actions based on the results." Cai Guoqiang's studio stated in a WeChat explanation that there were "indeed many inadequately considered aspects, and we deeply apologize," and would "actively cooperate with third-party institutions and relevant departments to assess ecological impact, and if there is environmental impact, we will do our utmost to remedy it and support Gyangze County's ecology and cultural tourism with practical actions."

However, the public and experts were not satisfied with the responses. Dr. Gu Yourong, a botanist and scientific advisor to the Shanshui Conservation Center, publicly questioned the environmental protection measures: regarding "salt bricks to guide pikas away," she bluntly asked, "Won't pikas return home after licking enough salt?" For "soil turning for restoration after fireworks," she pointed out that "mountain meadows only have a dozen centimeters of topsoil containing vitality, and turning soil would cause bare soil dust and muddy water loss."

Additionally, experts mentioned that the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has low average annual temperatures and weak biological activity. The organizers' claimed "biodegradable fireworks powder" would take much longer to decompose in high-altitude cold environments than on plains, with residual chemicals potentially polluting soil and water sources. The Gyangze County Branch of Shigatse Ecological Environment Bureau claimed the activity was "filed and procedurally compliant," but netizens countered that "compliance doesn't equal zero harm" - similar creative projects by Cai Guoqiang's team had been rejected abroad, and ecological damage on plateaus could take decades or even centuries to recover.

More controversial was Arc'teryx's "differential apology" between domestic and international audiences: the domestic apology emphasized "compliance with supervision and third-party assessment," while the overseas statement claimed the "behavior contradicted the brand's environmental values" and mentioned "adjusting the Chinese team's working methods." Some netizens and public opinion believed there were significant differences between domestic and international statements, with a tendency to "scapegoat the Chinese team." Arc'teryx has not responded further to this.

**Arc'teryx Shows Concerns Despite High Growth**

As a Canadian high-end outdoor brand, Arc'teryx began its "premiumization + luxury" transformation in China after being acquired by ANTA SPORTS along with Amer Sports, Inc. in 2019, achieving high growth for a period. However, before this major controversy, its growth momentum had already shown signs of fatigue.

From Amer Sports, Inc.'s overall performance perspective, its first half of 2025 performance was strong: revenue of $2.709 billion, up 23.5% year-over-year, with Greater China revenue of $856 million, achieving a high growth rate of 42.4% year-over-year, far exceeding growth rates in the Asia-Pacific region (46.7%, Asia-Pacific excluding Greater China was $311 million), Americas (6%), and Europe, Middle East and Africa (3.8%), making it the core growth engine.

In 2024, Amer Sports achieved profitability turnaround with annual revenue of $5.183 billion, up 18% year-over-year, operating profit of $471 million, up 56% year-over-year, and adjusted operating profit of $577 million, up 33% year-over-year. The company went public in the US that year with a total market value exceeding $20 billion.

However, when broken down to the business segment where Arc'teryx operates, the slowing growth trend is evident.

Amer Sports' "Technical Apparel segment" (covering Arc'teryx and Peak Performance) achieved Q2 2025 revenue of $509 million, up 23% year-over-year, down from 34% growth in Q2 2024 by 11 percentage points. Same-store sales growth dropped from 80% in Q2 2023 to 15% in Q2 2025, declining for three consecutive years. Even so, Arc'teryx remains Amer Sports' "ballast stone" - its single-brand revenue exceeded $2 billion in 2024, accounting for approximately 40% of Amer Sports' total revenue. In Q2 2025, it had a net increase of 7 stores (12 new openings, 5 closures), with total global stores reaching 227, of which Greater China accounts for over 60%.

While growth rates slowed, Arc'teryx also faced product quality controversies, further eroding brand reputation. According to data from consumer service platform Black Cat Complaints, as of September 2025, complaints related to "Arc'teryx" exceeded 3,000, focusing on issues such as "thousand-yuan shoes delaminating," "jackets bulging and pilling," and "logo peeling off."

**ANTA SPORTS' Multi-Brand Matrix Shows Weaknesses**

Arc'teryx's fate turned with ANTA SPORTS' key acquisition in 2019. In February that year, ANTA SPORTS led a consortium including FountainVest Partners, Anamered Investments (founded by Lululemon founder Chip Wilson), and Tencent to complete a takeover bid for Amer Sports, Inc. at €4.66 billion (approximately RMB 36 billion), with ANTA SPORTS indirectly holding 57.95% and becoming the actual controller. This acquisition was seen as a core move in ANTA SPORTS' "multi-brand, globalization" strategy - by bringing Amer Sports' brands including Arc'teryx, Salomon, and Wilson under its umbrella, ANTA SPORTS built a differentiated brand matrix of "mass market (ANTA main brand) + mid-to-high-end (FILA) + high-end outdoor (Arc'teryx, Salomon)," forming a so-called "dual-wheel drive system" of two listed companies: ANTA SPORTS + Amer Sports, Inc.

The integration effectiveness after the acquisition is reflected in ANTA SPORTS Group's performance.

In the first half of 2025, ANTA SPORTS Group's total revenue reached RMB 38.54 billion, up 14.3% year-over-year, hitting a historical high. Excluding gains from equity dilution due to Amer Sports' listing, profit attributable to shareholders was RMB 7.031 billion, up 14.5% year-over-year.

By brand, ANTA main brand revenue was RMB 16.95 billion, up 5.4% year-over-year, with core product PG7 running shoes achieving cumulative sales exceeding 4 million pairs. FILA brand revenue was RMB 14.18 billion, up 8.6% year-over-year, with significant sales growth in categories like elite running shoes and polo shirts. "Other brands" represented by Arc'teryx, Salomon, and Descente achieved revenue of RMB 7.41 billion, up 61.1% year-over-year, with an operating profit margin of 33.2%, becoming the fastest-growing segment.

ANTA SPORTS' global expansion is also advancing simultaneously. In September 2025, Wang Huayou, Vice President of ANTA SPORTS Group and Chairman & President of Southeast Asia Region, publicly stated, "We plan to open 1,000 ANTA brand stores in the Southeast Asian market over the next three years." Currently, its Southeast Asia headquarters has been established in Singapore. In the North American market, ANTA SPORTS plans to open its first flagship store in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles in September 2025, while expanding business through mainstream channels like FootLocker.

Additionally, in the first half of 2025, ANTA SPORTS completed the acquisition of German outdoor brand Jack Wolfskin, though Jack Wolfskin remains in a loss-making state in the short term. ANTA SPORTS stated it "will reshape the brand through a 3-5 year revival plan."

However, the Arc'teryx fireworks show controversy exposed weaknesses in ANTA SPORTS' multi-brand management. After the incident escalated, ANTA SPORTS Group's initial response was "matters should be based on Arc'teryx's announcements," failing to intervene in crisis management promptly, leading to public criticism of "parent company absence." Some netizens flooded ANTA SPORTS' social platforms demanding responses, and ANTA SPORTS' official Weibo temporarily set "follow and comment restrictions," which drew criticism from some netizens who believed it was "avoiding public scrutiny."

**Business Ethics Must Be Upheld**

The smoke over the Himalayan peaks will eventually dissipate, but the reflections sparked by this controversy are far from over. Arc'teryx's awkward situation reveals a harsh reality: when brands over-focus marketing efforts on creating "middle-class symbols," they often deviate from the essential "Leave No Trace" outdoor spirit. Consumers are willing to pay for professionalism, but will never tolerate dismissive attitudes toward the natural environment.

This fireworks-triggered public tsunami serves as a sobering reminder to all enterprises aspiring to reach the summit: the foundation of commercial empires lies not in the creative variations of marketing, but in adherence to business ethics; the elevation of brand value lies not in artificially inflated prices, but in steadfast commitment to core values.

When we debate the boundaries between commerce and nature at the foot of snow-capped mountains, perhaps we should remember: true premium quality always begins with reverence for every inch of land beneath our feet.