Chapter 360 - A series of shocking promotional bursts! (1/2)

Afternoon.

The production of the commercial had begun.

In the modern office s.p.a.ce, Zhang Ye was the authoritative figure. He began instructing the advertising firm's staff to follow his directions and the requirements needed for the content of the commercial.

Zhang Ye did not listen to anything that they tried to suggest as he took charge of everything down to the details that were seemingly unimportant to the others. Zhang Ye made sure that everything was done according to his instructions. There was no other way. Zhang Ye was forced to do things his way as he knew of the miracle the Brain Platinum commercial had created in his world. In this world, only Zhang Ye knew about it. In order to recreate the miracle over here, he had to be on the safe side and did not intend to change the content of the commercial at all. At least it could not stray too much from the original. Every step had to be done accordingly, in the way it had been done in his world, so that nothing unexpected could happen!

”What? You are not going to sing the jingle?” Director w.a.n.g asked in a stupefied fas.h.i.+on.

Zhang Ye said it in a matter of fact manner, ”Of course I'm not going to sing it. Let the dubbing artist do it.” He thought to himself that since it was such a r.e.t.a.r.ded jingle, how could this bro go and sing it?! Do they think that I’m stupid?

Director w.a.n.g asked surprised, ”Then how is the commercial going to be filmed?”

Zhang Ye said, ”Didn't I already explain it to you? There will be 2 animated characters, an old man and old lady who will be dubbed as if they are singing. Their characters will be dancing around. The characters will look cartoonish and cute. Can your team do the designs according to those requirements first? I will take a look at it later.”

Director w.a.n.g asked incredulously, ”Then what will you be doing in the commercial?”

Zhang Ye pointed to himself, ”Me? I will just make an appearance, holding the Brain Plati.....Brain Gold product at the end of it. The focus of this commercial should not be on me.”

Today, Director w.a.n.g and the project team staff had their eyes opened for once. After so many years of experience in the advertising industry, it was their first time they had witnessed such a production. A big company had spent so much to employ you to endorse their product and you sure are good. All you do is appear in a perfunctory shot and that's it? Isn't that too easy an endors.e.m.e.nt fee that you're getting? And what's with the Brain Gold company, why did they even include a clause like that in the contract!?

Director w.a.n.g looked at Wu Mo, ”CEO Wu, this....”

Wu Mo looked like his confidence was completely shattered and only simply waved his hand saying, ”Just do as Zhang Ye says, don't ask me anymore. I'm going outside for a smoke.” He didn't care anymore and felt like he was just throwing a tantrum. It seemed like he had boarded Zhang Ye's pirate s.h.i.+p this time and was forced into a corner. He was not going to do anything about it anymore.

Zhang Ye was not bothered by this and continued giving out instructions.

”Is this image OK?”

”No, they look too young.”

”How about this? The hair is now white.”

”I'm looking for a cartoonish character. This is not cute at all. They need to look cuter and look kind. In their kindness, they also need to look like they are full of vitality. Adjust their eyes to look bigger, yes, the body proportions should decrease a little more. Make the old man wear a suit and the old lady dressed in a bridal gown. Don't make them too old either, they need to show a youthful vigor.”

”How about now?”

”Good, that's OK. That's perfect!”

The commercial's proposal had been decided, so all that was left was the production. This was not something that Zhang Ye could partic.i.p.ate in, as he did not have any animation skills.

Outside.

On a balcony at the end of the corridor.

Wu Mo was smoking over there. There were already 7 to 8 cigarette b.u.t.ts lying on the ground.

”CEO Wu.” Zhang Ye smilingly said as he walked over. He took out a cigarette, ”I'll have one too.”

Wu Mo glanced back at him, but didn't say a word. He was ignoring Zhang Ye.

Zhang Ye knew that he was angry at him since this afternoon. He lit his cigarette and walked over to the bench and took a seat. He offered a cigarette to him, ”Having one?”

Wu Mo grabbed a stick, ”Teacher Zhang, my aunt mentioned you to me before. She said she really admires your literary skills and even said that you were a talent that no one else could ever replace in our nation. I've also seen your poems, listened to your speeches, and watched your advertis.e.m.e.nts. I believe in your abilities. You are also older than me by a year or two and so I address you as Brother Zhang, but you can't go and take advantage of me like this. I'm just a small businessman and my company is going to go bankrupt soon. I can't go through this sort of setback now.” Zhang Ye's status as a famous host, writer, literary person, and Redologist was known by all. He was even a very popular person in the Chinese department of Peking University, so Wu Mo didn’t direct his anger at him.

Zhang Ye did not know what to say either. After some thought, he asked Wu Mo, ”CEO Wu, since you've watched my advertis.e.m.e.nts before, then tell me whether the saving electricity advertis.e.m.e.nt was influential or not?”

Wu Mo said with a sigh, ”Influential!”

Zhang Ye asked again, ”Then my 'I'll speak for myself' advertis.e.m.e.nt... was it hot or not?”

Wu Mo was stunned but still said, ”It was hot!”

Zhang Ye said with a smile, ”If I may say so, whether it’s in the field of broadcast, novels, TV hosting, poetry, literature, giving speeches, or even advertising, have I ever made a wrong move before?”

Wu Mo was surprised for a moment, then pondered over what Zhang Ye said. He realized what Zhang Ye said was true. He had really never made a wrong move before. No matter what sort of work he did, it was all extremely popular. Even if others did not think he would succeed, Zhang Ye would eventually prove them wrong!

Since he was Wu Zeqing's nephew and also quite a nice guy who placed great importance on a commitment and also because he was young and not such a scrupulous businessman, Zhang Ye decided to say a few more words, ”When I did my lecture on the Three Kingdoms, how many people doubted me? When I created my Talk Show, how many people called for my death? When I started lecturing on ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’, how many people were ready to skin me alive? In the end, I have never disappointed those who have trusted in me. CEO Wu, if you believe me, then just leave the whole advertising project planning to me. I will bend over backwards just to ensure your company is profitable!”

Wu Mo stamped out his cigarette, ”I have no other choice!”

Zhang Ye had also finished smoking, ”Then why don't we go inside? What sort of concept does the product, Brain Gold have? Explain to me in detail the science and technicalities behind the product.”

Wu Mo asked, ”Why do you need to know about these things?”

Zhang Ye asked, ”The commercial we are doing, is actually the trump card, but having a trump card is not enough to create a miracle. We still need a supporting strategy.”

Wu Mo naturally had no objections, ”Alright, let's talk while we walk.”

Along the way, Wu Mo gave Zhang Ye a detailed explanation of the product.

Zhang Ye discovered that this Brain Gold was actually the same as his previous world's Brain Platinum. The main ingredient was melatonin and only slightly differed on the additional ingredients.

This was even better than expected!

This campaign is almost a done deal!

In the meeting room.

Wu Mo called for a meeting with all involved personnel.

But Zhang Ye closed his eyes instead and bought a Memory Search Capsule from the game ring's system. After eating it, he went back to his world within his memory to remember all there was to know about the Brain Platinum's advertising campaign strategy. In his previous world, the biggest reason for Brain Platinum's success was the television commercial. It was especially r.e.t.a.r.ded, but in the face of all those who thought it was the most r.e.t.a.r.ded commercial ever broadcasted, it had created a miracle that had left everyone in the industry dumbfounded. In fact, in the history of the People's Republic of China, there had never been a commercial that had created a miracle like this that had left the deepest impression on so many eyeb.a.l.l.s. Zhang Ye was one of those who had personally experienced it.

But the success of Brain Platinum was not down to just the credit of the commercial. Zhang Ye had mentioned that it was only the trump card in creating this miracle, but it still needed some special conditions!

One of these was the quality of the product. This was already a present condition.

The second was an omnipresent marketing campaign.

Thirdly, scientific editorials that did not have any traces of advertising to build up the campaign.

The last was the miraculous TV commercial that could brainwash people!

”Teacher Zhang?”

”Zhang Ye?”

”Aren't we having a meeting?”

”Why did he fall asleep?”

Everyone was discussing while at a loss at whether to laugh or cry. This person was a legend of the advertising world? Bullsh*t! It's really a case of meeting beats hearsay! To them, the legendary Zhang Ye was really too d.a.m.n unprofessional!

Finally, Zhang Ye opened his eyes. ”Sorry, I was just thinking about something.”

Wu Mo was now resigned to his fate, ”Tell us, what else do you need us to do?”

Zhang Ye said, ”CEO Wu, I would like to know how much of our marketing budget is left? What I mean is, are there any additional funds that could be used. What is the highest figure?”

Wu Mo said helplessly, ”Excluding your endors.e.m.e.nt fee and advertising costs, we still have about one million.”

Zhang Ye found it quite small, ”Could we increase that?”

Wu Mo rolled his eyes, ”We are an almost bankrupt company, how much more do you think I can use? We are already going for broke. We even took out a loan and put our bets on this.”

Zhang Ye immediately said, ”How about this, I won't take my endors.e.m.e.nt fee and advertis.e.m.e.nt planning fees for now. Your company can pay me in a few months time instead. A few years later is fine too. We can add that clause to the contract too. Payment can be made in installments within 5 years, I'm fine with that. Then we can add that sum to the marketing budget. Since we are betting big, we might as well bet as much as we can! Knock on wood because if the company really closes down, then I won't take a single cent in endors.e.m.e.nt fees. This can be added into the contract too!”

Director w.a.n.g was stunned!

Wu Mo and the staff of Brain Gold company were also stunned!

”Brother Zhang....” Wu Mo said, ”Are you serious?”

Zhang Ye smiled, ”I'm a man of my word. If I said it, then I definitely won't go back on it. Even if you don't put it in the contract, I will still do as I said.”

If it were others who said this, no one would have believed them.

But since these words were uttered by Zhang Ye, no one doubted it!

What sort of person was Zhang Ye? This was a man who became broke to help save the life of a fan that he barely knew!  At that time, how much money did he spend to help with his fan's treatment? It was much more than this endors.e.m.e.nt fee! Zhang Ye did not care about money! That matter was just too beautiful. Even now, there were still many people and media relis.h.i.+ng over this matter. This was also the only incident since his debut that Zhang Ye did not receive flak for. Zhang Ye's personality in other aspects may be considered terrible and he was infamous, but in terms of his character, no one had ever doubted him, nor could they doubt him. He had indeed done things in a fas.h.i.+on more beautiful than anyone else!

No one had expected these words from Zhang Ye. This was clearly a suggestion that was not in line with the interests of Zhang Ye.

Wu Mo eyes quivered for a moment. At this time, he finally believed that Teacher Zhang Ye was sincere in helping him. He had not been teasing him and was definitely not kidding everyone!

Wu Mo was still a fair-minded person. In a certain sense, he was very similar to Zhang Ye. They acted according to the maxim, 'However I get treated, I will treat others back the same'. ”Teacher Zhang, that's not necessary. We will pay you however much you deserve. Our company will still be able to cough up another 300 to 400 thousand. With 1.3 to 1.4 million, that should be enough.”

Zhang Ye shook his head, ”It's really not enough. CEO Wu. Listen to me, just include my endors.e.m.e.nt fee into the marketing budget. Even with that, I still find it lacking.”

A woman from Brain Gold company asked in surprise, ”What do you intend to do with that much money?”

Zhang Ye answered, ”We will carry out large-scale advertising with it. We can't afford another TV commercial spot for now, but in Tieba pages, forums, internet TV, newspapers, we can still do a lot of advertising. We need to maximize the exposure for the provincial level, prefecture level, county level, and even the special districts. I am planning a large scale and multi-p.r.o.nged carpet bombing attack of advertis.e.m.e.nts on all fronts. We cannot afford to do that for the long term at the moment, but in the short term, it is still possible. We need to do it all in the golden period during these few days before Chinese New Year. The more advertis.e.m.e.nts, the better!”

Director w.a.n.g was sweating, ”Is that OK?”