Chapter 1578
Triumph
After the release of "1942", there was a lot of criticism of director Feng.
Especially since Zhang Yuan had just had someone make a compilation of his "swearing" moments.
As Hua Yi's internal analysis suggests, his public image has indeed been poor lately.
It's still using the "Whisper" brand name.
But this time he was very "unusual," remaining motionless despite the insults.
He didn't talk back, and he didn't insult the audience.
In the past, he would have been swearing and cursing, saying that today's audiences should watch trash movies, and that it's trash audiences like you who are making the film market so bad.
But he didn't; he remained very quiet.
He was afraid that Zhang Yuan would "press his advantage" and use his poor film box office performance as an excuse to attack him again.
But he was wrong; Zhang Yuan did not pursue him.
Not only did they not pursue them, they also did something unexpected.
Still in Hong Kong, he posted a Weibo post.
"I'm in Hong Kong, just got out of the movie theater."
The accompanying image is a movie ticket stub for "1942".
"I've seen many people online saying that '1942' is a bad movie."
"But my impression after watching it is not like that."
"The performances of actors such as Zhang Guoli, Fan Wei, and Li Xuejian were all superb."
"The camera work and the visual presentation are also excellent."
"The story is profound, and in terms of its expression, I think '1942' is director Feng Xiaogang's masterpiece to date."
In terms of content, and especially in terms of artistry, 1942 is indeed very good.
"It's a pity we were born at the wrong time."
"I felt very heavy-hearted after watching the movie. It was clearly an excellent film, but the theater was very quiet."
"Perhaps this film shouldn't have been released during the Lunar New Year holiday season, a time when everyone is looking forward to joy."
The actors were very capable, especially my friends.
The work is excellent, and Director Feng is right.
Chun Chun is a Huayi colored pencil.
That's what he meant.
Not only did he not criticize him, he also spoke out in support of Feng Xiaogang.
This move left even Director Feng baffled.
I don't understand what he meant by doing this.
He would understand if he could step outside his own perspective.
Zhang Yuan's support for him was partly a gesture of appeasement, given that he had just beaten him up.
A combination of kindness and firmness is necessary.
This also directly points out the reason for the film's box office failure, making it difficult for anyone to find excuses.
I'd also like to remind my colleagues to hold a special seminar within the company using this case as an example to prevent similar situations from happening.
Also, try to sow discord within Huayi.
Even if you can see that he is trying to sow discord, the defeat is still there, and someone has to take responsibility.
Zhang Yuan had no idea that the other side had already pinned the blame on him.
As a result, his Weibo posts were seen as provocative.
Several of Huayi's shareholders called him, either to persuade or to warn him to stop.
He looked completely innocent. I said, "Isn't it enough that your acting is good?"
I didn't say it was bad.
But this also yielded a piece of information.
The opponent is currently under tremendous internal pressure!
It's like a pressure cooker.
The failure of the crucial match put them in a high-pressure environment, making them unable to withstand the slightest stimulation.
That means it's the perfect time to provoke them.
Zhang Yuan sipped his milk tea, pondering some wicked ideas.
His thoughts were interrupted by a ringing cell phone.
When I picked it up, it wasn't a spam call, but a number that I'd had pre-stored for years but never used.
After answering, a female voice with a Northeastern accent came from the other end.
"Hello, is this Teacher Zhang Yuan?"
"Teacher, just call me by my name." He laughed without any politeness.
"Hey...we've met before, do you remember me?"
"I remember. How have you been lately?" he asked with concern.
The person who called him was Xin Zhilei, whom he had met years ago at the press conference for the TV series "Painted Skin".
This usually carefree girl from Northeast China was now speaking to him in a very careful, high-pitched voice.
After chatting for a while, the other party mustered up their courage and asked.
"When we met a few years ago, you said you were interested in me."
Are you still interested?
"Let's talk in person. Are you usually in Beijing?"
"Correct."
"Okay, let's arrange a place and talk in person."
Zhang Yuan promptly arranged to meet the other party.
It's easy to understand after a little thought.
I recently did an international match with Dan, making a big splash and setting up such a grand spectacle.
Xin Zhilei is an agent of International Dan.
Under the other side, resources have always been very poor.
Since they have the same agent, why not arrange some roles for her in Donnie Yen's movies?
nor.
He seemed to be working very hard, arranging a bunch of auditions for big productions, but in the end he didn't even get a small role.
If you lack ability, just admit it.
As for how bad it is.
Zhen Zidan's agent is named Liang Ting, and at this time she has three artists under her management.
Xin Zhilei, Yin Zheng, Cheng Yi.
These three will all become big stars in the future, and they will be absolutely formidable in their respective fields.
But they all became famous after breaking up with her.
She just wouldn't become famous under her management, but once she separated from him and found a capable new agency, she became famous.
Chollima often has it, but Bole doesn't often have it.
Without a discerning eye, even a talented horse will be buried.
Of the three, only Yin Zheng and Liang Ting broke up amicably; the other two broke up with her through lawsuits.
The reason is simple: money.
Yin Zheng is the only artist under Liang Ting who has ever made money for her. The other two did not make any money, and if they wanted to terminate their contracts, she would demand huge sums of money from them.
He later added that these artists were ungrateful and never thanked him for their awards and achievements.
They've already gone to court, and you're still asking them to thank you?
Pooh!
I can't make any money anymore.
Nausea.
Both are female agents, both are female bosses from the south, and both are known for their paternalistic approach to management, but they are not as good as Tsai Yinong.
At least no one who left Boss Cai's place had a bad word to say about her.
Xin Zhilei, on the other hand, looks fierce and is a typical Northeasterner.
Actually, he has great ambitions, a quick mind, his own opinions, and goals!
After realizing that Liang Ting's place was not a place for him to belong, he wanted to find a place for himself.
Seeing that Zhen Zidan didn't dare to utter a sound after Zhang Yuan made his move, he knew what was going on.
I mustered up the courage to call him.
Opportunity favors the prepared mind; if someone else is afraid to pick up their phone and make a call, they won't have that opportunity.
If she hadn't called, Zhang Yuan would have almost forgotten about her.
He then rushed back to the capital to meet with him.
Upon their reunion, Zhang Yuan took a closer look.
A few years ago she was quite pretty, now she's a little rounder, but she hasn't "grown her cheeks" yet.
The advantage is that I look more sophisticated.
The route Liang Ting planned for her to resemble Song Hye-kyo was wrong from the start.
This woman has very distinctive features; it's a pity she's pursuing an idol career.
And his lips are noticeably fuller than before.
While others develop breasts, she develops lips.
This made Zhang Yuan want to try it out of curiosity...
"I have a general idea of why you've come."
"What I want to ask is, have you made up your mind?"
The other person pursed their lips and nodded vigorously.
"I...want to become a big star, an international superstar."
"But it's impossible now, there's no chance."
She expressed her desires quite frankly.
"These achievements are not based on words, but on deeds, built up through a series of plays and productions."
"Not many people are as lucky as Zhang Ziyi."
"Besides your abilities, your education level is also inferior to theirs."
"Of course, I don't mean to belittle you, because I don't have such a high level of education either, so I understand the hard work behind it even more."
What I'm trying to say is that even if you come to my side, you might not become famous overnight.
"I'm telling you this upfront, so you should be mentally prepared."
"I can tell you clearly what the general plan is after you arrive." "What you need to do at this stage is to keep filming, film a lot, and take on any role."
"While gaining performance experience, cultivate audience appeal and make people feel familiar with your face."
"You're not ready to pick and choose your jobs yet."
"Are there plenty of jobs?" The girl with big lips asked, her eyes shining. "I'm really short on money."
"Yes, I'll have someone arrange it for you."
"That's fine."
She nodded again.
Although the goal is ambitious, it is not unrealistic and the student knows to eat first.
"Okay, I'll give you the address. You can visit my company tomorrow, and I'll arrange for someone to receive you."
"After we get to know each other, we'll give you a plan. If it's suitable, we'll sign a contract."
"As for your previous company... your contract hasn't expired yet, right?"
"Two more years." She made a crab gesture.
"You should talk to the company first, and then I'll help you with the contract."
"Okay." The girl nodded, staring intently at him.
I was still very nervous.
She was afraid there might be some strings attached.
"Is there anything else you want to say?" Zhang Yuan asked.
"I didn't bring enough money, I can't afford the bill." She glanced at the table full of Western food.
"I didn't say you had to pay. I wouldn't stoop so low as to rip off a nobody like you for a meal." Zhang Yuan waved for someone to pay the bill, and casually asked her if she was having any financial difficulties and if she could afford the rent and utilities.
The other party only replied that they could barely manage.
That's really true.
If you say you can, I won't interfere; if you're going to act tough, that's your own business.
He doesn't have time to waste with this girl.
Mr. Lei even urged him to hurry up and help.
"Everyone, tell me, isn't that awesome!"
"What would the price be for this configuration?"
"You don't need to guess, I'll just tell you directly."
On stage, Jun'er sported a very typical nerdy hairstyle and wore a black shirt and jeans.
There are obvious signs of imitating Steve Jobs.
Using Mandarin with a local accent from Xiantao, he made a pre-launch announcement for the Xiaomi Mi 2 phone, using the most down-to-earth language.
They said they would announce the price, but before that, they made a PowerPoint presentation.
"These are the prices of competitor brand mobile phones on JD.com after discounts during this year's e-commerce war."
"This is the cheapest price this year; everyone can search it online."
He and Dongzi are quite familiar with each other; they just appeared on a show together.
And it was on this show that Dongzi left behind his famous quote.
"Never try to compete with Lei Jun in marketing."
Dongzi and he were the captains of their respective teams. Dongzi's intention was that Jun'er was capable of selling millions of mobile phones, which was no small feat, and that they couldn't compete with him in marketing.
Dongzi was very honest and acknowledged Jun'er's abilities, while also planning the team's objectives.
However, this statement was later misinterpreted as Dongzi saying that Jun'er only knew marketing.
They're doing great in private.
But Dongzi is absolutely right. When it comes to marketing, even if the other mobile phone brands were all bundled together, they couldn't beat Jun'er alone.
Only a certain "national brand" can compete by spending money and adding labels.
He held a press conference, and after introducing the new phone's specifications, he posted the entire lineup of the You^ phone and its price.
HTC ONE X要4999，三星G3要4999，iphone4s要4799……
Show that the competitor's product has inferior specifications, yet it charges this price.
Then let the price "fall from the sky".
"Xiaomi Mi 2nd Generation!"
When the number 1999 appeared on the big screen, the entire audience erupted in cheers.
Zhang Yuan, who was standing at the goal, clapped and applauded, infected by this emotion.
The configuration is indeed top-notch, especially the memory, storage, and camera resolution.
But whether hardware compatibility and system performance can surpass or match those of competitors... that's too much to say.
But at this price, what's there to nitpick?
Buying a Samsung phone for 2000 yuan will show you what industrial waste is.
Jun'er's strengths lie not only in his public speaking but also in his cost control.
Selling at this price not only avoids losses but also allows for a decent profit margin.
In this chaotic era of the mobile phone market, it has carved out a bloody path by relying on its cost-effectiveness and performance-level positioning.
Moreover, Zhang Yuan's applause wasn't just because he was moved by Zhang Yuan's words.
The first-generation model sold 800 million units, and the second-generation model was released and launched.
In just over a year, the startup’s valuation has increased several times over!
This means that his investment has multiplied several times over.
I'd be happy to see money too.
"Next, please welcome our best friend of Xiaomi phones, our real superstar, Zhang Yuan."
Amid applause, he jogged onto the stage.
On the platform, we exchanged some polite words.
This was the most unceremonious he had ever done for a brand event, since it was essentially his own business.
He was incredibly passionate, and when he got excited, he even did two somersaults, drawing cheers from the crowd!
"In addition to these, we will also launch a special edition of the Xiaomi Mi 2 and the Mercedes F1 team."
"We also invited some of our users to go to the F1 race in person."
"Wow, just thinking about it is so exciting," Jun'er continued.
He'll have to handle this; it's also a great publicity opportunity.
Collaborating with big brands is very rare these days.
Moreover, Jun'er even employed "hunger marketing".
首批一共20万台，15万台16G版本，5万台32G版。
These days, 32GB is already considered top-tier storage.
Two weeks later, a second batch of 5 units was launched.
A third batch of 25 units was produced a month later.
But the number of reservations after the press conference exceeded 130 million!
There's also a sense of helplessness behind this kind of scarcity marketing.
Because it operates on a light-asset model and is a small company, its priority in OEM manufacturing and parts procurement is not as high as that of large companies.
Limited releases not only make the product appear scarce, but can also mask the problem of insufficient production capacity.
This is why Dongzi said not to compete with him in marketing; he can turn even bad things into good things.
Zhang Yuan vaguely remembers that the second-generation series eventually achieved a staggering total sales volume of 1800 million units.
Compared to the Apple 5's sales exceeding 100 million units during the same period, the Samsung G4's 80 million units sold was indeed very weak and not worth mentioning.
But what level of monsters were those two?
At that time, Huawei was the top seller in China, followed by Lenovo.
The combined sales of these two products are barely enough to equal the sales of one Samsung flagship phone.
Who could have imagined that just seven or eight years later, Chinese brands would make up a large portion of the world's top ten?
With this rate of progress, it's no wonder that white people are afraid.
It's normal to instinctively want to kill you.
Zhang Yuan posted another Weibo post while he was eating.
"Thank you Mr. Lei and Xiaomi for the invitation. We will always support domestic brands."
If an ordinary person saw him, they would at most think he was doing endorsements.
But those who know him well know this.
You're showing off, kid!
The brand you invested in has become successful again, are you just showing off to us?
What a crappy phone, yet we still use it.
I use Apple products.
Unbeknownst to them, Zhang Yuan was also giving out iPhones as prizes internally.
Work is work, and life is life.
Sending Xiaomi products to employees is likely to get you scolded.
"Thank you to our big star for coming to support us."
"Has the millet porridge been served yet?"
"Let's give our General Manager Zhang a bowl to warm his stomach too."
Jun'er took the initiative to toast him.
It's also worth noting that Huanju Times, in which both individuals hold substantial shares—YY's parent company—is also set to list on the US stock market before the end of the year!
Let's go to New York together to support them.
After Zhang Yuan toasted with him, he had only one thought in mind.
The house I bought in Shanghai last time seems too small.
This company's going public means I'll make a fortune!
And it's a knife music.
He was quite excited; who wouldn't like Dao Le?
He chatted and drank with several company executives.
Enjoy life to the fullest when you're successful.
At this moment, he felt that something was missing besides the fine wine.
It would be even better if an older woman came along.
Unexpectedly, what I wished for came true.
Some older women did contact him.
It's just not the kind he wanted.
Liang Ting, Xin Zhilei's agent who had just received her "breakup letter," called him in a huff... (End of Chapter)