Chapter 496: The Spokesperson Strategy

Kuang Lili’s young subordinates, perhaps eager to impress their leaders and the boss, discussed the topic with intense enthusiasm:

“I think this one’s great! The idea is simple but fun and clever!”

“The phrase ‘held in the palm’ is perfect! Drinking our ‘You Le Mei’ milk tea cup feels just like that – it naturally weaves the product into the creative concept.”

“It has that Bay Island idol drama vibe!”

“And Zhou Jielun’s sweet talk is really charming!”

“It matches our ‘You Le Mei’ milk tea’s playful style perfectly!”

“Exactly! That’s the point!”

“It’s all about that sweet feel – Zhou Jielun’s words are sweet, and ‘You Le Mei’ is sweet too!”

……

The young people chattered away, growing more excited by the moment.

Xu Chen secretly found it amusing, thinking these youngsters were quite the talkers.

They even uncovered selling points in the proposal that he hadn’t considered himself.

Of course, this was a good thing – it was like they were helping him pitch the script…

Kuang Lili paused briefly, glanced at her boss, and smiled as she said:

“I really like this proposal. It’s simpler than the ones we’ve seen before, but still more fun.”

“The client’s proposals focused on milk tea usage scenarios, but they lacked a clever touch like ‘held in the palm’…”

Gu Xinxi and Sun Aimi exchanged looks, both unable to hide their delight.

“Not bad for Young Xu Chen’s presentation – the client’s on-site feedback is surprisingly positive.”

……

Big Boss Li Yongjun pondered for a moment before finally speaking:

“The proposal is solid, and the idea is good…”

“But the core issue remains: Will Zhou Jielun’s team accept it?”

He paused, showing a hint of concern:

“We’ve submitted over a dozen versions, and they’ve all been rejected by Zhou Jielun’s team.”

“If another one gets turned down, their willingness to collaborate will likely drop even more.”

Xu Chen felt a bit speechless, thinking how top-tier stars like Zhou Jielun were so dominant in negotiations.

The brand was eager to pay up, yet Zhou Jielun’s team still had plenty of specific and tough demands.

Kuang Lili thought it over and added:

“Honestly, I’m quite confident in East Morning Star Advertising’s proposal.”

“Among the ones we’ve seen, it’s the most aligned with Zhou Jielun’s image.”

“Plus, there’s a female lead in the romance angle, which could fit that Bay Island actress right in.”

“She’s got equal billing as the main character, so I think they’d be hard-pressed to find faults now.”

She looked up at Xu Chen and smiled:

“When we gave the requirements to East Morning Star Advertising, we shared all the project background.”

“So, Young Xu Chen’s proposal already factors in Zhou Jielun’s team’s demands and the actress situation.”

Clearly, she was helping persuade Big Boss Li Yongjun.

Besides genuinely liking the ‘held in the palm’ idea, she’d been worn down by this project for too long.

As the main person in charge, Kuang Lili wanted the proposal approved more than anyone, just to move things forward.

Li Yongjun frowned again, still hesitating.

He turned to his daughter Li Lizi and said warmly:

“What do you think, Lizi?”

“‘You Le Mei’ is aimed at high school and college students like you…”

“You’re a fan of Zhou Jielun, right? How does this idea strike you?”

Li Lizi flashed a mischievous smile and replied:

“Dad, I’ve never been in a relationship…”

Li Yongjun was taken aback, then burst out laughing.

Li Lizi looked a bit embarrassed, sticking out her tongue slightly.

Kuang Lili hesitated but didn’t say more.

In the end, the decision rested with the chairman.

Li Yongjun paused again, smiling at Xu Chen:

“Don’t take it personally, Young Xu Chen. My main worry is still Zhou Jielun’s side.”

“I have to secure Zhou Jielun’s endorsement!”

“‘You Le Mei’ can’t afford to fail.”

“You probably know, our company doesn’t have many product lines – just jelly and seaweed snacks as the big ones.”

“My style is to not start something unless I can make it number one in the industry.”

As he spoke, his tone carried clear confidence and boldness.

“‘You Le Mei’ is our third major product line after jelly and seaweed snacks. It will shape the company’s future over the next five to ten years.”

“When we picked the spokesperson, I told Lily we needed the hottest, most popular one with the strongest appeal to young people – price wasn’t an issue!”

“We did our research and settled on Zhou Jielun.”

“But now, his demands for endorsements on the Mainland are getting higher.”

“There’s some background to this. A couple of years ago, two Mainland brands signed him.”

“The ads they made were pretty lame, and his fans pushed back hard. That created negative buzz back on Bay Island.”

“So, his agency is now very cautious about Mainland collaborations.”

“They recognize Xi Zhilang’s strength, but they’re strict on ad content, with thorough reviews and lots of considerations.”

……

Li Yongjun laid out the key challenges of the project.

At its core, it was all about Zhou Jielun’s team’s approval.

As the ‘Little Heavenly King,’ Zhou Jielun was increasingly protective of his image, which was understandable.

For him now, taking on another endorsement might not be about money as much as whether it boosts or hurts his reputation.

Exactly because of the negative feedback from those previous Mainland deals, his team was so demanding on ‘You Le Mei.’

With over a dozen proposals already rejected, Li Yongjun feared their interest in collaborating would fade.

No way around it – they were the ones chasing the endorsement…

Li Yongjun didn’t hide the problem; he was essentially tossing it to Xu Chen to see how he’d respond.

Xu Chen kept his expression steady and didn’t rush to speak.

This surprised Li Yongjun and Kuang Lili a bit.

In past sessions with other ad agencies, they’d start desperately defending their proposals with heaps of reasons.

But here, Young Xu Chen seemed uninterested in fiercely protecting his idea; he just listened quietly.

……

Once Li Yongjun finished, Xu Chen paused before suddenly saying:

“If Zhou Jielun’s so hard to pin down, why stick with him?”

His words left Li Yongjun and Kuang Lili stunned.

Kuang Lili:

“As Li Yongjun just said, ‘You Le Mei’ has to succeed.”

“We need someone who’s the hottest and most popular among young people, so we chose Zhou Jielun.”

“Plus, milk tea reminds people of Bay Island’s pearl milk tea, so a Bay Island star fits.”

Xu Chen nodded and calmly replied:

“I get that we need to launch ‘You Le Mei’ successfully, but it doesn’t have to be Zhou Jielun.”

Li Yongjun and Kuang Lili glanced at each other, not expecting this response.

From earlier discussions, Zhou Jielun’s endorsement was set in stone, like a fixed constraint.

Other agencies had danced around that constraint, but Young Xu Chen was challenging it outright.

Li Yongjun thought for a moment, growing intrigued, and waited for him to continue.

Xu Chen went on:

“Usually, after a dozen rejections, they get more finicky and harder to satisfy.”

“They might be overwhelmed with options by now.”

“I’m confident in the ‘held in the palm’ idea. But honestly, I don’t think Zhou Jielun’s team will approve it easily.”

“Their pickiness might not even relate to the proposal’s quality anymore – it’s more about distrust of Mainland companies and ideas…”

Kuang Lili: “You’re right, Young Xu Chen. We’ve considered that too.”

“But we’re already in this situation, so we have to face it to sign Zhou Jielun.”

Xu Chen: “That’s why it doesn’t have to be him.”

Kuang Lili: “We need the hottest, most popular one with the strongest appeal to young people.”

“That’s our fixed strategy; we won’t settle for less.”

Li Yongjun nodded in agreement.

Xu Chen nodded and continued:

“Launching and promoting ‘You Le Mei’ will span the next year, covering 2007 to 2008.”

“As Li Yongjun mentioned, we’ll need major promotion and investment to make ‘You Le Mei’ the top instant milk tea brand.”

“So, we should think about who’ll be the hottest, most popular star among young people from 2007 to 2008.”

“Zhou Jielun is popular now, but in that specific timeframe, his buzz might not peak the highest.”

“Plus, as a top star, his endorsement fees are sky-high, so the value isn’t great for us.”

“If there’s a rising star in 2007 to 2008, they might be a better investment.”

Kuang Lili: “So, do you have a better candidate?”

Li Yongjun sat up straighter, his interest piqued.

Meanwhile, Li Lizi, sitting beside him, suddenly realized something and looked at Su Rong with wide-eyed excitement.

The young girl had guessed that the ad agency across the table wanted to recommend Xie Bingran as the spokesperson.

Earlier, Su Rong had only mentioned to Li Lizi that Xie Bingran would be in the ad proposal, but not how.

Was it really for Xie Bingran to star in ‘You Le Mei’s ads?

That would mean she might get to meet her!

Just thinking about it made Li Lizi thrilled!

……

And as Li Lizi suspected, Xu Chen said:

“Over the next year, the biggest national buzz will be the 2008 Beijing Olympics.”

“This home Olympics has already pulled in massive media attention, and the hype will only grow.”

“It’s a major national event with political undertones, set to dominate discussions until the Games peak next year.”

“This timeline aligns perfectly with ‘You Le Mei’s promotion schedule.”

Kuang Lili: “So, you’re suggesting we ride the Olympics wave?”

Xu Chen nodded and continued steadily:

“In the face of the Olympics, even stars like Zhou Jielun have to step aside.”

“I saw in the news that Zhou Jielun’s even joining the Olympics theme song contest.”

“That shows he’s trying to catch that wave too…”

Kuang Lili thought for a moment: “How does that tie into our spokesperson choice?”

“If it’s Olympics-related, it might not connect well with our milk tea category.”

Xu Chen paused briefly:

“If a hugely popular athlete emerges during the Olympics, their appeal, buzz, and draw among young people could rival Zhou Jielun’s.”

Li Yongjun mused: “An athlete, huh? We hadn’t considered that.”

Kuang Lili frowned: “Athletes can seem a bit rough around the edges…”

“Sorry, I mean, they often lack polish in image.”

“It might not fit our milk tea vibe…”

Xu Chen didn’t elaborate; instead, he picked up the mouse and played a pre-prepared video clip.

It was the promotional video Tang Xiaowei had edited for Xie Bingran.

Asian Games gold medals, crossing the finish line, cheers and flowers…

Louis Vuitton, Jeep, Head & Shoulders, Kunlunshan Mineral Water…

The clip was thoughtfully put together; Xu Chen had given feedback on a couple of rounds.

Though short, every segment and shot was deliberate.

It showcased Bing Ge’s achievements and control on the track, along with her popularity, looks, fans, and charisma…

The promotional video ended quickly, and Xu Chen said:

“Xie Bingran is very likely to be the most talked-about domestic athlete at the 2008 Olympics.”

“She’s more cost-effective than Zhou Jielun and will have even greater buzz value over the next year.”

On the screen, it froze on two posters of Xie Bingran.

One for Louis Vuitton, the other for Kunlunshan Mineral Water.

Choosing these posters highlighted her style and image, and they didn’t clash with ‘You Le Mei’s attributes.

……

Li Yongjun stared at the frozen posters and murmured the name:

“Xie Bingran… She has a great look.”

Beside him, Li Lizi, who had been quietly sitting, nearly jumped up.

Her eyes sparkled as she nudged her dad’s arm.

Li Yongjun turned to her.

Li Lizi, bursting with excitement, finally blurted:

“Dad! It’s Xie Bingran!”

Li Yongjun: “Ah?”

In the next ten minutes, Xu Chen witnessed something remarkable.

The usually quiet high schooler Li Lizi started enthusiastically promoting Xie Bingran to Li Yongjun and Kuang Lili.

She knew all about Xie Bingran’s competitions and even her current endorsements.

Li Lizi laid out Bing Ge’s popularity and discussions among young people, even showing off her shoes.

Xu Chen stood there, wondering if he should sit back down.

With Li Lizi as such a strong advocate, he didn’t need to say more.

And as the boss’s daughter, her nonstop pitch had Li Yongjun listening intently.

Kuang Lili and the marketing team stayed silent, not daring to interrupt.

Sun Aimi and Gu Xinxi exchanged smiles.

So, that was the plan all along.

Xu Chen glanced at Su Rong and gave her a thumbs-up.

Su Rong lifted her chin slightly, looking a bit proud…

After a full ten minutes, Li Lizi finally wrapped up, still buzzing with energy.

Li Yongjun listened and pondered, eventually chuckling.

Kuang Lili, seeing the mood, felt a huge weight lift off her shoulders.

This project that had dragged on for months seemed ready to wrap up…

Li Yongjun cleared his throat and smiled at Kuang Lili:

“What do you think, Lily?”

Kuang Lili was caught off guard and didn’t respond right away.

Li Lizi stared at her with wide eyes, a mix of hope and subtle pressure.

Li Yongjun laughed heartily.

He furrowed his brow, thought more, and looked at Xu Chen:

“I have one more question.”

Xu Chen: “Go ahead, Li Yongjun.”

“If we switch spokespeople, does that mean we have to change the ad concept?”

Xu Chen: “No need. Keep the romance theme.”

“Xie Bingran can take Zhou Jielun’s role.”

Kuang Lili: “But she’s a woman…”

Before Xu Chen could answer, Li Lizi jumped in:

“What’s wrong with that? Bing Ge’s so cool!”

Xu Chen added:

“Women can play men’s roles just fine!”

Kuang Lili: “Play?”

Xu Chen: “Like Ye Tong as Xu Xian or Lin Qingxia as Dongfang Bubai…”

“Our ad is like a mini theater – who says Xie Bingran has to play herself?”

Li Yongjun nodded: “Makes sense.”

Kuang Lili thought it over and asked:

“What about the female lead?”

Xu Chen glanced at Li Lizi, then at Li Yongjun:

“I think your daughter would be perfect.”

Li Lizi froze, eyes wide in shock.

Then, her mouth curved into a huge grin.

……

Su Rong, Sun Aimi, and Gu Xinxi looked at Xu Chen in surprise:

“Wait, it can be like that?!”

……

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