Chapter 1241: The advertisements will roll out soon!
Translator: Legge Editor: Legge
In the car.
The Heavenly Queen's agent called to that Heavenly Queen.
She said: "We didn't get it."
A very nice-sounding female voice at the other end of the line said: "Who got it then?"
She sighed and said: "Zhang Ye."
The voice on the other end said: "How did we lose it?"
She said: "It was my fault."
After giving a simple explanation of the entire story.
The other end of the line: "OK, I understand. Forget it then."
Yes, they could only forget it. If not, what else could they do?
They'd already gone as far as praising the toilet as a hero and a friend!
But what about them? Surely they couldn't hug the toilet and shout, "You're so awesome, my dearest brother," could they? They could only swallow this and find a chance to regain what they'd lost another time!
…
The next day.
The sanitary ware brand's contract agent and lawyer flew to Beijing with Ha Qiqi to sign an official two-year endorsement deal with Zhang Ye.
"Happy to be working with you, Teacher Zhang."
"Happy to be working with you too."
"Could we quickly start on the production and recording of the commercial?"
"Sure, I'll leave the arrangements to you all."
"You're the director, so why would you need to leave the arrangements to us?"
"Well, alright then."
"We'll support you with funding and manpower. As for the production work, we'll leave all the decisions to you."
"Sure, that won't be a problem."
After he was done over here, Zhang Ye hurried to the television station.
…
Four.
Five.
Six.
On this day, Zhang Ye's team closed six long-term endorsement deals.
Among these contracts, some of them went quite smoothly, others not so much. The crossing of swords and clashes between these celebrity teams was something better off not mentioned to an outsider. The infighting between celebrities was always like this, fighting with their popularity, fighting with their qualifications, and fighting with their image. Such fights were generally bloodless but were even more bloody and terrible than bloodbaths.
In the morning.
Zhang Ye received a call from Zhang Yuanqi's manager.
The moment it went through, Fang Weihong said with a laugh: "Teacher Zhang, you're snatching endorsements now?"
Zhang Ye said: "No, I'm not."
"Save it, I've already received news on my side." Fang Weihong wondered: "I heard that you've snatched two endorsement deals that a Heavenly King and Queen were very confident of getting? How did you do it?"
Zhang Ye laughed and said: "Personal charm probably?"
Fang Weihong half-jokingly said: "I'm telling you now, don't you dare think about those endorsements that Sister Zhang has on hand."
Zhang Ye said: "Well, of course. In any case, I couldn't get them even if I wanted to."
"Then I have nothing to worry about." Fang Weihong asked: "But I am really curious about how you did it. How did you secure the top sanitary ware brand's endorsement? Your team is really quite capable. There's something that I found a little strange as well. Two days ago, I bumped into that Heavenly Queen's management team at the bar that Teacher Zhou runs. There were a few young ladies who seemed to have drunk too much and were cursing at something. They mentioned something about a toilet, something about a hero, and what's that about a toilet being a good friend? Man, that scared me and I had to turn around while pretending that I didn't know them. Have those people gone crazy? What kind of a hole did you push them into? It looked like they were having a mental breakdown? They even called a toilet their friend? Isn't it just a sanitary ware ad? Did they really have to be so professional in their work?"
Zhang Ye was really amused. "Who knows what they were thinking?"
Fang Weihong said: "You should stop bringing harm upon others."
Zhang Ye said: "It has nothing to do with me, Sister Fang."
That song was called "Toilet," and was a very classic song back in Zhang Ye's previous world. The singer was the world-famous Andy Lau, Wah-zai! Back then, the song was also specially written for a certain sanitary ware brand in the market and proliferated through China. It wasn't common for an advertisement's song to get too popular, but "Toilet" was one of those that did. So when the mention of a sanitary ware endorsement came up, this song immediately came to Zhang Ye's mind.
Naturally, this news couldn't be contained.
The media gradually became aware of it.
"Zhang Ye's team takes a reader app endorsement deal!"
"Zhang Ye lands a deal to endorse one of the top three dairy brands in the industry!"
"Zhang Ye's team seizes a large share of the endorsement market!"
"The largest jewelry brand in the country has announced its next celebrity spokesperson—Zhang Ye! "
"A Heavenly King and Queen's teams are outdone by Zhang Ye's team in a battle of endorsement deals!"
"According to rumors, Zhang Ye's jewelry brand endorsement fee is valued at 10 million RMB per year!"
"Zhang Ye to hold his wedding within the year? A jewelry brand signs him on at all costs!"
"A Heavenly Queen's team misses out on the biggest sanitary ware brand's endorsement!"
"The most popular sanitary ware brand lands Zhang Ye!"
"A storm is brewing in the endorsement market!"
"Will Zhang Ye be the king of endorsements this year?"
"Stealing food off the plates of a Heavenly King and Queen?"
The industry was quite startled.
"Zhang Ye?"
"Why did he snap up so many endorsements?"
"What is Zhang Ye up to?"
"It's rare to see anyone take so many endorsement deals within 10 days!"
"Even a Heavenly King and Queen could not outdo him?"
"That isn't right, Zhang Ye should not have the ability to compete with those S-list superstars! How could so many of the major endorsements be taken by him?"
" No one grows fat in one sitting 1 . Taking so many endorsements at once, can he manage them all? If the ads are rolled out too closely, it could counteract the effect, unless the quality of those ads are really good. But with so many endorsement commercials to shoot, no matter how famous he is in the advertising industry, he shouldn't be able to make them all classics, right?"
"Yeah, he's biting off more than he can chew."
After meal topics such as these were widely discussed across the industry.
However, Zhang Ye's team was still continuing to take more and more endorsements, as though they were never-ending!
Countless industry insiders were watching helplessly as many of the recognized quality endorsement deals got taken away by Zhang Ye's team one by one. At first, everyone was only feeling shocked but did not think much of it. But as it carried on, everyone could no longer sit still!
Isn't this too much?
Aren't you fucking taking way too many deals, bro!
Do you intend to leave anything for the other celebrities?
Without a doubt, this year's endorsement king would be Zhang Ye. Be it the number of brands that he was endorsing, or the total sum of endorsement pay he stood to receive, or even the number of endorsement deals he had signed, Zhang Ye was far ahead of the other celebrities. Even the people in the top seven spots of the entertainment industry did not have more endorsement deals than him!
There were voices of doubt everywhere!
Some of the A- and B-lists celebrities came forward as well.
On the Weibo of A-list film star, Jiang Hanwei: "Greed: The original sin." You might wonder if he was mocking Zhang Ye in his post.
There was also an agent of a B-list celebrity whose endorsement deal was snatched away by Zhang Ye who publicly criticized him. He didn't put it too offensively since he just said it to soothe his anger.
But Zhang Ye's fans blew up!
His troll army rushed over to that person's Weibo!
"Who are you criticizing?"
"Who the hell are you!"
"We're the only ones who can scold Zhang Ye! Who do you think you are?"
"It's all fair competition, what are you being so sour about!"
"My large saber is again again again again again again again again again again again again again again again again again again again again again again again again again again again again again unable to endure the thirst!"
Even Big Saber Bro made a flashy appearance!
It has been too long since there was a fight and the hordes of fearless fans were all crying out in excitement of an impending scolding battle. Some of them couldn't wait for it to start, but nothing happened in the end!
Zhang Ye replied to that person almost immediately on his Weibo as well.
Zhang Ye's temper had become much better these days. He bluntly said to that agent: "Are you sure you want to have a go at me?"
A scolding battle?
A challenge to a fight?
When it came to arguing?
Even a seven-year-old child picked up off the streets would know that Zhang Ye had never lost one before!
Two minutes after Zhang Ye's reply, that B-list celebrity's agent sneakily deleted his Weibo post and made no mention of it anymore. It seemed he understood how powerful Zhang Ye's mouth could get. There had always been people in the entertainment industry having a go at Zhang Ye, but the only celebrity to have never lost in any scolding battle was Zhang Ye!
The agent admitted defeat.
So Zhang Ye did not carry it on.
Tongues in the industry were set wagging, while the other celebrities could only look on in envy. But with this minor episode, several of the brands that had signed endorsement contracts with Zhang Ye started to get a little worried.
…
That dairy brand's manager.
"Teacher Zhang."
"Yes?"
"Aren't you taking a few too many endorsements?"
"It's not that many."
"Will it affect the production of our commercial?"
"It won't."
…
The brand-name jewelry company.
"Director Zhang, can you give us a guarantee that the quality of our commercial will not be affected?"
"Don't you worry about it."
"But with just one line for the ad's catchphrase, isn't it a little too casual?"
"For a ten-second commercial, one line is more than enough."
"I'm just afraid that with all the endorsements you're taking, it'll affect the attention given to our brand."
…
All of the brand-name companies were feeling very unsettled.
Zhang Ye's team could only reassure them one by one.
Just how would Zhang Ye's commercials end up looking? This was something that no one knew. His studio staff could not predict it, and neither could the brand-name companies!
Only Zhang Ye knew that it wouldn't be a problem!
The commercials that he was going to make for them were market tested back in his previous world. Every one that he was going to bring out was a resounding classic of the advertising industry. It might not look outstanding and could even be billed as simple-looking, but the actual effects that it would bring were definitely on the level of a weapon of mass destruction like an atomic bomb. Simply tossing out one into the market would get it written into the annals of the advertising field. But Zhang Ye couldn't tell them that.
The commercials were about to get broadcast on the widest possible scale.
Once these commercials were rolled out to the market, all their doubts would be cleared up.
1. Just as no one grows fat at one sitting; no success can be attained with one single effort.