Chapitre 323: Chapter 323: Commercials?
In fact, the film was not just slightly branded; almost all of it was product placement.
For instance, the red wine and bottled water that the two characters drank were from William White's own brand. Naturally, this was far from sufficient to demonstrate his influence.
Cars and mobile phones certainly took center stage, but advertisements for things like Coca-Cola were also quite pricey.
The most absurd thing was that they were in a battle, yet someone took the time to change into a stylish suit. Well, it was even a matching couple's outfit.
Excuse me, is this what it looks like when someone is being chased?
Hollywood bigwigs complained, saying this was out of envy and jealousy. The audience really bought into this level of bravado; that's what you call talent meeting audacity.
Not to mention how well those suits and glasses sold, even the firearms that appeared in the film temporarily ran out of stock.
Like tobacco, firearms couldn't be advertised freely; in a few years, such soft ads might be banned altogether.
I heard that this guy made a considerable amount in advertisement fees, and looking at it now, it seems he truly got a bargain.
The term product placement was now something no company could afford to overlook. They discovered that if they found the right opportunity, such advertising could be quite promising.
Of course, your movie had to be appealing first; otherwise, clients wouldn't fall for it.
The new Aston Martin supercar re-entered the public eye. This time, it wasn't just a few photos; the powerful aura it exuded was truly captivating.
...
In its opening weekend, the box office approached forty million bucks, a dazzling figure that left all the Hollywood moguls in awe.
This was true for the domestic, and the international market was equally so. In places like Japan and Hong Kong, tickets became nearly impossible to obtain.
To recoup all investments in just one weekend, what kind of dominance was that?
Of course, everyone knew that without all those sponsorships, this film would have definitely gone over budget. With that many special effects, did they think it was a joke?
Outsiders watched the spectacle, while insiders understood the true intricacies. To a number of Hollywood directors, this technique was really tough to master. You could integrate ads, but you couldn't overdo it; if those scenes dragged on, the movie would flop.
And do you think those companies are fools? William White dared to play hardball only because he had results to back him up. They dared to charge based on box office performance; would you dare?
...
After viewing the long list of acknowledgments, a group of industry insiders couldn't help but be astonished. Man, this is a bit much, that list is longer than the cast list!
If you broke down the film's plot, it really had no substance. If you probed deeper, you'd find plenty of flaws. The majority of the story revolved around this couple trying to look cool.
The so-called killer group seemed to be bored out of their minds. How much more idle could you get than wanting to take out this couple? Is it really that easy to kill someone for no profit? Are you sure that won't lead to bankruptcy?
However, no matter how absurd the plot or unreasonable the characters' arrangements, one undeniable fact remained.
And that was that the audience bought it.
They not only were willing to pay for movie tickets but also for the products featured.
...
"How's it going? You really made a successful transition; what are your plans?"
"I don't know. I've been getting a ton of ads lately, and I'm honestly getting a little tired of it." The young lady leaned in a bit, clearly distracted while speaking.
"Ha! Now that you've made some good cash, you can take a break. With your current standing, there's no need to take scripts you don't like. My advice? Learn a bit more."
"Sure, I'll take your advice."
For her, everything happened too fast; she wasn't quite acclimated yet. Once you hit your life goals, you can fall into a bit of confusion. If you can't find a new target during that time, it certainly wouldn't be a good thing.
...
Looking at the skyrocketing box office, Lucas was ecstatic. His investment was no small change, and with these gains, he could finally escape his current predicament. Maybe it was time to look for a wife?
After all, he wasn't William White. That guy was still young and could do as he pleased without facing backlash. If Lucas tried that, he'd be just shameless.
...
"Sir, the shares we planned to sell are already sold. If there aren't any other investments, I'd suggest buying government bonds."
"Let me think it over. I'm not worried about anything except for how ridiculous this devaluation is." William White looked a bit frustrated; the market was practically a washhouse, not suitable for major investments.
"How are the fixed assets doing, Filson?"
Filson smiled ruefully; your funds are pretty substantial. What land could possibly be worthy of your attention?
"Sir, the farm returns are low. In fact, the Texas farms are running at a loss; the hot sales of grape juice and wine are just a fluke."
"I've no interest in the U.S. I plan to invest down under. Africans have nothing to swap for food, but Asians do. Think about it; those two huge countries have billions of people. What agricultural products wouldn't sell?"
"Sure, but you won't need too much money."
"All right, besides that, I can't think of any better ideas right now. For now, I guess I'll have to hang around with the bonds."
"Got it. I'll take care of it."
...
Watching the roaring stock market, William White felt conflicted; should he short the market?
"Ugh, forget it. Right now, I need to play it close to the vest; there's no reason to take risks. Besides, with all these malicious schemers around, what if they frame me?" William White muttered, feeling a bit reluctant but also unwilling to stir up trouble.
Being too wealthy could sometimes make you unpopular; nowadays, people couldn't stand the affluent. Consulting firms' surveys revealed that over seventy percent of Americans disliked the wealthy.
This wheel of fortune had clearly not prepared America. Rather than mere dislike, it was more jealousy. Those who hated them the most were primarily the workers and unions.
Of course, they also hated William White. No matter how many excuses he made, it wouldn't change his nature.
Yes, in their eyes, William White was a greedy man. Why couldn't he earn a little less? Why did he have to take away their jobs?
Ha, William White could easily guess their thoughts, but so what? Did he need to consider the feelings of the weak?
*****
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État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
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