A hundred flavors of life

Chapter 1442 Advertisement Airs, Laying the Foundation for the Future! (Please Subscribe!)

December 1st was the day Guojiatai aired the SDX advertisement. Hua Shier, Wu Shanshan, Zhuang Tunan, and their new business partner, Lu Danao, waited early in the library reading room after dinner. In those days, television was not yet widespread, and there were not many places to watch television on university campuses. Fortunately, there was one in the library reading room, which was broadcast to students every day during the news broadcast.

Ten seconds before the evening news broadcast, a commercial with clear picture quality and uplifting background music plays on the television.

The camera first zooms in on a refrigerator, whose design instantly catches everyone's eye.

With its sleek and simple lines, the pure white body exudes a sophisticated matte texture, and the door handles are hidden, the overall design looks seamless and futuristic.

Compared to the boxy, light green or beige, and distinct seams and raised handles found in ordinary households at the time, this refrigerator was so elegant it seemed like it belonged to a different era.

If you were to compare this refrigerator to other refrigerators on the market, it would be like comparing a Ferrari to a Chery.

Next, the camera zooms out to show the inside of the refrigerator.

With the lights on, the well-organized and spacious refrigerator compartment and the independent freezer compartment with precise temperature control display appear neat, clean, and bright.

The voice-over was a magnetic and confident baritone voice, speaking in perfect Mandarin:

"SDX air-cooled refrigerator, frost-free and CFC-free, leading the world by forty years!"

The important advertising slogan was repeated three times, with a powerful and resounding tone.

Every word pierced the ears of every college student present with crystal clarity.

"Frost-free"? "Fluorine-free"? "Forty years ahead of the world"? The combination of these concepts has a tremendous impact.

In an era when even "Snowflake" brand refrigerators required regular manual defrosting and refrigerant technology was still relatively backward, the claims made about this refrigerator seemed to have stepped out of a science fiction movie.

The advertisement then shifts to a close-up of an exquisitely designed electronic wristwatch with ticking numbers, accompanied by a crisp "beep" sound, along with the same voice-over: "SDX Pengcheng watch is telling you the time, 7 o'clock sharp!"

Then, the familiar opening theme of the evening news finally began to play, and the upright faces of the two announcers appeared on the screen.

After the advertisement finished playing, murmurs arose in the reading room.

"Wow! That refrigerator is so cool!"

"SDX? Never heard of it, is it a new brand?"

"Forty years ahead of the world? Really? That's quite a bold claim!"

"

Zhuang Tunan's eyes widened, and his body leaned forward unconsciously until the advertisement ended, at which point he slowly leaned back in his chair and murmured:
"Is this an advertisement for Uncle Lin's factory products? That refrigerator looks really good!"

He studied architecture and has an instinctive sensitivity to form, structure, and "advanced technology." The design concept of this refrigerator clearly surpasses his current understanding of home appliances.

Hua Shier smiled, a hint of barely perceptible smugness in his eyes, and asked, "So, how's the ad? Not bad, right?"

Lu Ming clicked his tongue and picked up the conversation, his Northeastern accent carrying a straightforward teasing tone:
"The refrigerator is really great, it looks awesome! But the advertising slogan is a bit of an exaggeration, it's tax-free. It's 40 years ahead of the world? Why doesn't it say it's 100 years ahead and can break out of the Milky Way!"

Hua Shier's upturned lips twitched almost imperceptibly as she silently made a mental note of Lu Da Nao Nao's actions.

Because this advertising slogan was written by him.

Well, actually, there wasn't much design involved; it was just stating the facts.

Zhuang Tunan then turned to Hua Twelve with a hint of helplessness:
"Our stadium design is still in the critical stage, and you called me out in such a hurry just to see this advertisement?"

Although the advertisement surprised him, the academic pressure was very real.

Hua Shier looked completely at ease:

"Aren't Uncle Lin and Aunt Song good to you? Uncle Lin has poured his heart and soul into developing this new product, and it's the first time he's advertising it in Guojiatai. I brought you here to witness it and show concern for our elders' careers. What's wrong with that? Isn't this the important thing?"

Zhuang Tunan was speechless, and waved his hand:
"Alright, alright, now that I've finished looking at it, is that okay? I really have to go back now, Li Jia and the others must be getting impatient." He said, getting up to leave.

"Wait!" Hua Shier grabbed him. "We've only gotten halfway through the business. After we finish watching the commercials, we need to talk about the next step."

Zhuang Tunan sat down again, patiently:

"Is there anything else? Could you please just say it all at once?"

Hua Shier took out three neatly bound photocopied documents from his military green satchel and handed them to Wu Shanshan, Zhuang Tunan, and Lu Ming, who had just finished eating his second candy:
"You guys take a look at this first."

The three men took the book with a puzzled look and flipped through it under the bright lights of the reading room. The cover clearly read: "Feasibility Analysis and Preliminary Plan for Pilot Operation of 'Kenjoy Chicken' and 'McDonald's Burger' Western Fast Food Chains in Shanghai".

The contents are detailed, covering everything from market analysis, brand positioning, product design (even including sketches of hamburgers and fried chicken), standardized operating procedures, store design and site selection, cost budget, marketing strategies to short-term expansion plans. It is well-organized, data-rich, and resembles a mature business plan.

Lu Ming was the fastest to read it and the most surprised. He looked up abruptly, lowering his voice but unable to hide his astonishment:
"Brother Pengfei! Are you serious? I thought you were just joking when you said it in the dorm last time!" He remembered his 'generous' hundred yuan.

Zhuang Tunan frowned even more deeply, quickly skimming the key parts, then looked up at Hua Shier, his tone serious:
"Pengfei, you're here to study! Can't you focus your main energy on your studies? Don't you know how heavy the workload is in architecture? Why are you doing this?"

Lu Ming subconsciously wanted to say a few words in defense of his good friend, but he scratched his head and said:

"Pengfei is actually a very hard worker. Since the start of the semester, he has been researching the topic of combining traditional Feng Shui with modern architectural design. He's so focused! He even carries around books like the I Ching and the Ma Yi Shen Xiang during class."

He spoke softer and softer as he noticed Zhuang Tunan's face growing increasingly dark.

Hua Shier was both annoyed and amused, and gently tapped Lu Ming's head with a rolled-up copy of the project proposal:
"Shut up! When did I ever read 'The Divine Physiognomist'? That's for fortune telling! What does it have to do with architecture!"

Zhuang Tunan pointed at Hua Shier, looking at him with a disappointed expression:
"You! This is an opportunity that so many students across the country dream of, can't you even cherish it? Focus your mind on the right path!"

Hua Shier spread his hands, looking innocent.

“I cherish it very much. Don’t you think my research direction is extremely forward-looking and interdisciplinaryly innovative? The future development of architecture will inevitably have to consider more multi-dimensional factors such as humanities, environment, and psychology.”

"Novel? I think it's bizarre!"

Zhuang Tunan interrupted him, rubbing his temples: "I don't care what you study, but if you fail any of your major courses by the end of this semester, I will definitely report it to my parents and your parents! You'd better think it over!"

Hua Shier made a surrender gesture: "Okay, okay, I promise I won't fail any courses, alright? Now, about the investment..."

"What stocks are you talking about! I'm busy, I don't have time to mess around with you, and you'd better not do anything reckless either!"

Zhuang Tunan immediately stood up after speaking and waved his hand:
"I really have to go, there's a lot of stuff going on over there."

He took one last look at Hua Shier and the project proposal, shook his head, and hurriedly left the reading room.

Hua Shier pursed her lips at his retreating figure, then turned to Wu Shanshan to 'complain':
"Shanshan, you have to be my witness! Tu Nan said I'm 'messing around,' but I'm such an upright person! He's clearly slandering me, saying I have problems with my lifestyle!"

Wu Shanshan couldn't help but laugh at him, and gently pinched his arm, her face flushing red: "I'll teach you to talk nonsense!"

Lu Ming pursed his lips and muttered to himself:
"What decent person would start dating in high school?"

Hua Twelve immediately snapped his fingers and replied confidently:

"That's why I started in junior high! It's called seizing the strategic high ground and taking control of your life!"

"Xiang Pengfei!"

Wu Shanshan blushed, her neck turning red with embarrassment and anger.

"Okay, okay, no more joking around."

Hua Shier, knowing when to stop, cleared his throat:
"So, Comrade Zhuang Tunan gave up this historic opportunity. Now, it's just the two of you left. Shanshan, what do you say?"

Wu Shanshan shook her head, her eyes clear and firm:
"I won't get involved. Anyway," she paused, a slight smile playing on her lips, "what's yours will also be mine. If you lose money, I'll live a hard life with you. If you owe money, I'll help you pay it off!"

Lu Ming felt incredibly uncomfortable. Decades later, he would know what it felt like to be fed dog food (a Chinese slang term for witnessing public displays of affection).

Hua Shier paused for a moment, then smiled and nodded repeatedly: "That makes sense! My wife is so insightful!"

His gaze shifted to Lu Ming, carrying a hint of scrutiny and mockery:

"So, Comrade Lu Da Nao, what about you? Your opportunity is right in front of you."

Lu Ming glanced at Hua Shier, then at Wu Shanshan, and suddenly slapped his thigh, as if he had just realized something:
"Oh—! I see! You two are setting a trap for me, aren't you? One playing the good cop, the other the bad cop, just waiting for this silly deer to fall into it, aren't you?"

Hua Shier was amused by his antics, and lightly tapped the proposal on his big head: "Put it on my head! Take it or leave it!"

Lu Ming rubbed his head, looking distressed.
“Brother Pengfei, it’s not that I don’t trust you, but I only have a little over two hundred yuan left in my living expenses. You took one hundred yuan from me the other day, so now I only have one hundred yuan left. You have to leave me some money for food, right?”

Hua Shier looked at him, feeling both annoyed and amused. Finally, she sighed helplessly and tapped him with the business plan again, this time much more gently: "Alright, alright, look at your pathetic self! Consider the hundred yuan you 'generously' gave that day as your official investment! Don't regret not investing more today."

Lu Ming chuckled dryly, but what he was really thinking was: Regret? I'd be grateful if you could just give me back that hundred yuan! What shares could I possibly be hoping for? He didn't take this "investment" seriously at all.

In an era of relatively limited information and highly authoritative mass media, the power of prime-time advertising on Guojiatai is like a nuclear bomb.

Within just a few days of the advertisement airing, the slogan "SDX air-cooled refrigerator, leading the world forty years" spread throughout the country along with the visually striking product image.

Department stores and hardware and electrical appliance companies across the country were inundated with inquiries, and a flood of orders and quotations poured into Suzhou.

At the Suzhou SDX home appliance factory, the five production lines originally planned immediately went into full-capacity operation.

The machines hummed 24 hours a day, the workers worked in three shifts, and the factory area was brightly lit.

Even so, production capacity was still stretched thin in the face of a surge in orders.

Lin Wufeng, the newly appointed factory manager, is so busy every day that he barely has time to breathe. He coordinates production, controls quality, and deals with customers who are urging delivery and leaders who come to inspect the factory. He is so tired that his voice is hoarse and his eyes are dark, but he is in a state of extreme excitement. This is pain, but also an indescribable joy.

The greatest dream of a technician is to see the product he has poured his heart and soul into so enthusiastically embraced by the market.

Just as the SDX refrigerator was selling like hotcakes and in high demand, another team quietly arrived in Shanghai.

A joint business delegation led by Mr. Dracula, Chairman of the Wansheng Catering Group of the United States, and Mr. Dana White, General Manager of SDX Group of Hong Kong Island, received a warm welcome from relevant departments in Shanghai.

The delegation was impressive in number and had a clear objective, bringing with them mature project plans and a genuine intention to invest.

After several high-level meetings and inspections, Lao Bai, on behalf of SDX Group, submitted a beautifully bound and detailed "Joint Venture Project Construction Proposal" to key departments such as the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, the Finance Office, and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.

The project was carefully packaged as "introducing internationally advanced fast food management models and food processing technologies to enrich the market supply in Shanghai, meet the diverse consumption needs of the people, and at the same time create jobs and increase tax revenue."

This proposal impressed the relevant departments.

In the mid-to-late 1980s, attracting foreign investment and learning advanced foreign technologies and management experience were important policy directions, and projects that could bring tangible foreign exchange investment and "internationally renowned brands" were considered a reflection of political achievements. Soon, both sides reached a consensus.

With technology licensed from 'Wansheng Group', SDX Group (Hong Kong-funded) invested one million US dollars and cooperated with relevant parties in Shanghai to open the first Western fast food stores under the 'Kenjoy Chicken' (KGC) and 'McDonald's Burger' brands, as well as the 'Starry Night' coffee shop in Shanghai.

This investment was a huge sum in the catering industry at the time, and it immediately attracted great attention.

Of course, given the prices and costs at that time, opening a fast food restaurant of a similar scale to that of later generations would require approximately 200,000 to 300,000 RMB.

Hua Shier instructed Lao Bai to quote a staggering one million US dollars, with a clear purpose: first, to demonstrate his strength and garner the highest level of attention and support from the local community.

Secondly, this foreign exchange investment itself is a significant political achievement, which can give the project unprecedented green light to move forward.

Third, Hua Twelve instructed Lao Bai to use the majority of this million dollars to directly purchase selected, prime-location shop properties.

While making money from fast food is important, what Hua Shier values ​​more are the properties themselves located in prime future locations (such as Nanjing East Road, Huaihai Road, and even some potential areas in Pudong).

In an era where housing prices are yet to be fully realized, making early investments can have long-term appreciation potential that may far exceed that of the fast food business itself. This is the essence of a dual strategy encompassing industry and real estate.

　Thanks to 08a, Little Tiger of the Demon Realm, and Brother Li Meng of the God of Death for their donations, and thanks to the brothers who voted for monthly tickets and recommendations. Thank you so much!

　　(End of this chapter)