Generation Z Artists

Chapter 249 Isn't this way much cooler than robbery?
Intel's $1.2 million offer won't be easy to secure.

In the specific collaboration, it may seem that Fang Xinghe only contributed his image and shot a minimalist advertisement, but in reality, he had already exhausted all the display space related to computers.

As a strategic partner, Fang Xinghe cannot endorse computer products alone, but he must support Intel's downstream partners when needed.

Simply put, if Intel decides to cooperate deeply with Dell, then Fang Xinghe will have to work with Dell and can't pay attention to IBM.

Dell also pays various fees, but since the bulk of the cost is already covered by Intel, it usually doesn't reach half of Fang Xinghe's net worth, and may even be lower.

It can be said that Intel has completely taken control of Fang Xinghe's actions in the PC field, which is what a strategic partnership should be.

However, it was precisely because of this deep-seated binding that Intel's resources were all opened up to Fang Xinghe.

No sooner had they signed the contract than they recommended American Express Bank's credit card service to Fang Xinghe.

Yes, it's American Express, the company that issued the "Centurion Card".

Of course, their black card business doesn't need advertising or Fang Xinghe as a spokesperson, but they did offer American Express Platinum Card as a spokesperson, for a price of $1000 million per year.

The price has dropped significantly, but this is entirely in line with industry practice for credit card endorsements.

This is a regular advertising fee that isn't expected to be recouped. Just print a picture, shoot a simple ad, and you'll have $50 million in five years, with no other responsibilities.

To be honest, getting an endorsement like this for $500 million is practically robbery.

1000?
Hollywood superstars of Brad Pitt's caliber, even those who aren't considered "hot," are green with envy.

Following American Express, Ford was also introduced.

Unfortunately, this time, despite the substantial sum offered, Fang Xinghe declined the offer, taking into account Ford's models and sales volume in Asia.

There are tricks to harvesting韭菜 (a metaphor for exploiting people); Brother Fang wants both money and influence.

Only Lincoln in the Ford Group is worthy of a generation, but Lincoln is precisely the least necessary and least suitable, so there's not much to talk about.

However, once Ford started the negotiations, the other two American automakers quickly followed suit.

And all the other global automakers have turned their attention to Fang Xinghe.

This is quite funny. Actually, our Brother Fang isn't even old enough to get a driver's license yet, but non-driving endorsements can skirt the rules and be restricted by advertising laws, so car companies all over the world are vying for the title of "Star River, your first car".

This even includes top-tier supercars.

Dafang knew almost nothing about supercars. In his previous life, his health didn't allow him to drive, so he didn't even have a driver's license. However, he had long been familiar with Porsche, Ferrari, and Lamborghini.

Now, the three major supercar manufacturers have all come knocking on our door.

Moreover, it shows great sincerity.

Porsche unveiled the 911 GT2, a more extreme and lighter rear-wheel-drive racing supercar than the 911 Turbo.

Porsche not only offered its most advanced models, but also allocated $750 million from its advertising budget as an annual endorsement fee.

Don't think it's too little; the endorsement logic of supercars is a different story altogether.

Given the price of the 911 GT2 and the purchasing power in Asia, the actual sales generated by hiring Fang Xinghe as the spokesperson would not even cover the cost of $750 million.

What they want is brand power, commonly known as: losing money to gain publicity.

Therefore, seven or eight million is the highest psychological price for the three top supercar brands. If it weren't for Fang Xinghe, they wouldn't even be inclined to use celebrities as spokespeople.

This is why Porsche is the most daring and open when it comes to collaboration.

Before 2012, Lamborghini and Ferrari never even had official brand ambassadors; at most, they had partners.

Therefore, Ferrari didn't give Fang Xinghe any money, but instead respectfully stated: Ferrari sincerely invites you to visit and experience their headquarters. Furthermore, we would like to offer you any Ferrari model as a gift…

They give away a bunch of supercars for free, send new cars every year, and repair old cars every year. The price is that they can no longer buy any other brand and they have to claim to be loyal Ferrari users.

This sincerity is actually higher than $750 million.

This partnership model transcends the limitations of endorsement fees, creating a compelling story of "the best idol and the best sports car appreciating each other and remaining loyal forever."

Only Ferrari has the confidence to do this.

But Brother Fang still refused.

He's not interested in supercars, giving me money is the most practical thing to do; I need money to build a school.

Finally, there's Lamborghini.

In its previous life, around 18 years ago, Lamborghini lowered its stance and engaged in a deep brand collaboration with Qianqian.

You can say Qianqian is bad, but you can't say Qianqian is bad. This guy really achieved a lot of firsts and made a significant contribution to bringing Chinese idols into the world's spotlight.

But now, Lamborghini has lowered its proud head prematurely.

They also showed great sincerity by presenting the Gallardo model, which has not yet been released.

This is what is commonly known as the Lamborghini calf.

The design of this model is complete and it is scheduled to debut at next year's Geneva Motor Show.

Lamborghini has ambitious plans to partner with Fang Xinghe to jointly shape the stylish and rebellious image of this model.

Fang Xinghe didn't know much about Niu motorcycles, only that they were very popular, very common, and sold very well.

From the perspective of expanding commercial value, endorsing calf is a very good move.

However, after seeing Lamborghini's meager offer of 800 million yuan for the endorsement, Brother Fang decided to reconsider.

In conclusion, when these top supercar brands choose partners, the compatibility of image and temperament is far more important than the popularity of the celebrities themselves.

They weren't looking for a simple salesperson, but rather an "embodiment" who could vividly interpret the soul of their brand.

Therefore, it has a very high-end feel, but the price is not high.

If there aren't any good leeks to harvest, Fang Xinghe would certainly prefer to choose high-class.

But here's the problem—the three major Japanese brands, the three major German brands, and Cadillac, the king of bathing, are all waving their money around and shouting.

The most outrageous was Kia of South Korea, which offered a staggering $2500 million to make Fang Xinghe the global spokesperson for their economy car model.

Without even a second thought, Fang Ge immediately passed on it.

Given Kia's size, its annual marketing expenditure is at most two to three hundred million, which includes all activities and advertising.

To put it bluntly, they don't deserve to offer such a price.

General Motors, as the king of marketing, spends around $40-50 billion on marketing annually, yet it only offered Fang Xinghe $2000 million a year.

Because celebrity endorsements are just one part of all marketing efforts; television commercials, major auto shows, magazines, and public relations are all major money-makers.

Kia's idea is clearly to throw all the money at Fang Xinghe, then just lie there and wait for Brother Fang to carry them to success.

2500 million sounds scary, but it's actually quite funny.

Honda Acura and Toyota Land Cruiser are priced at 2000 million, but they have corresponding promotional materials and are willing to invest heavily in advertising films. This is a normal and valuable collaboration.

However, if Japanese automakers are only willing to offer 2000 million, then they will inevitably be rejected.

Is your father worth this much now?
Especially for endorsing Japanese cars, they have to pay extra!
When Fang Xinghe showed a hint of relenting, the three major Japanese companies got excited and started bidding aggressively.

For Japanese cars, Fang Xinghe holds a particularly special value.

First, Fang Xinghe's performance in Japan is mixed, with both gains and losses contributing to its domestic market share.

Remove this neutral factor, and everything else is an advantage.

In South Korea, Fang Ge has already proven his power—the market share of all the products he endorses has increased by at least 40%.

In China, it has even greater significance.

As a well-known patriotic idol, if Fang Xinghe endorses a Japanese car brand, it's equivalent to using his own reputation to endorse it, maximizing the chances of negative publicity and boosting sales.

In the United States, Japanese cars are also experiencing rapid expansion. They are reliable, fuel-efficient, and offer high value for money, making them second only to pickup trucks in the family car market.

Acquiring Fang Xinghe is tantamount to gaining the upper hand in the global market.

Therefore, the three major Japanese automakers really went all out, even more so than Intel. In the end, all three offered sky-high contracts of 1.5 million for 5 years, completely ignoring the "artistic risks" associated with Fang Xinghe.

According to Kadokawa Tsuhiko, "Boss, your value to Japanese cars goes far beyond sales. This level of premium will not change because of the failure of your movie."

Kadokawa, the traitor, dares to leak anything. He found out about a core judgment made by the Japanese automaker and explained it clearly to Fang Xinghe.

"They judged that even if you fail in three or four film and television works in a row within 5 years, it will not shake the foundation of the world's number one idol. You can still maintain your status as a cultural leader, create trends, and control fashion."

Therefore, this irrational premium is a necessary sacrifice to win you over, but considering the sentiment in Japan, the contract amount will be strictly confidential and will not be disclosed to the public.

Brother Fang sneered: You think you can just keep it a secret? Did you even ask me?
The dog company never intended to endorse Japanese cars; they were just using them to drive up prices.

The day after his net worth was inflated to $30 million, the three major German automakers learned of the news through various channels.

"Fuck! Have the Japanese gone mad?!"

The leaders of each faction were so angry that they cursed loudly, and then gritted their teeth and followed forward while cursing.

"Add tariffs!"

"As soon as it's confirmed that Fang Xinghe is the spokesperson, raise their tariffs immediately!"

Everyone panicked. They weren't afraid of Fang Xinghe endorsing high-end car models; Ferrari would be even better, since it wouldn't affect their own brands anyway.

But they are really worried that Fang Xinghe will endorse mid-range Japanese family cars.

Because of this wave of popularity, no matter which car model Fang Xinghe endorses, he can significantly increase his prestige compared to similar competitors.

These days, not many people know much about cars.

Fang Xinghe's influence, even with its slight psychological impact on consumers, is enough to sway a large portion of emotionally driven customers.

What's more, Brother Fang has that face, plus a cool commercial, as long as we throw enough promotional resources at it and air it on TV, any car model can become a hit.

"Go talk to him! Give him the money!"

Ultimately, after a relatively easy back-and-forth, BMW 7 Series (E65/E66) secured Fang Xinghe's endorsement deal for a hefty $2200 million.

Yes, qualifications.

Because of the 800 million difference in money, and the fact that it was only a short-term 2-year contract, BMW paid a lot of extra.

For example, they need to specially formulate a special car paint for Fang Xinghe to achieve a unique effect of black base with gold patterns and a starry sky texture.

For example, Fang Xinghe's first BMW 7 Series had to be a specially customized, one-of-a-kind model, with major modifications to everything from the engine to the exterior, to make it as cool as a concept car...

In short, he pocketed a total of $4400 million over two years in one go, and Wang Charlie even bragged and boasted on his BMW, feeling incredibly happy.

The reason is somewhat coincidental. Last year, BMW started a new generation of the 7 Series, and this year is the time for them to move forward. So in the end, this high-end model has paid the most price in the competition among BBA (BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi).

……

With endorsements from three top celebrities—chips, global credit cards, and cars—Fang Xinghe is not far from becoming a full-fledged brand.

Hmm, we're still missing a few luxury items.

One is a watch, but the current luxury watch doesn't suit Fang Xinghe's image, so they're in a stage where they're talking past each other.

Of course, the watch manufacturers certainly wouldn't offend Brother Fang. He will eventually grow up and there will always be opportunities for cooperation in the future.

One is jewelry.

Fang Xinghe is almost the male celebrity who looks best in jewelry.

He can pull off some women's necklaces, isn't that outrageous?

As a result, Cartier regained its enthusiasm, and other major jewelry brands followed suit.

But this is not something that can be resolved in a short time; it requires a very long period of negotiation and contact.

Endorsing jewelry requires using oneself as a showcase, which demands something from both parties and needs to be done gradually.

The last item is men's clothing.

LV knelt down without hesitation.

Last time in Japan, Fang Xinghe put forward several very "unacceptable" conditions, which LV scoffed at at the time.

But now...

Dad, is that all? Is there anything else you want?

As a result, Fang Xinghe signed an unprecedented inverted contract in the luxury goods industry.

First, LV will officially announce the "Global Ambassador" in all types of advertisements worldwide, using the formal term "Global Ambassador" in English.

He will also be LV's first officially recognized Global Ambassador.

Secondly, billboards in stores worldwide, as well as in any public setting, will use advertisements and photos that have been reviewed by Fang Xinghe Brokerage.

It means that no matter how famous the photographers, artists, or designers you hire to take pictures of me, the final product is not up to you.

I will use whatever I want, and you will have to use it.

I don't want it to happen, and no matter how satisfied you are, you can't post it publicly.

Third, for all kinds of big shows, events, banquets, and occasions that require Fang Xinghe's personal attendance, his status as a global spokesperson must be clearly stated at the highest level.

And they are given the highest level of hospitality—even if a prince or president goes to a show, their treatment is still second only to mine.

Fourth, there are as many as 200 detailed rules for cooperation, including prohibitions on promotion, such as not using Fang Xinghe's autograph as a gift to induce fans to make purchases, and not building a customer base for LV stores in Fang Xinghe's name, etc.

Fifth, disclaimers.

The most important rule is: nothing that hurts the feelings of the Chinese people is allowed to happen.

If you're unsure about something, ask me right away.

Otherwise, the contract will be terminated unconditionally, and damages for defamation will be made depending on the severity of the offense.

Other disclaimers, in particular, vividly illustrate the domineering nature of the client.

But there was no way around it; there was only one Fang Xinghe, and only one exclusive endorsement deal for the menswear line. LV could only grit their teeth and force a smile, secretly regretting why they hadn't agreed sooner...

Well, to match Fang Xinghe's current value, they also offered a sky-high price of 7500 million for 5 years.

Because luxury brands can offer so many other resources, 1500 million a year is indeed an astronomical price, but it's actually more affordable than an endorsement deal with BMW.

至此，2400万+2200万+1500万+1000万，方星河用四个代言抢走了整整7100万美元。

This isn't robbery, this is way more awesome than robbery.

And this is only this year's income.

Over the next five years, the growth rate will basically only increase.

I did a charity tax deduction in the United States, sponsoring some seriously ill children to boost my reputation, and I still have about 75% left in my hands.

Then they transferred it to the provincial level and had them carry out the currency exchange, which made the provincial government extremely happy.

Jilin Province's economic structure is mainly based on domestic demand, with extremely weak foreign exchange earning capacity. Fang Xinghe's total foreign exchange earnings of over 100 million US dollars a year made his elder brothers boast to everyone they met, walking with a swagger.

Heihei and Liaoliao were licking it while they were craving it.

Yunyun, Guigui, and Chuanchuan didn't dare to breathe loudly as they stood eagerly in front of them;
The surrounding area was a desolate plain in central China, where people bowed and scraped.
Further away, the elderly, children, and impoverished people were scratching their heads, wondering when it would be their turn to smell the aroma.

Finally, there's the economically strong province that scoffs and doesn't care about Fang Xinghe's meager economic contribution, but is green with envy at his growing cultural influence...

Fang Xinghe has made his fortune by spending most of his cash flow. This money has not been wasted. He can't stop the haters, but at the official level, there has long been a tacit understanding of not encouraging or criticizing him.

What's the use?

It's a matter of opinion.

While Brother Fang was busy making money through underhanded means, the hellish life of the young fairy in the film crew finally reached its first climax.

(End of this chapter)