1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 561 A Happy Journey of 42.195 Kilometers

Owners of high-end wineries in Provence love to sponsor events, and wine brands are frequently seen at food events, art events, folk events, and sporting events.

Bernard, Ronan's fellow Parisian, once said that sponsoring events is the simplest and most direct way to associate oneself with "high-end" events. His future plan is to reach out to high-end Provençal events such as the Cannes Film Festival, the Cannes Television Festival, the Avignon Theatre Festival, and the Tour de France.

Ronan doesn't have that much money, and Stella Arturo isn't that high-end, but sponsoring the event is definitely something to consider.

If, while Lucas and others introduce the new Stella, Stella also appears at a major sporting event, it would create a powerful combination, making the message even more persuasive.

Stellaga and Lourmaran are now inseparable, so if you're going to invest money, the best option is to invest in Lourmaran's activities.

Moreover, Ronan believed that Blanco would not mistreat him, a villager from 'Louermalan'.

The upcoming marathon in Lourmaran is a great opportunity, but before that, Ronan wants to learn more about the event's positioning and information.

These questions can also be asked of Sylvie.

But through Sylvie's repeated retellings, Ronan discovered that Blanco was very picky and cautious about Lourmaran's first major event, and perhaps he could hear something different from Blanco.

Same office, same two people. Only the wine on the table has changed from the top-of-the-line Stellar to a regular one.

"No longer needing to serve high-end wines to guests?" Ronan asked Blanco with a smile.

Last time I came, Blanco's cabinet was full of the most expensive rosé wine from Stella Artois, but this time when I opened the cabinet door, it was filled with table wines.

Blanco smiled and shook his head:

“I haven’t been serving rosé to guests lately. These bottles were specially prepared for you. I only brought them out when you arrived.”

Last time, Ronan said that the existing 'high-end' models of Stellar were not good enough and needed to be updated this year. So Blanco put them away for the time being.

Ronan raised his glass and clinked it against his:
"Wait a little longer. Once I've brewed a truly premium version, I'll send it to you first."

Blanco took a sip of his drink and said with a chuckle:

"Okay, at least leave me two boxes. By the way, I heard from Sylvie this morning that you seemed reluctant to participate in the first Lourmaran Marathon?"

Blanco and Sylvie thought the same thing, assuming that Ronan had come for this matter.

Ronan shrugged:

Whether or not to participate may depend on the specifics of the marathon.

He suddenly became serious and got straight to the point:

“I’m considering whether to let Stellar sponsor this event, but I’m not sure if they’re a good fit, you know. Stellar hasn’t really made any money yet and has been spending the ‘funding’ you gave me. In September, that money is supposed to be used to buy grapes from the villagers. I’m not entirely sure, and I don’t dare to spend a single penny recklessly.”

If Ronan had enough money, he would definitely sponsor the marathon, whether it was good or bad.

But circumstances didn't allow him to be so extravagant, so he had to be careful with his money.

Blanco treated Stella like his own child, and he said very responsibly:

“I don’t know if Sylvie told you that even without sponsorship, the tourism revenue generated by the event can help Stella, your Chinese restaurant, and the Lourmaran handicraft cooperative. But I think you should join as an official sponsor in exchange for more exposure. Trust me, it’s definitely a win-win situation.”

Ronan rested his elbows on the table and asked curiously:
"You seem very confident about this marathon?"

To be honest, Ronan was quite surprised to hear Sylvie say that Lourmaran's first major event would be a marathon.

During the tourist season, there are many activities in the Luberon region, but very few sports events. If there are any, they are the abstract kind, like the 'goat race' or the 'lavender toast stacking contest'.

Even with the upgraded live broadcast of the Monaco Grand Prix F1, making sporting events more popular with the public, is that really suitable for Lourmaran, a place steeped in local culture?

Whatever Ronan could think of, Blanco would certainly consider as well, perhaps even more deeply and far-reachingly than Ronan.

Ronan was very curious about how the notoriously picky Blanco managed to finalize the event.

Blanco said firmly:
"Yes, I am very confident, and this confidence is backed by something."

He pointed downstairs:

"After we launched the event plan, two clients have already confirmed their sponsorship, and there are about five or six other clients like you who are still learning about it and observing."

Ronan leaned forward and asked unexpectedly:

"So popular?"

Ronan recalled having dinner with Llorente and Ms. Sanson a few months earlier after the bread competition in Mena village.

In an effort to secure sponsorship for the 'Bougainvillea Olympics,' Llorente went to great lengths, even pushing Ronan forward just to get the old Marseille shipping magnate to sponsor the event.

The sponsorship process for the first Provence Dessert Competition held in Aix-en-Provence was also quite bumpy; if I remember correctly, only two brand names appeared on the promotional posters.

Ronan only introduced Llorente at the beginning of this month. Even with efficient progress, the investment promotion plan was only recently finalized. How come two clients have already confirmed their sponsorship so quickly?

Blanco shrugged:
"Perhaps we've found what interests the people of Provence."

Ronan smacked his lips and muttered something to himself:
"People in Provence actually love sports so much? I thought they loved eating and drinking the most."

Theodore described eating and drinking as the purest faith of the Provençal people!
The next second, Blanco burst into laughter:
"That's right, people in Provence love to eat and drink, and we've perfectly incorporated that into this event."

Ronan paused for several seconds before asking:
"You mean you've combined marathons with eating and drinking?"

“That’s right, thanks to Llorente for the idea,” Blanco said with a smile. “Apart from the race distance of 42.195 kilometers, you won’t find anything else that is the same as a traditional marathon.”

"Are you focusing on the supply depots along the way?" Ronan recalled a detail Sylvie had mentioned yesterday.

These supply stations were probably the opportunity to combine food and drinks with other activities.

“More than that, but we do plan to set up more than twenty aid stations along the route, and each one will offer more food than what you’d have at your wedding,” Blanco said, tapping the table. “Participants can wear whatever they want, and they don’t have to be professionals. Butchers, teachers, drivers—anyone who wants to join is welcome. We also welcome those who come for the free food and drinks. In this event, speed and results are the least important things, and there’s no need to break any records. Our only goal is to give everyone a happy journey of 42.195 kilometers.”

“That’s pretty cool,” Ronan blurted out instinctively. “If I hadn’t been forced into this race, I’d really love to see how you guys designed this 42.195-kilometer fun-filled journey.” Blanco raised his glass.
“Yes, what Provençal wouldn’t be curious about what a 42.195-kilometer-long adventure would be like? The sponsors thought the same thing, which is why they decided to invest in us.”

Ronan and Blanco clinked glasses, and Ronan asked excitedly:
"Tell me quickly, besides eating and drinking, what other interesting things did you design on this 42.195-kilometer-long, enjoyable trip?"

Since they are encouraging ordinary people to participate, they must have considered that they cannot complete such a long distance. Therefore, they must have designed many things to entice them to continue. Ronan does not believe that it is only about eating and drinking.

“I swear, our marathon will be even more exciting than the ‘Goat Race’,” Blanco cleared his throat. “Let me start by telling you about the start—”

The two chatted and drank, and before they knew it, nearly an hour and a half had passed.

After downing the last sip of wine, Ronan slammed his hand on the table and said:
"Great! This marathon is interesting. It's designed to appeal to the interests of Provençal people. I can't wait to see the absurd, nonsensical, yet charmingly rural scenes that day."

The best example for the Lourmaran government to learn from is the goat race, which has been held for over a hundred years.

More than half a month after the competition ended, people in the village are still discussing what happened that day, and have even spontaneously organized many folk activities.

It was precisely because of this incident that Blanco was able to bring about Lourmaran's first major event.

Although the format and content differ, the Lourmarin Marathon aims to achieve the same goal as the Goat Race – a local event that perfectly aligns with the interests and passions of the Provençal people.

But on top of that, there's an extra layer of appeal—the food and drinks.

This attribute is not particularly prominent in the Goat Race.

"If Stellaris were to sponsor us, what benefits would we receive?" Ronan asked calmly.

In those days, the concepts of marketing and sponsorship existed, but they were neither systematic nor large-scale, especially in small villages like Lourmaran, where sponsorship rights were negotiated between the two parties.

“We will only provide free water at the aid stations. If Stella is sponsoring, she will provide free rosé at every aid station.” Blanco spread his hands. “You know, Provençal people love wine. They will definitely choose wine over water. I’m afraid this is a very good opportunity to popularize rosé. Maybe quite a few people will fall in love with this kind of thing that they don’t usually pay attention to before the competition is even over.”

The biggest obstacle to rosé wine in Provence is its inability to become widely available.

Many people discriminate against it and are unwilling to give it a chance.

But let's imagine a scenario now.

In August, under the scorching summer sun, you run 1-2 kilometers with all your might, and finally a supply point appears ahead, allowing you to catch your breath.

A beautiful sports cheerleader hands you a glass of water and a glass of chilled, tempting pink liquid, letting you choose.

Now, I ask you, would you choose chilled rosé wine or chilled rosé wine?
After cultivating a relationship with this pink liquid that brought you coolness and a good mood at more than 20 supply points, will you have a different opinion about it?

"Can we have every single one?" Ronan confirmed.

Blanco nodded:
“Every supply point can have it, and not just alcohol, but also the Stesga name on display, just like you see at other events.”

Ronan was probably involved in more Provence events than Blanc, and Blanc believed Ronan knew what he was referring to.

The marathon was designed according to the Provençal 'xP' (excitement/experience), and it was sure to attract many local residents, providing reliable exposure. It would also offer Ronan a great opportunity to popularize rosé wine, so Ronan had absolutely no reason to refuse. The only problem was—

"What about the sponsorship price?" Ronan said bluntly, "I need to set aside enough funds to buy grapes; I can't afford too much."

Blanco smiled kindly:

“Stesgaard is a client of Lourmaran and can receive some special treatment.”

"For example?" Ronan asked in surprise.

Blanco paused for a long time, seemingly thinking about something, before answering:

"For example, you can use goods to offset the sponsorship fee. A lot of alcohol will definitely be consumed during this marathon, and all of that can be counted. In addition, you can send some more for us to use for 'entertainment'."

The use of in-kind collateral to sponsor the funds greatly alleviated Ronan's financial burden, but Stella is currently unable to provide so many goods.

“I can only provide goods before and after the event. As for the rest…” Blanco had already shown enough sincerity, and Ronan was a little embarrassed to haggle. “Could I give you the rest after I finish harvesting this year’s grapes?”

Blanco nodded without hesitation:

"No problem, those two cases of new premium wine will be included in the calculation."

After agreeing on the rights with Blanco, Ronan went downstairs to find Sylvie and sign the contract.

The contract stipulated that Stjes would provide 15 francs worth of goods to participate in the Lourmarin Marathon as the 'Official Wine Supplier'.

After signing the contract, Sylvie stormed upstairs to find Blanco.
"You said at the meeting that you would reject all proposals from clients to pay sponsorships in kind, for fear that it would make our event look less prestigious. You wanted to exclude those nobodies at this step. But why did you make an exception for Ronan?"

Blanco looked up and said calmly:

"I don't want to put too much pressure on Ronan."

If he asks for less, Stescaga can get more grapes. Ronan is taking over the winery for the first time, so we can't let him live a life of poverty.
There will be many more places where we need money later.

"But we're under a lot more pressure now!" Sylvie roared, looking up at the sky. "What do we need so much wine for?"

In Provence, wine is typically stored in wooden crates containing six bottles, while in St. Louis, a bottle of wine costs only 25 francs. To repay a debt, even an entire floor of office space wouldn't be enough to store all the goods.

Even with the Lourmaran government and interns, there are only about 20 employees. They wouldn't need this much alcohol for a bath.

Blanco said in a joking tone:

"Don't underestimate Ronan. Maybe next year the wine in Stella will be so expensive that we won't be able to afford it anymore. Don't get excited, there's always a way. Let's get back to work."

Sylvie went downstairs grumbling.

"Rosé wine is so expensive that I can't afford it? Humph, just wait until you bring the wine home and take a shower!"

(End of this chapter)