Rebirth in Hong Kong: From Dessert Shop to Industrial Empire

Chapter 133 Seoul (Second update of 10,000 words per day, please vote with monthly tickets and recommendations, and please continue reading)

In the following days, headlines and stills from "Drunken Master" began to appear frequently in the entertainment sections of newspapers.

The Yomiuri Shimbun published a half-page advertisement with the eye-catching headline: "Hong Kong Kung Fu Comedy Storm Lands in Japan!"
Jackie Chan's "Drunken Master" will be released nationwide on February 11th!

Below the advertisement is a still of Jackie Chan as Wong Fei-hung striking a drunken boxing stance, accompanied by a brief plot summary and a list of theaters showing the film.

The entertainment section of the Asahi Shimbun published a short review: "Drunken Master combines brilliant action design with humorous comedic elements."

Jackie Chan's unique performance style is refreshing and he has the potential to become another kung fu superstar to sweep Japan after Bruce Lee.

The television advertising campaign became more intensive.

Major Nippon Television, Fuji Television, Tokyo Broadcasting System, and other major channels began airing one-minute trailers for "Drunken Master" during prime time and late-night slots.

The trailer was edited exceptionally well:

The film opens with Jackie Chan's character, Wong Fei-hung, swaying unsteadily in a bamboo forest, seemingly quite drunk.

The next second his eyes suddenly sharpened, and he unleashed a set of flowing drunken fist techniques, knocking down several opponents!
Next came his thrilling chase and leaps on the rooftops of a bustling city, a truly exciting and dangerous stunt!

Then came his silly antics as he gulped down sweet soup at "Chen's Sweet Soup" shop, which elicited laughter!

Finally, his ultimate showdown with the villainous master in the rain was a brutal and exhilarating battle!

The trailer ends with a powerful and impactful display of the huge characters for "Drunken Fist" and the subtitle "Nationwide release on February 11."

"Released on February 11th? That sounds interesting." Many viewers were impressed after watching the trailer.

"What's this actor's name again? Jackie Chan? I'm not very familiar with the name, but he looks pretty good at fighting and he's also quite funny."

"Mom, I want to see this!" the high school student shouted to his mother in the kitchen.

"Yeah, the trailer is really appealing," the office workers who were still out all night at the izakaya discussed. "We can go see it together when it's released."

At the same time, Suntory's distribution channels are being expanded rapidly.

In the refrigerated sections of large supermarkets and convenience store chains in the core business districts of Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya, the light blue "Pulse" beverage has quietly begun to appear on the shelves, placed alongside bottled sugary drinks transported by cargo ship.

The joint promotional slogan, "Watch 'Drunken Master,' drink some energy drinks, and you'll be instantly refreshed!" can be seen everywhere.

In vending machines, "Pulse" is also occupying more and more of the product aisles.

The intensive bombardment of television commercials, coupled with newspaper publicity and discussions on the streets, began to show results.

The name "Cheng Long" went from being unfamiliar to being remembered by some viewers.

The unique form of kung fu, "Drunken Fist," has aroused people's curiosity.

The clever placement of "Chen's Dessert" also left a lasting impression.

The trailer, showcasing exciting action, comedic elements, and thrilling plot, has successfully whetted the appetite of many viewers.

The chatter on the streets gradually increased:

"That 'Drunken Master' movie looks really interesting; the trailer got me all fired up!"

"Jackie Chan? Is that the Hong Kong actor who's really good at fighting and a bit funny in the trailer?"

"Released on February 11th? I'm tempted to go see it."

"That blue drink 'Pulse' seems to be advertised everywhere. It says that drinking it while watching 'Drunken Master' will instantly wake you up? Is that true?"

An invisible anticipation began to quietly brew among a large audience in cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya.

Toho Towa's precise advertising strategy and the high quality of the "Drunken Master" trailer are gradually bringing this kung fu comedy from Hong Kong to the forefront of Japanese audiences' attention.

February 9, Haneda Airport International Arrivals Hall.

Chen Bingwen, along with Zhao Gang and Inoue Tetsuji, the representative of Dongbao Donghe, were waiting there early in the morning.

To maximize the box office revenue of "Drunken Master," Chan Bing-man specially invited Ng See-yuen and lead actor Jackie Chan from Hong Kong Island for a three-day intensive promotional tour.

Although Jackie Chan achieved great success in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia in 1978 with "Snake in the Eagle's Shadow" and "Drunken Master," these films were not released in Japan.

Therefore, Japanese audiences know almost nothing about him.

His fame truly began to take off after "Drunken Master" was officially released in Japan in 1979, which made him a star in Japan.

He knew that in the Japanese market, where Jackie Chan's fame was almost zero, the presence of the main cast was the most direct and effective way to break the deadlock and create buzz.

Upon arrival of the flight, Wu Siyuan and Cheng Long walked out of the arrivals area.

"Mr. Wu, Mr. Long, you've worked hard." Chen Bingwen stepped forward to shake hands and introduced, "This is Mr. Inoue from Toho Towa."

“Mr. Chen, Mr. Inoue,” Wu Siyuan and Cheng Long greeted each other quickly.

Tetsuji Inoue bowed politely: "Welcome to Japan, both of you. I hope you will have a hard time these next few days."

On the way to the city, Chen Bingwen told him about the upcoming arrangements: "The market foundation here in Japan is relatively weak, and the audience is still relatively unfamiliar with A Long."

Therefore, this time, our publicity efforts need to be more pragmatic and focused.

As he spoke, Chen Bingwen took out the itinerary and handed it to Cheng Long, explaining the upcoming schedule to him.

Considering that Jackie Chan currently has no influence in Japan, Chen Bingwen did not arrange any thankless or difficult activities.

On the morning of February 10, he accepted exclusive interviews from newspapers and television programs.

In the afternoon, I attended a small fan meeting. The attendees were a group of Chinese film fans living in Japan and a few Japanese kung fu film enthusiasts recruited through a magazine.

On February 11, the premiere day of "Drunken Master", I visited three core cinemas and met with the audience for 10-15 minutes after the movie ended to express my gratitude and answer one or two questions.

Chen Bingwen had only one goal: to create a surprise and make the filmmakers who saw it first fall in love with it.

"The events aren't large-scale, but those who come are people who can influence word-of-mouth and bring in actual box office revenue," Chen Bingwen explained. "The pens of the media and film critics, and the word-of-mouth of core movie fans, are what we need most right now."

As long as they approve, the hype can gradually build up.

Wu Siyuan nodded in agreement: "A very solid strategy."

Let the work itself speak for itself; that's more effective than anything else.

Cheng Long also breathed a sigh of relief. This pragmatic and focused arrangement made him feel more at ease and relieved some of the pressure.

"I understand, Mr. Chen. I will do my best."

After a brief silence, Wu Siyuan seemed to suddenly remember something, and said to Chen Bingwen with a hint of pride in his achievement:

"Mr. Chen, speaking of which, the performance of 'Drunken Master' in South Korea was a pleasant surprise, giving us a good start."

The agreement they signed initially stipulated that Chen Bingwen would acquire the rights to "Drunken Master" in Japan and Southeast Asia, while Wu Siyuan would handle the remaining distribution areas himself.

To avoid suspicion, he never inquired about it.

Now that Wu Siyuan had brought it up, he casually asked, "Oh? They've already launched it in South Korea? How's the situation?"

"It was released on February 6th," Wu Siyuan said with a smile. "The response has been excellent! In the first two days, the occupancy rate of several major cinemas in Seoul reached over 2%!"

Almost every show was sold out! The audience's laughter and applause were constant, especially among the younger audience members, who were very enthusiastic.

He paused for a moment, then continued, "The local distributors faxed me yesterday saying that many cinema managers, seeing this trend, have already taken the initiative to request more screenings!"
Judging by this buzz, the opening weekend box office numbers are sure to be fantastic!

Influenced by Chen Bingwen, Wu Siyuan sold the distribution rights of "Drunken Master" in South Korea for a price far exceeding that of his previous life.

The revenue from South Korea alone exceeded the initial filming budget of 500,000.

Although he wasn't particularly interested in a place where even cabbages were a luxury, Chen Bingwen wasn't going to spoil the fun.

"Congratulations, Mr. Wu!" Chen Bingwen congratulated him with a smile, saying sincerely, "A great start in the Korean market is fantastic!"

It seems the charm of *Drunken Master* truly transcends cultural boundaries.

He was also happy for Ng See-yuen, as this proved the quality of the film and Jackie Chan's potential, which was also good news for the promotion in the Japanese market.

"Congratulations to you both!" Wu Siyuan said with a broad smile. "This gives us more confidence for our promotional trip to Japan!"

The car arrived at the Dongbao Donghe headquarters building.

As Chen Bingwen and his entourage entered the hall, they prepared to finalize the details of tomorrow's media screening with Tetsuji Inoue.

A young woman with a simple trench coat and elegant demeanor walked towards us, accompanied by two people who appeared to be assistants.

She appears to be heading out.

"Yamaguchi-san." Tetsuji Inoue immediately stopped and bowed slightly in greeting, his tone full of respect.

"Inoue-san." The woman stopped and nodded with a smile in return, her voice gentle.

As she spoke, her gaze swept over Chen Bingwen and the others standing next to Inoue Tetsuji.

Chen Bingwen immediately recognized the woman's identity—Yamaguchi Momoe.

At this moment, Momoe Yamaguchi was the most sought-after superstar in the Japanese and even Southeast Asian entertainment industry, excelling in film, television, and music, enjoying immense popularity and unparalleled fame.

Tetsuji Inoue quickly introduced, "Ms. Yamaguchi, this is Mr. Chan Ping-man from Hong Kong Island, an important partner of Toho Towa. Mr. Chan, this is Ms. Momoe Yamaguchi."

"Nice to meet you, please take care of me." Chen Bingwen nodded in greeting.

Wu Siyuan and Cheng Long also quickly greeted him.

Momoe Yamaguchi responded with a polite smile, "Nice to meet you. I wish the movie great success."

Her schedule seemed rushed. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, she nodded to Tetsuji Inoue again and hurriedly left with her assistant.

Watching her departing figure, Chen Bingwen's mind raced.

He clearly remembers that this now-famous Japanese national idol will resolutely retire at the peak of her career next year (1980) to devote herself to her husband and children, stay away from the entertainment industry, and leave behind an eternal legend.

A thought instantly popped into his head: before Momoe Yamaguchi retires, seize the opportunity to invite her to be his spokesperson!

Momoe Yamaguchi's healthy, pure, and approachable image perfectly matches the "Pulse" product's message of "instant refreshment" and "energetic freshness."

Moreover, her current popularity is unmatched. If we can get her to be the spokesperson, it will have a nuclear-level effect on enhancing the brand image and increasing brand awareness of "Pulse"!

This is far more direct and powerful than simply relying on movie-related promotion!
Most importantly, from her debut to her retirement from the entertainment industry, and even in the decades that followed, Momoe Yamaguchi never had any scandals, and her image remained positive, healthy, and clean.

This perfectly aligns with the brand image that "Pulse" wants to establish.

If we could invite her to be the spokesperson for "Pulse" before she retires...
With Jackie Chan for men and Momoe Yamaguchi for women, one representing kung fu and vitality, and the other representing purity and health, the combination of the two will create an unparalleled brand synergy!

Jackie Chan's "Drunken Master" attracted young male audiences and kung fu film enthusiasts, while Momoe Yamaguchi could reach a wider audience of housewives, young women, and the general public.

"Pulse" will no longer be an accessory attached to the movie, but a star product with independent and strong brand appeal!
“Mr. Inoue,” Chen Bingwen withdrew his gaze and asked Tetsuji Inoue seemingly casually, “What’s Ms. Yamaguchi’s schedule like lately?”
Do you still accept advertising endorsements?

(End of this chapter)