Super Bowl Domination

Chapter 321 The So-called Conspiracy

Rejection, I was rejected?
Moreover, there was no hesitation or delay.

Donald didn't seem to struggle at all and rejected a $20 million contract without blinking, which means that the standard Donald set in his heart is far more than that.

Stanley: ...

So, what kind of contract did Nike give Levi that made Donald so confident?

Stanley almost lost his composure. This was the second time - no, the third time - that expectations had been broken and the situation had been overturned. He had to use all his might to control himself and barely remain calm.

“Donald, you should have seen our original offer.”

Donald noticed Stanley's gaze. This time he did not refuse Stanley. He picked up the note on the table and opened it:

One million and a half dollars. Three years.

In other words, Stanley raised his offer by two levels in one go, which really showed his absolute sincerity.

Stanley noticed Donald showing the note to Levi, and he quickly added, "I agree with you. Levi is different. We should create a new image around Levi, youthful, fearless, brave, and glorious, just like creating a new protagonist in a game, not only to make people want to follow Levi's footsteps to level up and fight monsters together, but also to make people want to become Levi."

"This is Levi's advantage. We should make full use of it."

"Levi is a spokesperson, but he is more than that. We can even write a storyline around him and shoot a series of advertisements, and let our other spokespersons cooperate with the whole story. I believe the market will go crazy for them."

"Of course, the specifics still need to be discussed and handed over to professionals, but I think Levi can become the iconic figure of Pepsi's cooperation with the NFL. He will not only appear in every live game, but also on the Super Bowl halftime show screen, with 24 hours multiplied by seven days of all-weather exposure."

"Levi's belief and PepsiCo's innovation, we can make each other better."

"There is no doubt that Levi's and Pepsi are the perfect match for each other."

With a crackling sound, Stanley showed a hint of eagerness. Now that he had decided to go all in, Stanley no longer held back.

Donald was still not in a hurry. He folded the paper slowly and said, "Yes, I know. Levi is the unique image of the league now. I believe that what we see is only a part of his brand effect. There is a vast world waiting for us to explore together."

"I agree with you."

"Levi can be a hero that everyone admires, and at the same time he can represent every ordinary person. Levi is a man with a dream, and every step he takes can write a legend and create history."

"There is a whole new world ahead of us. Levi can accomplish this feat with any brand, but we hope it will be Pepsi."

"So, seven million dollars a year for five years."

Donald casually dropped a pound, as if he was saying seven hundred dollars, completely unaware that there was a string of zeros following it.

Stanley was stunned, but now he was no longer anxious and completely calmed down.

It seems that Donald came prepared, and the "coincidence" with Coca-Cola was an open conspiracy.

But the key is here. Donald believes that Pepsi is unwilling to miss Levi and believes that the competition between Pepsi and Coca-Cola in the field of competitive sports has become fierce.

After all, PepsiCo has finally completed the Grand Slam of title sponsorship of the four major professional leagues in North America and finally suppressed Coca-Cola. They definitely do not want the situation they have worked so hard to build to be disrupted by Coca-Cola again.

Moreover, Donald believed that Pepsi's ambitions went beyond this. Although he had no way of knowing Pepsi's future plans as those were trade secrets, he was sure that Pepsi was not going to such great lengths just for the football market.

This is an open conspiracy.

Even though he had been discovered, he still had to step in and fight head-on. At this time, Stanley had completely calmed down.

Not only was he not angry, but he became even more excited.

Thinking back carefully, the meeting this afternoon was a carefully planned and well-organized one. Stanley was completely in Donald's pocket and never took the initiative. But looking at it from another perspective, was the result of Donald's careful planning just a $35 million contract with Pepsi?

No, Stanley doesn't think so.

At this point, Stanley once again recalled Donald's first question after they met:
“What brand image does PepsiCo think Levi’s will impress the market with?”

The key word is: brand image.

So, can Stanley infer that Donald is screening brand sponsorships for Levi to build a brand image?

Vehicles. Watches. Fashion. Wine. Drinks.

Different brands in different fields finally join forces to create a lifestyle:
The blue-collar worker who drives a pickup truck to the refinery every day and drinks a bottle of beer in the bar when he gets home, the playboy who drives a Ferrari around the world and enjoys Michelin three-star ratings, and the hard-working genius who drives a Chevrolet and wears a Rolex between the training base and the home every day - these are three completely different images, and the target audiences of the brands are naturally different.

Just like Roger Federer in tennis.

Therefore, Pepsi is also one of the brands that Donald focuses on.

In other words, if Donald's blueprint fits with Pepsi's vision, then they are a perfect match made in heaven, and can achieve the effect of one plus one being greater than two.

This means that Pepsi should not miss out on Levi.

Suddenly, Stanley began to wonder what other brands Levi had met with this afternoon. It wasn't just Coca-Cola. They should raise their profile a little bit. Those brands were not competitors of Pepsi. On the contrary, they found a common ground in Levi and could be considered indirect partners.

Perhaps Pepsi should also raise its sights.

It seems extremely long to describe, but in fact, it is just a moment in the mind.

When Stanley heard "seven million dollars a year", his first reaction was "absurd". Pepsi's proposals of one and a half million dollars and four million dollars seemed like a joke. He believed that Coca-Cola would not be able to match the offer. But now it seems that Donald was not making a random request.

It seems that there will be no winner in this chess game today.

There was no way. Donald's offer was beyond his authority. Moreover, things were complicated and Pepsi still needed to hold a meeting.

However, cooperation negotiations are like this, there is no need to rush.

Stanley controlled himself, smiled, and said half-seriously.

"I'm sorry, this is beyond my authority, but I will pass your request on to headquarters."

After a few brief greetings, Stanley stood up. Looking at Levi, whose eyes were clear and his expression was calm throughout, he couldn't help but admire him.

“I hope we can cooperate in the future.”

Levi smiled and said, "Of course, it's a big check."

Stanley's smile blossomed with a hint of sarcasm in his frankness. Although the cooperation was not reached, it was indeed a pleasant meeting.

(End of this chapter)