Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 382 Planning
On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year in the Year of the Dragon, at the headquarters of Tengda Group's Technology Building, the entire building was meticulously decorated, exuding a strong festive atmosphere.

A giant Chinese knot hangs in the atrium of the high ceiling, and a festive New Year's greeting animation plays on an electronic screen. Kumquat bonsai are placed at the entrances of elevators on each floor, and small red lanterns are hung there.

However, lacking the usual hustle and bustle, the interior of the building felt somewhat empty and quiet.

Inside the chairman's office, before the appointed time, Liu Shishi, who had come with her husband to Tengda to visit employees, was sitting on the sofa scrolling through Weibo.

Today she wore a simple yet elegant blue trench coat, with a scarf casually draped over her shoulders, exuding a low-key and effortless elegance.

Behind her desk, Song Ci was intently browsing her work emails, with Chen An, the group's chief financial officer and the leader on duty that day, sitting opposite her.

Song Ci stared at the computer screen and casually asked, "President Chen, has the group's 2011 financial report been compiled yet?"

"There are still some details that haven't been calculated, but the general data is out."

Song Ci paused slightly as she manipulated the mouse, then looked at Chen An expectantly: "How are the revenue and profit figures?"

Chen An could not hide his excitement: "The group's annual revenue was 1118 billion yuan, and its net profit was 424 billion yuan."

"Great! That's fantastic!" Song Ci exclaimed excitedly, clenching her fist and lightly tapping her palm. "With revenue exceeding 100 billion, Tengda is now a true industry giant."

Chen An quickly flattered, "This is all thanks to your excellent leadership!"

"Tengda's development to where it is today is the result of everyone's joint efforts." Song Ci was delighted. After a moment's thought, he decided to let employees share in the fruits of the group's development.

So he pressed the short number on the desk and said, "Director Jiang, come up here and call Song Xueying and Jian Ning as well."

A short while later, Jiang Tiantian, the group's office director, arrived at the office with Song Ci's two secretaries, Song Xueying and Jian Ning.

"Happy New Year, Chairman Song and Madam! Happy New Year, President Chen!" After the three finished their greetings, they waited for Song Ci to arrange their work.

Song Ci's gaze swept over the three women: "The Spring Festival came early this year, and the human resources and finance departments didn't have time to complete the year-end bonus calculations. Currently, they are all being pre-paid. Just now, General Manager Chen reported the group's operating data to me, which far exceeded my expectations."

After a brief pause, he instructed Jiang Tiantian, "Make a note of this. After the New Year, notify HR and finance that departments with an A rating will receive a 30% bonus, and departments with a B rating will receive an additional 10%. Once the statistics are compiled, have Cao Yun submit them to General Manager Chen for approval, and then have me sign them."

After saying that, he added, "Wang Jing is on maternity leave, so please take care of the year-end bonus for me, Mr. Chen."

Chen An nodded in agreement: "Okay."

"I've got it, Chairman Song." Jiang Tiantian smiled broadly. The office received an A in its performance evaluation last year, and as the head of the office, she would receive a significantly larger year-end bonus this time.

Song Ci then looked at the two secretaries: "How's the handover going?"

Song Xueying smiled and said, "Jian Ning is learning very quickly, and the work in the secretariat has been completely handed over."

Jian Ning quickly responded, her tone full of enthusiasm: "Don't worry, Chairman Song, I will definitely do a good job as a secretary."

Upon hearing this, Liu Shishi raised her head and carefully examined her husband's new secretary. She was about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, petite, with a delicate baby face, and a very pleasing appearance.

After hearing this, Song Ci smiled and nodded: "In that case, Xueying should go and report to Wang Fengying's place after the New Year."

The scene of my first meeting with Song Xueying when I registered at Peking University suddenly flashed into my mind, and I couldn't help but sigh: "Senior, it's been 8 years since we met! You'll need to take charge at Devon. Whether you can handle it depends on your abilities!"

Song Xueying smiled brightly and bowed to Song Ci, saying, "Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I will not let you down. I will fully cooperate with President Wang and keep an eye on Dewen Manufacturing for you."

Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look. They heard that the chairman had established a new company, and it seemed that Song Xueying was going to be transferred to the new company as a senior executive.

After giving a few instructions, Song Ci raised his hand and glanced at his watch: "It's time! As usual, let's start the visit from the first floor."

On the first floor of the building, Song Ci, dressed in a suit and tie, walked at the front with a tall and steady gait.

Liu Shishi affectionately linked arms with her husband, her face bearing her usual gentle smile, perfectly appropriate for public appearances. Yet, a subtle hint of curiosity and novelty lingered in her clear eyes.

A few steps behind the two were Jiang Tiantian, her two secretaries, and two or three accompanying staff members responsible for coordination.

Liu Shishi leaned closer and whispered, "Honey, do you think I should do what you did next year for Chinese New Year and visit the studio staff?"

Song Ci joked, "No need, as long as the bonus is paid."

The two walked side by side, chatting and laughing, and soon arrived at the data center on the first floor.

A supervisor on duty quickly stepped forward, swiped the access card, and pushed open the heavy soundproof door.

A deep humming sound came from the server rack, and a dozen technicians in uniform were intently staring at their respective screens.

Upon noticing the arrival of the chairman and his entourage, everyone immediately stood up, their faces showing a mixture of restraint and festive joy.

The supervisor announced loudly, "The chairman and his wife have gone to great lengths to visit us on the first day of the Lunar New Year. Please welcome them!"

"Hello, Mr. Song! Hello, Madam!" Greetings rang out in an instant.

"Thank you all for your hard work, Happy New Year." Song Ci's voice was gentle yet strong, filled with sincere gratitude, making everyone feel as if they were bathed in a spring breeze.

Song Xueying stepped forward at the opportune moment and handed a thick stack of red envelopes to the chairman. Song Ci took them, but did not distribute them immediately. Instead, he smiled and turned to his wife, giving her a knowing look.

Liu Shishi understood immediately, her eyes crinkling with a smile, and she took the stack of brand-new red envelopes from her husband's hands.

The red envelopes are specially made, printed with the Tengda logo and a gold-stamped "福" (Fu, meaning good fortune). When you hold them in your hand, you can feel a thin piece of paper inside.

Approaching the first slightly nervous young technician, I handed him a red envelope with a warm smile: "Thank you for your hard work. My husband and I wish you all a happy new year."

The chairman's wife had a clear and pleasant voice, with the infectious charm unique to celebrities.

"Thank you, Madam! Thank you, Chairman Song!" The young man accepted the red envelope with both hands, his face flushed. He clearly hadn't expected to be so close to this goddess on screen, let alone be the first to receive a New Year's red envelope from her. As Liu Shishi distributed the red envelopes, Song Ci casually asked, "Zhang Tao, I remember the data center's assessment result this year was an A, right?"

Supervisor Zhang Tao immediately replied, "Yes, Chairman Song."

Song Ci nodded slightly, showing his satisfaction with the data center's work last year. "I just told the office that after the New Year, the departments that get an A will receive 30% more bonuses."

"Long live!" "Thank you, Chairman!" The data center was filled with excitement, and cheers echoed throughout the room. During the Spring Festival, nothing is more inspiring than a substantial bonus.

One floor, two floors, three floors... From the security monitoring room that requires 24-hour duty, to the cutting-edge communications laboratory, and then to Tenda's most profitable TD gaming platform, Liu Shishi followed her husband as he shuttled between various departments of Tenda.

At each stop, Song Ci would pause to briefly inquire about the work situation and carefully remind everyone of safety precautions.

Liu Shishi was responsible for personally delivering the gold-embossed "Fu" (福, meaning good fortune) red envelopes to each employee on duty. The couple had a clear division of labor and worked together seamlessly.

Meanwhile, in a VIP box at the Chang'an Club in Beiping, several film and television company executives gathered.

Wang Changtian of Enlight Media, Yu Dong of Bona Film Group, Ding Mingshan of Beiping Culture, Liu Yanming of Hairun Pictures, and the Wang brothers of Huayi Brothers—these well-known figures in the entertainment industry all wore solemn expressions at this moment.

Yu Dong cut to the chase: "President Wang, we've called everyone over for the New Year, so just get straight to the point."

Wang Zhongjun, the organizer of today's event, slowly sipped his tea: "Goodbye Mr. Loser has already grossed 4 million yuan. Judging from this momentum, breaking 10 billion yuan is a sure thing."

"Tengda really made a killing this time!" Wang Changtian couldn't help but exclaim. Enlight Media's net profit for the entire year of 2011 was only 1.4 million yuan, while the total investment in "Goodbye Mr. Loser" including publicity and distribution was less than 5000 million yuan. The profit of one movie far exceeded that of Enlight Media.

Yu Dong slammed his fist on the table, indignantly saying, "Damn it, let alone compared to Tengda Culture, Bona didn't even earn as much as Liu Shishi last year! And this year is another bad start! If this continues, we might as well all starve."

Everyone present knew perfectly well that starting in mid-December of last year, the two blockbusters "Flying Swords of Dragon Gate" and "The Flowers of War" were released, and at one point they accounted for 97% of the entire box office.

Just when it was finally out of theaters, "Goodbye Mr. Loser" suddenly appeared.

One film drained the entire Spring Festival box office, causing other films released at the same time to lose money, resulting in serious losses for several film companies, including Huayi Brothers, Enlight Media, and Bona Film Group, throughout the Spring Festival season.

Wang Zhongjun cleared his throat: "I've invited everyone here today to discuss a strategy. Tengda now has a complete industry chain, encompassing production, distribution, and theaters."

"The key is that Tengda's marketing and distribution capabilities are too strong," Yu Dong frowned, "They coordinate online and offline efforts, penetrating every corner."

A glint of shrewdness flashed in Wang Zhongjun's eyes: "So my suggestion is that we join forces. We're not lacking in production or theater distribution; the key is to work together on marketing and promotion."

The bigwigs present exchanged glances, all understanding the deeper meaning behind Wang Zhongjun's words.

The success of "Goodbye Mr. Loser" is not only due to the high quality of the film itself, but also to Tengda's strong marketing and distribution capabilities and the star effect.

The existing fan base of Liu Shishi, Yang Mi, and Hu Ge, coupled with the nostalgia factor of "Chinese Paladin 3," gave this movie a significant boost.

Wang Zhongjun picked up his teacup and took a sip, his eyes flashing with shrewd calculation: "You all should have noticed that last year, Tengda Group successively acquired Nuomi.com and Mtime.com, and integrated them into the 'Nuomi Time' app."

Partnering with major cinema chains, we've implemented a seamless online seat selection and ticketing service. The success of the "Goodbye Mr. Loser" promotional campaign through Nuomi Time demonstrates the immense potential of the online ticketing market.

Wang Changtian frowned: "Tengda's internet DNA is too strong. Even if we join forces, it will be difficult to compete with them in online promotion."

"Just because we can't do it doesn't mean others can't." Wang Zhongjun smiled meaningfully. "The internet world isn't something Tenda can control alone."

Yu Dong impatiently tapped the table: "President Wang, stop beating around the bush, just say what you're thinking!"

"Nuomi Time was originally a group-buying website, and who is the leader in the domestic group-buying market?" Wang Zhongjun looked around at everyone, "It's Meituan!"

Meituan is preparing to spin off its online ticketing business within its entertainment division into "Maoyan Movies." They hope to establish strategic partnerships with leading film and television companies and have invited us to invest.

Yu Dong's eyes lit up: "Meituan is also entering the film industry?" He immediately expressed his support, "That's a great suggestion!"

Wang Changtian looked conflicted. Enlight Media and Tengda had always had a good relationship, and even the richest man in China gave him some face. If he were to invest in Maoyan Movies, it would be a clear act of going against Tengda Nuomi Time.

"Everyone, Tengda's advantage lies not only in its ticketing platform. Movie promotion cannot be separated from Weibo, and online payment cannot be separated from WeChat Pay. If these problems are not solved, relying solely on Maoyan Movies will probably not be enough!"

“Mr. Wang, you’re overthinking it,” Wang Zhongjun interrupted confidently. “Alibaba Group will officially enter the film and television industry this year, learning from Tenda’s strategy of building a large-scale entertainment platform.”

Online payments can be made via Alipay. As for advertising, Weibo has never hindered normal business competition.

Upon hearing this, Ding Mingshan and Liu Yanming, who had been silent throughout the room, exchanged a knowing glance. Neither of them wanted to get involved in the struggle between the two major internet groups.

Huayi, Bona, and Enlight Media are all listed companies with large and powerful businesses. When they run out of money, they can just fleece investors in the stock market. Beiping Culture and Hairun Pictures are not like that either.

Liu Yanming shook his head slightly. Hairun Pictures has always focused on TV series production as its core business, with little involvement in film production. Even if Maoyan Movies is established, it will not be of much help to Hairun.

As for Ding Mingshan, he even had the idea of ​​leaving. The predecessor of Beiping Culture was the state-owned enterprise Jingxi Tourism, and he became the largest shareholder of the company through targeted capital increase.

To date, Beiping Culture has not produced a single film. He had assumed Wang Zhongjun had invited him today to discuss film project collaborations, but it turned out to be a direct competition with Tengda.

With this thought in mind, Ding Mingshan stood up to take his leave: "Everyone, I have guests at home, and my wife is urging me to go back. I'm sorry, I'll treat you another day." After saying this, he cupped his hands in greeting and walked straight outside.

Seeing this, Liu Yanming followed closely behind, exchanged a few polite words, and also hurriedly left, not wanting to stay a moment longer.

Wang Changtian wanted to persuade him to stay, but Yu Dong waved him off, saying, "President Wang, we have different paths and cannot work together. Since we are not on the same page, there is no point in forcing him to stay."

Wang Changtian sighed, feeling a pang of regret. Hairun, as one of the first private film and television companies in China to obtain a Class A "TV series production license," was quite powerful and had close ties with CCTV, with extensive connections.

"Forced relationships are never sweet. Let them be, Mr. Wang." Wang Zhongjun sneered. Alibaba's Jack Ma personally promised to cooperate with Meituan. If Liu Yanming and Ding Mingshan fail to seize the opportunity, they will regret it sooner or later.

"Mr. Wang, Mr. Yu has agreed to invest in Maoyan Movies. What does Enlight Media say? Should we get on board?"

(End of this chapter)