Rebirth in Hong Kong: From Dessert Shop to Industrial Empire

Chapter 100 Not finding money on the way out is a loss (Seeking monthly votes and recommendations to continue reading)
Raymond Chow was the first to extend his hand. He had a refined demeanor and a faint smile on his face: "Mr. Chen, I've heard so much about you."

I've been seeing the title "King of Dessert Soup" in the newspapers lately; I never imagined he was so young.

I heard that you recently managed to get those bigwigs from Coca-Cola and Nestlé to sit down and sign the papers obediently?
"The younger generation is truly formidable."

Chen Bingwen shook hands with him and smiled slightly, saying, "Chairman Zou, you flatter me."

It was just good luck; I happened to have some small technical skills that others needed. I'm not some kind of big shot.

Compared to the film empire built by Golden Harvest, my small factory was just a means to make ends meet.

He Guanchang laughed and said, "Mr. Chen is too modest."

The fact that the dessert business has taken off and attracted the attention of international giants cannot be simply attributed to luck.

Siyuan's judgment was spot-on this time, and the sponsorship he found was also excellent.

Raymond Chow swirled his wine glass and laughed heartily, “Since Mr. Chen thinks so highly of movies and has such a sharp business acumen, would you be interested in investing in one of Golden Harvest’s films?”

"I guarantee you'll make money faster than selling sweet soup."

Although he didn't know whether Raymond Chow's words were a joke or a test, Chen Bingwen's heart stirred.

He maintained a humble and polite smile on his face, but his mind was already racing with calculations.

The next few years were the golden age for Golden Harvest.

Jackie Chan, needless to say, has made a name for himself with films like "Young Master," "Project A," and "Police Story," each more successful than the last, often grossing tens of millions at the box office. If one could invest in such films, the return would be more than tenfold.

Sammo Hung's "Lucky Stars" series is a comedy-action film series that has low production costs but is always a box office success, making it a guarantee of box office success.

There are also Michael Hui's urban comedies, which, although not as explosive at the box office as action movies, are stable and well-received. Not to mention the big-budget productions that will go international in the future.

At this point in time, investing some spare cash in Golden Harvest's films is practically a sure-fire way to make money.

His mind raced, but he replied calmly, "Chairman Zou is too kind. Golden Harvest is a leader in the industry, with a keen eye for talent and production; every film is a critically acclaimed and commercially successful blockbuster."

Being able to participate in Jiahe's projects is an opportunity that many people would love to have.

If a suitable opportunity arises, I would naturally be more than eager to seize it.

After all, actors like Jackie Chan, with their unique appeal to audiences and fighting spirit, are truly rare. His future box office potential is probably immeasurable.

He naturally steered the conversation toward Jackie Chan, speaking sincerely as if he were analyzing a high-quality asset in a matter-of-fact manner.

At this time, Cheng Long was still languishing under Lo Wei's command, and it would be some time before Raymond Chow poached him with checks.

If we could use the opportunity of getting to know Raymond Chow to bring forward the time when Golden Harvest poached Jackie Chan, we could not only do Raymond Chow a favor, but also get Jackie Chan out of Lo Wei's control sooner.

Raymond Chow was indeed drawn in by these words and followed up by asking, "Oh? Mr. Chen thinks highly of Ah Long?"

“I have high hopes for him.” Chen Bingwen nodded affirmatively. “There are many kung fu actors, but I have only seen Jackie Chan who can combine action and comedy so naturally, making the fights exciting and making people laugh from the bottom of their hearts.”

This is a unique kind of audience appeal, or rather, 'box office appeal'.

This quality is far more valuable than simply being good at fighting.

I believe he will not only become a sensation in Hong Kong, but also achieve international fame.

He deliberately used the phrase "box office appeal," precisely hitting the nail on the head regarding Raymond Chow's role as a producer.

Raymond Chow and Robert Ho exchanged a meaningful glance.

They naturally knew Jackie Chan's value, but hearing such accurate and high praise from a young man who had no connection with the film industry but had achieved amazing success in foreign trade and commerce felt particularly different.

This seemed to confirm their judgment from the side, and even made them see more clearly the huge commercial potential in Jackie Chan.

Raymond Chow's smile deepened, and he raised his glass to Chen Bingwen: "Mr. Chen's eye for people seems to be just as sharp as his eye for business."

Okay, with that in mind, next time Golden Harvest releases a new film, I'll make sure Kwun Cheung leaves you a letter of intent for investment.

Perhaps we'll actually have the opportunity to collaborate in the future.

"That would be my honor," Chen Bingwen replied, raising his glass. The two exchanged knowing smiles.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Chen Bingwen and Ling Peiyi took their leave, leaving ample space for the film industry giants to internally process their conversation.

After they left, He Guanchang spoke first, whispering to Zou Wenhuai, "This young man is not simple."

He is meticulous in his speech and actions, leaving no room for error.

Raymond Chow gazed thoughtfully in the direction Chen Bingwen had left, then paused for a moment before slowly saying, "His point about Cheng Long's potential just now reminded us."

Siyuan has struck gold this time, but Jackie Chan's contract is still with Lo Wei Films after all.

He didn't say everything, but as a close friend, Ho Kwun-cheung knew that Raymond Chow's feelings for Jackie Chan had been completely ignited by Chan Ping-man's words.

He knew that once he got back, he would have to thoroughly investigate the details of the contract between Cheng Long and Lo Wei Company.

The following day, the entertainment section of the Overseas Chinese Daily published a brief report on the premiere of "Drunken Master" and included a group photo of the main cast and crew at the theater entrance.

The report stated that the film was "full of laughs, with novel fighting techniques, and quite entertaining."

Ta Kung Pao also gave a similar positive review.

The real power comes from word of mouth. Audience members who saw the premiere became the best promoters.

"Drunken Master is hilarious! Jackie Chan's drunken boxing is so interesting!"

"I recommend watching 'Drunken Master,' I guarantee you'll laugh until your stomach hurts!"

"I never imagined kung fu movies could be made like this, it's great!"

This kind of spontaneous word-of-mouth marketing is far more effective than advertising.

Box office figures for "Drunken Master" on its opening day have been released.

The manager of Golden Harvest Cinemas personally delivered the data to Raymond Chow and Raymond Ho's offices. "Mr. Chow, Mr. Ho, 'Drunken Master' has broken one million in box office revenue on its opening day!" the manager exclaimed excitedly.

"How much?!" Raymond Chow thought he had misheard.

"One million thirty-seven thousand Hong Kong dollars!" the theater manager read out clearly.

Raymond Chow and Leonard Ho exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock and elation in each other's eyes!

Breaking one million on the first day!
This was an absolute blockbuster achievement in the Hong Kong film industry at the time!
It's worth noting that last year's hugely popular film "Money Crazy" only garnered a little over 700,000 views on its opening day!

"Quickly! Increase the number of screenings immediately! All Golden Harvest cinemas should prioritize showing 'Drunken Master' during prime time!" Raymond Chow ordered immediately.

The news spread like wildfire.

The entire Hong Kong film industry was shaken!
Breaking one million on the first day!
This suggests that "Drunken Master" is very likely to be a strong contender for the annual box office champion!
The next day, the box office revenue actually increased instead of decreasing, reaching 1.1 million!

On the third day, Sunday, the box office reached 1.3 million!

First-week box office results: HK$5.68 million!
This number not only easily surpassed the opening weekend record of Ng See-yuen's own films, but also left the record of "Snake in the Eagle's Shadow" far behind!

The entire island of Hong Kong was in an uproar! Newspaper entertainment sections were filled with headlines about "Drunken Master" and Jackie Chan!

"Drunken Master" raked in a staggering 568 million in its opening week! Jackie Chan's career soars to new heights!

"A new peak in kung fu comedy!"

"Drunken Master" ignites the entire city!

"Wu Siyuan is creating another box office miracle! Is Jackie Chan succeeding Bruce Lee?"

Wu Siyuan looked at the eye-catching headlines and astonishing figures in the newspaper, and his hand holding the newspaper trembled slightly.

The overwhelming joy and unbelievable shock left him momentarily dazed.

He had anticipated success, but never dared to dream of such tremendous success!
This has completely exceeded his expectations of "recovering costs and making a small profit"!

Jackie Chan, the young man he discovered and pushed to the lead role despite opposition, has truly succeeded!

And "Drunken Master," a kung fu film in which he tried to incorporate comedic elements, actually created a new trend!
He immediately dialed Chen Bingwen's number and excitedly said, "Mr. Chen! Mr. Chen! 'Drunken Master' has grossed 5.68 million in its opening week! 5.68 million!"

On the other end of the phone, Chen Bingwen laughed and said, "Congratulations, Mr. Wu! I told you this movie would be a huge hit."

The era of Jackie Chan has begun.

"Yes! Yes! It's all thanks to Mr. Chen's support!" Wu Siyuan was now filled with admiration for Chen Bingwen's initial investment and foresight.

"Director Wu, now we can talk about the copyright issues in Japan and Southeast Asia," Chen Bingwen reminded him at the opportune moment.

“Okay! Okay! I’ll have the copyright manager contact Director Ling immediately!” Wu Siyuan readily agreed.

The box office miracle of "Drunken Master" made the product placement of sugar water in the movie begin to show its power.

In the cinema, audiences talked about the scene between Wong Fei-hung and Beggar So at the "Chen's Dessert Shop" with great interest, especially Beggar So's line, "After a fight, have a bowl of dessert to soothe your throat!" which, coupled with Jackie Chan's satisfied expression at the time, left a deep impression on the audience.

As they left the theater, many viewers felt quite thirsty.

Seeing the eye-catching "Drunken Fist Set Meal" poster at Chen Ji Standard Store on the street, I naturally went inside.

"Boss, a 'Drunken Fist Set Meal', please! With mango pomelo sago and that blue 'Jinba'!"

"I want one too! After watching the movie, I'll have a bowl of sweet soup, and then try this 'instantly refreshing' drink!"

The staff at Chen Ji Standard Store were extremely busy.

Chen Bingwen's "Drunken Fist Package" promotional strategy achieved immediate results.

Sales of bottled sugar water and Jinba (a popular Chinese herbal tea brand) have been rising steadily with the popularity of the movie.

Meanwhile, giant posters featuring Cheng Long holding Jinba beverages began to appear in prominent locations at bus stops, subway entrances, and some partner convenience stores.

In the poster, Jackie Chan smiles brightly, radiating energy, while the ice-blue Jinba beverage in his hand perfectly complements his sunny and healthy image.

The name "Jinba" and the lightning bolt logo have become deeply ingrained in people's minds since the movie poster was released.

The movie's popularity and Jackie Chan's meteoric rise to fame have created a remarkable synergistic effect with Chen Ji products.

The line "instantly snapping back to reality," spoken by Beggar So in the movie, has now become the most fitting and powerful advertising slogan for Jinba energy drink!

Just as "Drunken Master" was enjoying a meteoric rise at the box office and Jackie Chan's name was becoming a household name in Hong Kong, Chen's "Jinba" beverage was also experiencing a surge in sales thanks to the film's success.

Inside Loway's office at Loway Film Company, the atmosphere was as oppressive as the calm before a storm.

Luo Wei's face was ashen, and he was clutching several newspapers tightly in his hand.

The entertainment section headline prominently featured the news of "Drunken Master" breaking box office records in its opening week, accompanied by a giant poster photo of Jackie Chan holding an ice-blue "Jinba" beverage, as well as an advertisement for Chen Kee's "Drunken Master Set Meal".

The poster shows Jackie Chan with a bright smile and full of energy, a stark contrast to his usual image when he directed kung fu films for his own company that received lukewarm reception.

Even more jarring is the eye-catching advertising slogan at the bottom of the poster:
"After the hard work, I instantly snapped back to reality! Powerful!"

"Bang!" Luo Wei slammed the newspaper on the table, making the teacup jump.

"Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!" he roared, his voice trembling with rage. "Chen Ji! You bastard Chen Ji! You're trying to poach my talent, Luo Wei!"

He clearly remembered that just before the release of "Drunken Master," Jackie Chan had cautiously mentioned to him that Chan Kee Foods wanted him to film a beverage commercial, with a good fee.

At the time, Luo Wei didn't take it seriously at all. How much of a future could a sugar water seller have?
Moreover, he was busy preparing for his new film and felt that shooting commercials was a waste of time, so he just brushed it off.

He never expected that "Drunken Master" would become such a hit!

To my surprise, Chen's actions were swift!

Before Jackie Chan's meteoric rise to fame had even fully materialized, their advertisements were already plastered all over the streets! The timing of these advertisements was perfect, riding the wave of popularity of "Drunken Master" and firmly linking Jackie Chan's image with Chen Ji's products!
In Luo Wei's view, this was nothing short of blatant robbery!

(End of this chapter)