Rebirth in Hong Kong: From Dessert Shop to Industrial Empire

Chapter 122 Compensation (Seeking monthly votes and recommendations to continue reading)
Wu Siyuan could almost imagine the surprised expression on the faces of the Cathay Group executives when they heard about this new cooperation model.

“Not only that,” Chen Bingwen added, “if Cathay Organisation agrees to cooperate, then the next steps will be handled entirely by Mr. Li Mingzhe, the newly appointed deputy general manager of our Chen Kee Southeast Asia branch.”

In the future, our film and television copyright collaborations and brand partnerships in Southeast Asia will be gradually integrated into the branch office's business portfolio.

Wu Siyuan was completely convinced. "I will contact Guotai Group as soon as I get back and convey your opinion to them, Mr. Chen!"

"Thank you, Mr. Wu. Whether it's Dongbao Donghe or Guotai Group, you can give them a hint. Besides them, I can find other distribution agencies to cooperate with!"

"I understand! Mr. Chen, don't worry!" Wu Siyuan nodded emphatically, a little excited, and said, "I will definitely pass on this message!"
Let them know that if they want to win "Drunken Master", they have to show the utmost sincerity!

I believe that anyone with a modicum of common sense will see the enormous potential in your combination of 'product + culture'!

As he spoke, he stood up, grasped Chen Bingwen's hand, and said with a face full of admiration, "Mr. Chen, it was truly worth it for me to come here today!"

I've learned a set of top-notch marketing techniques that have revolutionized traditional film distribution and commercial marketing models. I, Wu Siyuan, am truly impressed by your business acumen!

If you have any good projects in the future, please be sure to include me!

After seeing off Wu Siyuan, who was filled with shock and excitement, Chen Bingwen returned to his desk.

Wu Siyuan's visit was like a fuse, igniting his strategic blueprint for "products" and "culture," and the core engine of this blueprint was undoubtedly Cheng Long.

He knew that after "Drunken Master" became a huge hit, it would continue to be a phenomenon throughout the 1980s and early 1990s.

In the cultural and entertainment market of East Asia and even Southeast Asia, Jackie Chan is the only male movie star who can single-handedly create a continuous frenzy and is the undisputed king.

Its enormous box office appeal, approachable and wholesome screen image, and unique charm brought by its dedication and hard work generate phenomenal commercial value.

Therefore, we must make full use of Jackie Chan's three-year endorsement period!

His decision to sign a three-year endorsement contract with Jackie Chan through Sugar Capital, rather than a longer one, was a well-considered one.

First, to avoid suspicion of taking advantage of someone's vulnerability.

Although Jackie Chan was just beginning to emerge at the time, he was far from reaching the superstar status he would later achieve, and his contract value was not maximized.

Signing an ultra-low-price contract for an excessively long period may lock in costs, but if Cheng Long becomes a huge star, it could easily sow discord between the two parties, which would be detrimental to long-term cooperation.

Three years is a timeframe that allows one to enjoy the benefits of its growth while also appearing fair and reasonable.

Secondly, and more importantly, he has absolute confidence in the development of Chenji itself.

He firmly believes that with three years and the "nuclear bomb"-level boost from Chenglong, it will be enough to deeply implant the "Jinba" and "Maidong" brand series products into the minds of target consumers.

At that time, the brand's own strength will become the dominant factor, and the reliance on a single celebrity spokesperson will be greatly reduced.

These three years represent a crucial window of opportunity for rapid development.

"But in these three years, we must extract as much commercial value as possible from Jackie Chan. No, we must maximize the cooperation."

Chen Bingwen muttered to himself.

With that in mind, he picked up the phone and asked his secretary to call his legal advisor, Gu Yongxian.

A moment later, Gu Yongxian knocked on Chen Bingwen's office door and came in carrying a file folder.

"Mr. Chen, you wanted to see me?" Gu Yongxian asked.

“Attorney Gu, please sit down.” Chen Bingwen gestured for him to sit down. “There are two things I’d like to know the progress of. One is the lawsuit filed by Luo Wei Pictures against Sugar Heart Capital, and the other is our countersuit against Business Express for defamation.”

What's the situation now?

Gu Yongxian nodded and smiled confidently: "Mr. Chen, I was just about to report to you."

Both cases are progressing very smoothly; in fact, you could say they're nearing their end.

He opened the file bag and took out two documents.

“Let’s talk about the lawsuit between Lo Wei Films and Sugar Heart Capital first.” Gu Yongxian pushed a document to Chen Bingwen. “Lo Wei is already at its last gasp.”

He explained, “Following our established strategy, we made full use of Sugar Heart Capital’s Cayman Islands registered entity status and the detail that Cheng Long used the English name ‘JACK CHEN’ when he signed the contract, setting up multiple legal obstacles on issues such as jurisdiction and legal standing.”

Lowe's lawyers were overwhelmed dealing with these procedural issues, holding at least three hearings on cross-border service of process and applicable law disputes alone, which consumed a significant amount of their time and money.

Gu Yongxian said dismissively, "Luowei Film Industry itself is not large in scale and does not have abundant funds."

During this period, they were already struggling financially just from paying high legal fees and travel expenses.

Moreover, with the box office success of "Drunken Master" and Jackie Chan's soaring net worth, Lo Wei's eagerness to cash out intensified, making the longer the lawsuit dragged on, the more disadvantageous it would be for him.

“So,” Gu Yongxian concluded, “last week, Luo Wei’s lawyer contacted me and expressed his willingness to settle.”

Their conditions were: we would pay a symbolic HK$1 in compensation, they would withdraw their lawsuit, acknowledge the legality and validity of Cheng Long's endorsement contract for Jinba beverage, and waive any further claims.

Chen Bingwen sneered, "One yuan? A symbolic compensation? Hmph, he certainly knows how to save face."

"However, should we give him that face?" "I think we can." Gu Yongxian analyzed, "Although we are confident that we will win the case in the end, the litigation itself is time-consuming and laborious, and Cheng Long is currently in the rising stage of his career. Completely tearing off the mask will not be good for his personal image or the Chenji brand."

One Hong Kong dollar, merely a symbol, completely resolved this trouble, freeing Jackie Chan from Lo Wei's entanglement so he could focus on endorsing and working for us. It was well spent.

Chen Bingwen pondered for a moment, then nodded: "Hmm, that makes sense."

If it were up to me, I wouldn't even give him one Hong Kong dollar.

However, continuing like this will indeed affect Cheng Long.

Moreover, the company's recent product promotions require Cheng Long's involvement.

If things aren't resolved on Luo Wei's side, it will indeed be quite inconvenient.

In that case, you will represent Sugar Heart Capital to negotiate and sign a settlement agreement as soon as possible.

But remember, the agreement must clearly state that Lo Wei relinquishes all rights to Jackie Chan's endorsement and guarantees that he will not harass Jackie Chan or Chan's company with this matter in the future.

"Understood! I will make sure the terms are watertight," Gu Yongxian replied.

“Okay. What about Business Express?” Chen Bingwen turned to the second case. Compared to Luo Wei’s unreasonable arguments, he found Business Express’s malicious defamation even more disgusting.

Gu Yongxian picked up the second document and said with a smile, "In the case of 'Business Express,' we have the absolute initiative, and the evidence is conclusive."

"After seeing our patent certificates and the agreements we signed with three companies, Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and Suntory, the judge fully accepted our evidence."

Ultimately, it was determined that "Business Express" constituted serious commercial defamation, causing substantial damage to Chenji Food's good reputation.

The court ruled that Business Express should publish a court-approved apology on its front page, clarifying the facts, acknowledging the inaccuracies in its report, and issuing a public apology to Chen Kee Foods.

They demanded HK$200,000 in compensation for our reputational damage.

After saying that, he added, "Although the amount of this judgment is not astronomical, it is of great significance."

It's not just about providing us with financial compensation; it's about the court clearing our name from a legal perspective and completely dispelling those false rumors.

This is worth far more than 200,000 to our subsequent business negotiations and brand image building.

Chen Bingwen was very satisfied with the outcome. What he needed was not an exorbitant compensation, but a legal victory and clarification of public opinion.

“Very good!” Chen Bingwen tapped his finger lightly on the desk. “This 200,000 yuan compensation will not be kept for itself. It will all be donated to the Polytechnic College in the name of Chen’s Food to establish a ‘Food Science and Engineering’ scholarship.”

I want everyone to see the price of spreading rumors and slander.

"Chen Sheng's move is far-sighted!" Gu Yongxian exclaimed sincerely. "It is not only a manifestation of corporate social responsibility, but also a clear warning to the industry, achieving two goals at once."

"As for the 1 yuan settlement from Lo Wei Film Company," Chen Bingwen sneered, "consider it feeding the dogs."

The important thing is that we have Cheng Long completely under our control, and these external flies and mosquitoes should finally be quiet.

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Once these two matters are resolved, external interference will be basically eliminated."

"I'll be working hard on negotiating the Southeast Asian and Japanese distribution rights for the film 'Drunken Master.'"

After finishing his explanation, Chen Bingwen told Gu Yongxian about the specific details of the Japanese and Southeast Asian copyrights for the film "Drunken Master".

After understanding the specific situation, Gu Yongxian said, "Don't worry, Mr. Chen! I will follow up with Dongbao Donghe and Guotai Group to ensure that the negotiations proceed according to your wishes."

“Okay!” Chen Bingwen nodded. “Remember, the core principle is the deep integration and mutual support of ‘product + culture’.”

Regarding the specific business terms, you can fully communicate with Vincent Fang and Ling Peiyi, and flexibly negotiate within their bottom line.

"Understood!" Gu Yongxian solemnly promised, then stood up to take his leave. "I will go and prepare the negotiation materials now, and start formal consultations with the other party as soon as possible."

In the following days, after finishing his daily tasks, he would always take some time to visit the R&D center.

Zhou Zhiyuan and Isabella's team are working hard to develop a "Pulse" formula that is more suitable for the tastes of consumers in Europe, America and Japan.

Every time he came, he was treated like a "guinea pig," tasting the samples he prepared.

This is not an easy and pleasant task; on the contrary, it requires a great deal of focus and patience.

As they gradually became more familiar with each other, Isabella's free-spirited nature slowly began to emerge.

When she saw Chen Bingwen coming over, she would excitedly hand him a glass of liquid of an inexplicable color.

"Boss! Try this! What do you think?"

Chen Bingwen looked at the suspiciously colored liquid in the glass, then at Isabella's excited face, and smiled helplessly.

Ever since I discovered that this boss is not only approachable but also provides accurate feedback.

Isabella is getting bolder and bolder, daring to put all sorts of "outlandish ideas" into his mouth.

(End of this chapter)