Rebirth in Hong Kong: From Dessert Shop to Industrial Empire

Chapter 134 Shock (Third update of 10,000 words per day, please vote with monthly tickets and recommendations, and keep reading)

Tetsuji Inoue was taken aback, not expecting Chen Bingwen to ask this suddenly, but still answered, "Mr. Chen, Ms. Yamaguchi's schedule is very full, and she is extremely cautious about endorsement deals, usually only accepting top-tier brands. Is Mr. Chen interested in inviting her?"

“Yes.” Chen Bingwen did not hide anything and directly stated his intention, “Ms. Yamaguchi’s image is very healthy and positive, which is very consistent with the tone of our ‘Pulse’ energy drink.”

Ms. Yamaguchi's temperament and image perfectly represent our brand's ideal spokesperson.

He paused, then added, "Of course, this is just my initial idea."

The specific cooperation methods and details still need to be discussed in depth.

I wonder if Mr. Inoue could help with the introduction, or provide the contact information for Ms. Yamaguchi's management team?

We very much hope to have the opportunity to hold formal discussions.

“Mr. Chen,” Tetsuji Inoue replied cautiously, “Ms. Yamaguchi’s affairs are strictly managed by her agency.”

I can try to convey your intention to cooperate and provide the contact information of the person in charge of the brokerage company.

However, whether or not a collaboration can ultimately be undertaken, and the terms of such collaboration, require direct communication with the agency and must be approved by Ms. Yamaguchi herself.

“Of course!” Chen Bingwen replied immediately. “Thank you very much for Mr. Inoue’s help!”

"As long as you can help make the connection, we will take care of all the subsequent communication and efforts."

He had already started to plan: the window of opportunity was very limited, and he had to act as soon as possible.

If they can sign the contract before Momoe Yamaguchi retires, it will provide the strongest brand endorsement and traffic engine for "Pulse" to explode in the Japanese market.

More importantly, the combination of Cheng Long's kung fu energy and Yamaguchi Momoe's pure and healthy image as brand ambassadors will cover the widest consumer group, forming a brand barrier that is difficult to replicate!
In the future, whenever Japanese consumers think of "vitality," "health," and "refreshment," they will picture Jackie Chan's agile figure and Momoe Yamaguchi's pure smile, and "Pulse" will become the most direct carrier of this feeling!
No other brand can do that!
“Okay, Mr. Chen.” Tetsuji Inoue nodded. “I will convey your intentions to the head of Ms. Yamaguchi’s agency as soon as possible and provide you with their contact information.”

Please contact them directly afterward.

"Thank you again!" Chen Bingwen said solemnly.

February 11, 1979, Shinjuku, Tokyo.

A large crowd gathered in front of the Toho Cinema.

A huge poster for "Drunken Master" occupies the most eye-catching position, with Jackie Chan playing Wong Fei-hung in the starting stance of Drunken Fist, his eyes sharp yet with a hint of mischief.

Half an hour before the first screening, a long queue had already formed at the ticket window.

"Two tickets for 'Drunken Master'! The earliest showing!" a young office worker shouted eagerly to the ticket seller.

"I'm sorry, sir, the 7 p.m. showing is sold out. We only have a few tickets left for the 9:30 p.m. showing." The ticket seller replied without looking up.

"Midnight screenings are fine too!" The young man pulled out his money without hesitation.

Similar scenes were simultaneously playing out in multiple major cinemas in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya.

The intensive advertising blitz and precise trailer editing by Toho successfully ignited the audience's curiosity.

Many people bought tickets to see the new kung fu star.

The atmosphere in the cinema lobby was lively.

Besides the usual movie posters, the most eye-catching thing was the "Pulse" energy drink promotion point set up in a prominent position.

The light blue "Pulse" logo complements the poster for "Drunken Master".

The joint promotional slogan, "Watch 'Drunken Master,' drink some energy drinks, and you'll be instantly refreshed!" is clear and eye-catching.

The sales promoters, dressed in uniform, enthusiastically introduced the products:
"Sir, try 'Pulse' energy drink! One bottle and you'll feel instantly refreshed!"

"Buy a ticket to the movie 'Drunken Master' and get a bottle of 'Pulse' for only 100 yen!"

The freezer is neatly stacked with light blue bottles of "Pulse," and the energetic image of Jackie Chan is clearly visible on the bottle.

Many viewers were drawn in and picked up a bottle without thinking.

"I've seen the ad for this product, I'll try a bottle!"

"A drink while watching a movie, perfect!"

"Add-on for 100 yen? That's great!"

The lights dimmed, and the movie began.

The familiar opening theme music begins.

As the plot unfolded, bursts of laughter began to fill the theater.

Jackie Chan plays the young Wong Fei-hung, who staggers through the bamboo forest, seemingly drunk. The next second, he unleashes a set of fluid drunken boxing moves, knocking down several opponents!
The theater erupted in the first wave of gasps and applause!

"Great!"

"That move!"

This was followed by a thrilling chase and jump on a rooftop in the bustling city, with action that was exciting and thrilling, eliciting gasps from the audience.

Then comes the scene at "Chen's Sweet Soup" shop, where Wong Fei-hung rushes into the shop in a disheveled state, shouting, "Boss!"

"Quick! My throat's parched after the fight, a bowl of sweet soup to soothe it!" He took the chilled mango pomelo sago, tilted his head back and gulped down several mouthfuls, a look of utter satisfaction on his face: "Wow! Perfect! A bowl of Chen's sweet soup after a fight is better than heaven!"

This scene elicited knowing laughter and discussion from the audience:
"Ah! It's that dessert shop!"

"Mango pomelo sago? That looks delicious!"

"Mr. Jackie Chan is so cute!"

The climax, the final showdown on a rainy night, is a brutal and exhilarating battle!
Jackie Chan perfectly showcased the elegance, cunning, and explosive power of Drunken Fist. Coupled with meticulously designed sound effects and tight editing, the audience held their breath until Wong Fei-hung finally defeated his opponent, at which point the entire audience erupted in thunderous applause and cheers!
"So funny!"

"Jackie Chan's movements are very unique!"

"That drunken fist technique was so cool!"

"I really want to try Chen Ji Dessert's Mango Pomelo Sago!"

"This drunken boxing is exhilarating!"

The film ends, and the lights come on.

The audience erupted in enthusiastic and sustained applause!

The audience members wore smiles of lingering enjoyment, discussing the exciting fights and hilarious moments.

"Hey, do you remember when Jackie Chan said he wanted to go to 'Chen's for a bowl of sweet soup to soothe his throat' after a fight? Haha, that's hilarious!"

"You know what, I'm actually a bit thirsty after watching the action movie. How about we go buy a bottle of that 'Pulse' and try it?"

When the show ended, many audience members went straight to the "Pulse" promotion point in the lobby or the freezer in the convenience store.

"Boss, a bottle of mango pomelo sago, please!"

"Give me a bottle of that blue water!"

A small queue formed in front of the cashier, and the sales promoters were busy but orderly serving the customers.

Just then, the theater's loudspeaker suddenly came on:
Good evening, everyone! Thank you for watching "Drunken Master".

To express our gratitude for everyone's enthusiastic support, Mr. Jackie Chan, the film's lead actor, is currently in Hall 1 of this cinema, having a brief Q&A session with the audience who just watched the film!

This is a rare opportunity! Audiences in Hall 1 are welcome to return, and those in other halls are also welcome to come and join the fun!

The broadcast was played twice.

The crowd that was about to leave suddenly became agitated!
"Eh? Mr. Jackie Chan?"

"really?"

"Go see him quickly! I want to see him!"

The crowd immediately turned and surged toward screening room number 1.

The audience members who were originally queuing to buy drinks stopped buying them and rushed over with the crowd.

Inside Hall 1, the lights have been turned back on.

On screen, Jackie Chan stood smiling, accompanied by Tetsuji Inoue and two staff members.

He changed into a smart Tang suit and looked very energetic.

Seeing the audience return, even more than when the show ended, Jackie Chan's face lit up with a smile of surprise and emotion. He greeted them loudly in his newly learned Japanese, still with a heavy accent:
"こんばんは!みなさん! (Good evening! Everyone!)"

"Mr. Jackie Chan!" The audience responded with delight, and applause and cheers erupted instantly, even more enthusiastic than when the movie ended!

Tetsuji Inoue acted as a temporary translator.

Jackie Chan took the microphone from the staff and said, "Thank you all so much for coming to see 'Drunken Master'!"
Hope you enjoy this movie!

I'm still a newcomer in Japan, and I'm so happy to receive everyone's support! Thank you!

The sincere words, conveyed through translation, once again drew enthusiastic applause.

"Mr. Jackie Chan is so handsome!" a female audience member shouted.

"Drunken Fist is so much fun!"

"Will you still make movies?" The audience members expressed their interest and questions all at once.

Cheng Long smiled, listened attentively to the translation, and then answered a few questions:

"Drunken Fist is very difficult to learn. You have to look drunk, but you can't actually be drunk. Balance is very important. I practiced it for a long time."

"Filming the rooftop jumping scene was dangerous. There was a mat underneath, but I was still scared. Thank you everyone for your concern!"

"The sweet soup is so delicious! A bowl of it when I'm tired from filming really refreshes me instantly! 'Pulse' is also great, very refreshing! Everyone should try it!"

He subtly and imperceptibly mentioned "Chen's Dessert" and "Pulse" again, eliciting knowing laughter from the audience.

The meeting lasted only about fifteen minutes, but the atmosphere was extremely enthusiastic.

Jackie Chan's affability, sincerity, and occasional broken Japanese made the audience feel especially close to him.

Finally, he put his hands together and thanked again in Japanese: "ありがとうございました! これからもよろしくお愿いします! (Thank you very much! Please take care of me in the future!)"

Amidst the audience's reluctant applause and admiring gazes, Jackie Chan finally left, escorted by his staff.

As soon as he left, the crowd surged towards the "Pulse" promotion point and convenience store in the lobby!

"Mr. Jackie Chan drinks this too!"

"Let's buy it and give it a try!"

"I want mango pomelo sago too!"

The sales promoters were pleasantly surprised to find that Cheng Long's appearance was like a shot in the arm for the sales outlet!

Viewers who were initially hesitant now readily paid for the tickets.

The "Pulse" and bottled sugar water in the freezer are decreasing at a visible rate.

Similar scenes played out in several major cinemas in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya that evening.

Jackie Chan's sudden appearance became the most talked-about "unexpected surprise" on the opening day of "Drunken Master".

Wherever he went, he caused a small commotion and great enthusiasm.

This unconventional and direct approach to promotion greatly bridged the gap between the rising kung fu star and Japanese audiences, directly transforming their positive feelings towards the film into a desire to try related products such as "Pulse" and "Chen's Dessert".

Shinjuku, Toho Cinema manager's office.

Manager Sato looked at the newly delivered first-day attendance report, his face beaming with excitement.

"Manager, the occupancy rate on the first day was 78%!"

All prime-time matches are sold out!

More than 60% of the screenings were at midnight!

The assistant excitedly reported, "The audience response was excellent; many people were discussing the plot and Jackie Chan when the show ended!"

Sato nodded: "Okay! Pass the word down, starting tomorrow, increase the screenings of 'Drunken Master'!"
Reduce the number of screenings for those two art-house films!

He paused, then added, "Also, keep an eye on the sales of 'Pulse' drinks and bottled sugar water in the lobby and replenish them in a timely manner."

Meanwhile, a 7-Eleven convenience store in Shibuya Ward.

Store manager Yamamoto looked at the "Pulse" shelves in the refrigerated display case, which were mostly empty, with some surprise.

"Sold out so quickly?" he asked the shop assistant.

"Yes, store manager!" the clerk nodded. "Many customers come after watching 'Drunken Master' and specifically ask for this blue drink, saying it's endorsed by Jackie Chan."

Many customers also bought bottled sugar water from the side of the store.

Yamamoto immediately picked up the phone: "Hello? Is this Suntory Distribution Center?"

This is the Shibuya 7-Eleven Yamamoto Store! We're urgently restocking 'Pulse' energy drinks and bottled sugary drinks!
"100 bottles each, please! Yes, today!"

Suntory Regional Distribution Center, Osaka.

The phones kept ringing.

"Convenience stores in the Umeda shopping district are all running low on supplies! 'Pulse' is out of stock!"

"Major supermarkets in Nagoya are requesting urgent restocking! Bottled sugar water is almost gone!"

The dispatcher shouted into the walkie-talkie: "All refrigerated trucks, move out immediately!"

Prioritizing core stores in the three major metropolitan areas! The vending machine restocking team will work through the night!

Tokyo, Minato Ward hotel suite.

Chen Bingwen, Ling Peiyi, and Li Ming sat around the phone, waiting anxiously.

The phone rang, and Li Ming answered it quickly.

"Hello? Osaka area sales? Okay! Okay, got it!"

He put down the phone, his face beaming with barely suppressed excitement: "Mr. Chen! Director Ling! Feedback from the first day in Osaka: Cinemas in prime commercial areas are over 75% occupancy!"

In convenience stores, an average of 45 bottles of 'Pulse' are sold per store!
28 bottles of bottled sugar water sold!
Vending machine data shows that 'Pulse' is restocked twice as frequently as other new products!

Following that, calls came in from Nagoya and Tokyo, with equally impressive numbers.

Ling Peiyi quickly took notes, her eyes sparkling: "Chen Sheng, the start is even better than expected!"
The popularity of cinemas directly translated into sales through distribution channels!

Chen Bingwen nodded, a smile appearing on his face. "Notify Suntory to do everything in their power to ensure supply and absolutely prevent any large-scale stockouts!"

Furthermore, Li Ming, you immediately contact Dongbao Donghe to increase the promotional efforts for "Drunken Master," especially Jackie Chan's exposure!

A week later.

Dongbao Donghe Headquarters Conference Room.

President Odagiri pushed a report in front of Chen Bingwen, his face filled with barely concealed excitement: "Chen-san!"
The box office results for the first week of "Drunken Master" are in!
2.8 million yen!

A low gasp of surprise rippled through the conference room.

This number far exceeded Dongbao Donghe's initial expectations!

"The three major metropolitan areas of Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya have an average occupancy rate of 82%!"

Multiple cinemas are requesting more screenings!

Odagiri continued, "The audience feedback was excellent! The media reviews were also very positive! Jackie Chan's name has become a household name!"

Chen Bingwen looked at the numbers on the report and understood.

In its previous life, "Drunken Master" was released in Japan for a month and grossed a total of 19 billion yen (4275 million Hong Kong dollars).

2.8 million yen?
This is just the beginning!
"Congratulations, President Odagiri!" Chen Bingwen said with a smile. "This is the result of the joint efforts of both parties."

"Congratulations to you both!" Odagiri said with a beaming smile. "Mr. Chen, your strategy of linking movies and beverages has been incredibly effective!"

The "Pulse" sales point in the cinema lobby has become a must-visit spot for moviegoers after the show!

Almost at the same time, in the office of Ichiro Tanaka, head of Suntory's International Business Division.

Masao Kobayashi held the sales report, his voice trembling slightly: "Chief Tanaka! The first week's data is in!"

"Speak!" Tanaka Ichiro stared intently at Kobayashi Masao.

"Pulse" energy drink shipped over 150 million bottles in its first week!

Actual sales data from retail outlets shows a sell-through rate as high as 95%!

The bottled sugar water combo has shipped 80 bottles, with a sell-through rate of 85%!

In vending machine channels, 'Pulse' ranks among the top 15 in sales across all beverage categories! Replenishment frequency is 2.5 times that of other new products!

Tanaka Ichiro suddenly stood up:

150 million bottles?

95% sell-through rate?

This figure far exceeded Suntory's most optimistic internal estimates!
"Yes!" Masao Kobayashi exclaimed excitedly, "The feedback from our channels has been extremely enthusiastic!"
Convenience stores and supermarkets are all urging customers to order more!
Consumers have a very high acceptance of 'Pulse', especially young men and office workers, who give it very high praise!

Bottled sugar water has also been very well received by female consumers and housewives!

Tanaka Ichiro took a deep breath to suppress the shock in his heart.

Chen Bingwen, this young man, he made the right bet!

They used a single film to shake up the entire market, and with precise positioning and strong channel execution, they managed to carve out a niche in the almost solidified Japanese market!
With that in mind, Tanaka Ichiro immediately instructed: "Notify all production lines to prioritize the production capacity of 'Pulse'!"

The logistics department is on standby 24 hours a day! The sales department has been notified to initiate the second phase of the distribution plan!
Goal: To cover 90% of valid terminals across Japan within one month!

"Hai!" Masao Kobayashi shouted in response, then turned and quickly walked away.

(End of this chapter)