Rebirth in Hong Kong: From Dessert Shop to Industrial Empire

Chapter 140 Public Relations (First update of 10,000 words per day, please vote with monthly tickets and recommendations, and please continue reading)
Chen Bingwen returned to the conference room.

They saw Kim Sung-soo excitedly chatting with Assistant Park. When Chen Bingwen returned, Kim Sung-soo quickly stood up.

Chen Bingwen waved for him to sit down, as he still had some details to explain.

Despite the huge traffic and buzz brought by "Drunken Master," the success or failure of a product ultimately depends on the details.

The publicity strategy must be precise, and the execution must be in place.

“Chairman Jin,” Chen Bingwen sat down, his tone calm, “the film’s popularity is a favorable wind, but for a product to gain a foothold, it still needs real skill. There are a few key points that must be made clear in terms of publicity.”

Kim Sung-soo immediately took out his notebook: "Chairman Chen, please speak. We will definitely implement it strictly."

“Bottled sugar water,” Chen Bingwen said, “the core selling point is ‘the same product as in the movie.’”

All promotional materials—posters, flyers, in-store signs, and even bottle labels—must prominently feature stills from the movie "Drunken Master," especially images of Jackie Chan enjoying a drink at a dessert shop.

The advertising slogan directly uses a line from the movie: "After a fight, drink a bowl of Chen's sweet soup, it's better than being in heaven!" or simply "The same style as in the movie, enjoy it now."

Both the visuals and slogans should instantly evoke movie scenes in consumers, creating a sense of immersion.

Kim Sung-soo nodded vigorously: "Understood! The movie's popularity is the best advertisement!"

We'll definitely capitalize on the "movie-inspired" aspect! The visuals will be absolutely identical! Our slogan will use lines from the movie, keeping it exactly as it is!

"As for 'Pulse'," Chen Bingwen continued, "it's a new product category in South Korea, so the focus of our marketing should be on its functions and application scenarios. We should emphasize instant refreshment and rejuvenation, and target specific scenarios such as office workers working overtime, students preparing for exams, and hydrating after exercise."

The advertising visuals can imitate those of Japan, but they need to be more relevant to the lives of young people in South Korea.

Core advertising slogan: "After sweating, drink Gatorade! Choose vitality!"

He paused, then added, "In addition, to cooperate with product promotion and maximize the use of the film's popularity, we can try to contact Mr. Jackie Chan if needed later."

Let's see if he can find the time to go to South Korea and hold a few fan meetings to capitalize on the film's popularity.

His personal appearance is a huge boost to product promotion.

"Mr. Cheng Long can come to Korea?!" Kim Sung-soo suddenly stood up, his eyes wide open, his voice rising eight octaves, "Really? Chairman Chen!"
This is wonderful!

This is absolutely fantastic news!

He rubbed his hands together excitedly and paced back and forth in the conference room: "Mr. Cheng Long is incredibly popular in South Korea right now!"

If he can come, our product promotion effect will definitely double!
No, several times more! A fan meeting?
No problem! We can handle everything from the place of origin and the personnel to security!
Chairman Chen, rest assured, as long as Mr. Cheng Long can come, our Seoul Food Trading Company will cover all expenses, including the reception of Mr. Cheng Long's team!
We'll make sure everything is arranged perfectly so he feels the greatest enthusiasm from the Korean audience!

This will also ensure that the publicity effect is maximized!

Seeing his excited expression, Chen Bingwen nodded: "It's good that Chairman Jin has this intention."

I will communicate with Mr. Cheng Long and try to make this happen.

I will notify you immediately once the itinerary is confirmed.

"Great! Thank you so much, Chairman Chen!" Kim Sung-soo bowed repeatedly, his face beaming with joy. "We'll go back and prepare immediately!"
Looking forward to your good news!

After both parties finalized the delivery time, logistics details, and promotional material delivery time for the first batch of orders, Kim Sung-soo, along with his assistant Park, left the Weiye Building satisfied.

three days later.

The top floor of the Weiye Building.

Chen Bingwen stretched lazily at his desk, his joints making a slight cracking sound.

He raised his hand to rub his neck, which ached from sitting at his desk for so long, and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

After nearly a month in Japan, the backlog of Hong Kong headquarters affairs, North American trial sales reports, supply chain coordination, and various reports has finally been mostly cleared up.

Just now, Ling Peiyi called from Tokyo.

Momoe Yamaguchi has officially signed an endorsement agreement for the entire Chen Ji product line.

The filming of the advertisement also began at the same time.

To ensure the "Buy One Get One Free!" promotion was most effective, Chen Bingwen instructed Ling Peiyi to postpone the start of the promotion until after the Yamaguchi Momoe-endorsed advertisement aired.

The goal is to combine a barrage of advertising with enticing promotional offers at the point of sale, creating a powerful synergy.

As for Lipovitan's ongoing buy-two-get-one-free promotion, let it burn for now!
Such aggressive promotions may stabilize some sales and appease channels in the short term, but in the long run, they will severely damage brand value.

No brand can sustain a promotional campaign indefinitely over a long period.

Unless its product profit margin is sufficient to support such promotions, it is tantamount to drinking poison to quench thirst.

Chen Bingwen was unsure whether Lipovitan's "buy two get one free" promotion could continue.

But he knew that Pulse's "Buy One Get One Free!" campaign could continue indefinitely.

The core engine that allows the "buy one get one free" campaign with a 60% gross profit margin to operate in the long term is the confidence Chen Bingwen has in daring to fight a protracted battle.

This means that for every bottle of "Pulse" sold, there is a sufficient profit margin to cover the cost of "buy one get one free" (the winning rate is controlled at around 20%, and the actual cost is far less than half).

This is by no means a short-sighted, self-destructive approach like Lipovitan's "buy two get one free" promotion, but rather a sustainable, virtuous cycle that uses a portion of the profits to stimulate repeat purchases. Just then, Secretary Ali knocked and entered, reporting to Chen Bingwen:
"Mr. Chen! The marketing executive candidate recommended by the headhunting firm has arrived!"

According to the appointment times, Ms. Angela Leong will arrive at 9:00, Mr. Zhao Liming at 10:00, Mr. Zhou Zhiqiang at 11:00, and Mr. Li Weiming at 11:30.

Ms. Liang was already waiting in the lounge.

"Please invite Director Fang over. We'll see the first person first," Chen Bingwen instructed.

A few minutes later, Vincent Fang walked into the office with a folder in his hand.

Chen Bingwen stood up. "Let's go to the conference room and see if this head of the beverage division is really as capable as his resume says."

In the conference room, Angela Leong was dressed in a well-fitting business suit, with exquisite makeup and upright posture. When she saw Chen Bingwen and Fang Wenshan enter, she immediately stood up and greeted them with a smile: "Mr. Chen, Director Fang, hello."

After exchanging pleasantries and taking their seats, Chen Bingwen didn't waste any time on formalities and went straight to the point: "Ms. Liang, your resume is impressive. You've led the launch of new products and achieved success."

If you were in charge of Chen Ji's newly expanded South Korean market, and you had a passionate partner who lacked experience in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry, how would you ensure our brand image and market share remained intact, and how would you quickly establish a foothold?

Angela Leong seemed to have been prepared and calmly replied: "Mr. Chen, in the face of this situation, my strategy is to 'support and control' in parallel."

First, I will quickly establish a standardized operating process, from marketing and channel management to financial settlement, so that the other team has clear guidelines to follow and can reduce the risks associated with their lack of experience.

Angela Leong's answer was not eloquent, but it was logically sound and interconnected.

The potential risk of "enthusiasm but lack of experience" is broken down into actionable steps, and a robust management plan is provided.

This directly addresses Chen Bingwen's hidden concerns about the South Korean market.

Chen Bingwen and Fang Wenshan exchanged a glance.

Fang Wenshan nodded slightly, revealing an approving expression.

This result far exceeded expectations.

Chen Bingwen nodded, then posed an even more pointed question: "Suppose that our company's competitors in the Japanese market launch a price war against us, drastically reducing prices, what strategy would you recommend?"
To follow or not to follow?

After a moment's thought, Angela Leong replied, "Mr. Chen, I don't think it's wise to blindly follow the price war trend."

Price wars damage brand value and the foundation of profits.

My suggestion is to adopt 'value promotion' rather than simply lowering prices, such as launching family packs, multi-bottle bundles, or bundling small gifts, to maintain the actual unit price while increasing the consumer's sense of gain;
At the same time, concentrate resources to aggressively attack the opponent's weak channels or time periods, and engage in differentiated competition.

The interview lasted forty minutes, and Chen Bingwen's questions covered multiple dimensions, including market development, crisis management, cost control, and team management.

Angela Leong's answers were consistently logical and clear, demonstrating her rich practical experience and steady style.

After seeing Angela Leong off, Chan Ping-man said to Vincent Fang, "He is experienced and has strong execution skills. He is suitable for developing and managing a market like South Korea, which requires a steady and pragmatic approach."

Their style leans towards stability; it remains to be seen how much of a drive they have for innovation and breaking new ground.

Vincent Fang added, "The idea of ​​a resident manager that she mentioned is very practical and can solve our current pain point of insufficient control over the Korean market."

Next, Zhao Liming from Watsons, Zhou Zhiqiang from Taohua Datong, and Li Weiming from Taikoo Soda entered the venue in turn.

Zhao Liming has a quick mind and many promotional ideas, but he lacks a good grasp of the overall strategy and cost details.

Zhou Zhiqiang has extensive experience in distribution channels, but his vision seems to be limited to traditional channels, and he lacks a deep understanding of emerging marketing methods.

Li Weiming has experience in international brand collaborations and speaks eloquently, but he tends to downplay the details of implementation and performance evaluation.

The interview lasted all morning.

After seeing off the last candidate, Chen Bingwen and Fang Wenshan returned to their office.

"So, Director Fang, who do you prefer?" Chen Bingwen asked.

Fang Wenshan pushed up his glasses and pondered for a moment before saying, "I think all four of them are very good."

Among them, Angela Leong is the most stable, suitable for both expansion and maintenance;

Zhao Liming has many ideas and is suitable for promotional planning or new project incubation;

Zhou Zhiqiang has strong channel management skills, but he may be better suited to mature markets.

Li Weiming is somewhat idealistic and might be better suited for public relations or strategic partnerships departments than a frontline marketing director.

Chen Bingwen nodded, "That's about the same as my judgment."

The South Korean market needs someone like Angela Leong who is steady and reliable in building the framework and managing risks.

Promotion and innovation in the Japanese market need minds like Zhao Liming's.

Zhou Zhiqiang can be responsible for deepening the local channels in Hong Kong Island.

As for Li Weiming…

(End of this chapter)