Rebirth in Hong Kong: From Dessert Shop to Industrial Empire

Chapter 230 A Leap of Thunder (Seeking monthly tickets, recommendations, and subscriptions!)

Chen Bingwen was not surprised by the lukewarm response from the North American market in the early stages.

He knew that a new product with such a high concentration and strong taste needed to find its true target audience.

"Remember, the target audience for Pulse Thunder is not all consumers."

The focus is on those who need an extreme boost of energy: truck drivers who stay up all night, nightclub patrons, and young people partying.

Tell the sales team to change their strategy and focus on gas station convenience stores, shops around university campuses, nightclubs and bars, and 24-hour venues.

The price can be set more competitively; initially, we could even offer buy-one-get-one-free promotions to open up the market.

Li Ming immediately understood his boss's intention: "Understood, Mr. Chen! I will adjust the channel and promotion strategies immediately."

"Yes. The North American market is different from Hong Kong Island; it's vast and sparsely populated, and consumer habits are very different. Don't use the traditional mass distribution approach; you need to target specific markets."

In addition, complementary functional chewing gum and energy bars are also prioritized for distribution through these channels.

Chen Bingwen added.

"Ok!"

Following Chen Bingwen's instructions,

The sales strategy for "Pulse Thunder" was quickly adjusted.

The North American team then focused its energy and resources on gas station convenience stores along highways, tobacco and liquor stores around nightclubs, and those brightly lit 24-hour convenience stores.

The effect is immediate.

Consumers in these areas have an unusually high acceptance of this beverage with its strong taste and immediate energizing effect.

Although the overall sales volume is still small, the penetration rate and repurchase rate in these niche channels are rising rapidly, and word-of-mouth is spreading like wildfire.

With his first victory, Chen Bingwen breathed a slight sigh of relief, but he knew that the real challenge in the North American market was how to establish a solid foothold for himself in the gap between the two cola giants.

Relying on natural penetration through distribution channels is too slow.

For "Pulse Thunder" to become an instant hit, truly establish itself in the North American market, and even ignite a global brand effect, a more sensational and direct event is needed to capture everyone's attention.

He needs a well-planned marketing campaign.

A few days later, Chen Bingwen convened a small meeting in his office at the Weiye Building.

Financial Director Vincent Fang, Public Relations Manager Li Weiming, and Ma Shimin, who had just finished a round of renovations at Watsons and was called in at the last minute, attended the meeting.

Chen Bingwen skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point: "In North America, 'Pulse Thunder' has initially opened up the niche market, but it is still far from my expectations."

We need a blockbuster event to firmly imprint the brand image of 'Pulse Thunder', 'Extreme Energy', and 'Challenge Yourself' into the minds of global consumers in one fell swoop.

It needs to be sensational enough to make global news headlines.

Let's all think about what solutions we can come up with.

Fang Wenshan frowned first, habitually starting from a financial perspective: "Mr. Chen, creating a sensation means burning money. Moreover, it's difficult to accurately calculate the return on investment for such a large-scale event beforehand."

We need a budget range and target results.

Li Weiming, on the other hand, was eager to try. He was in public relations and communications and loved big events like this.

As soon as Vincent Fang finished speaking, he continued:
"Chen Sheng, I think we can organize an extreme challenge! Challenging the limits of human endurance is very popular in Europe and America now."

For example... hot air balloons! Raise a hot air balloon to the very top of the stratosphere, and then have athletes parachute out from it!
Breaking the world record! We'll be broadcasting the whole thing live, and we'll call it 'Thunder Leap'!
This will absolutely cause a global sensation!

He became more and more excited as he spoke, as if he had already seen the headline news.

Ma Shimin pondered for a moment, then shook his head. He was more pragmatic: "Manager Li's idea is very impactful."

However, it is extremely difficult to operate.

The technology to stably send manned hot air balloons to the stratosphere and then safely recover them is extremely expensive and risky, and it may even be difficult to find a sufficiently reliable team.

Moreover, skydivers need specialized pressure suits and life support systems to jump from that height; it's not something that can be accomplished with courage alone.

The preparation period will be very long. If any link in the chain goes wrong, the huge investment will be wasted, which is a minor issue compared to a serious accident that could be devastating to the brand.

Li Weiming opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but what Ma Shimin said was indeed true, and the heat immediately cooled down considerably.

Chen Bingwen nodded, pondering Ma Shimin's words.

Indeed, stratospheric parachuting from a hot air balloon sounds impressive, but in 1979, technology, safety, and cost were all major issues, and the uncertainty was too high.

What he needs is a more practical, equally impressive, but with relatively manageable risks.

At that moment, a thought flashed through his mind.

"Let's put the hot air balloon parachute jump on hold for now."

With current technology, it's not mature enough, and the risks are uncontrollable.

Chen Bingwen made the final decision, and a hint of disappointment flashed across Li Weiming's face.

But Chen Bingwen's next words piqued their interest: "However, the direction of Extreme Challenge is correct."

We need a challenge that is equally impactful, but more grounded and better embodies the spirit of 'breaking conventions'.

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the three men: "What do you think of 'the first human to fly a paraglider across the Grand Canyon without power'?"

The office fell silent for a moment.

Li Weiming's eyes lit up: "Crossing the Grand Canyon? The Colorado Grand Canyon? A paraglider? This..."
That sounds insane!

Nobody has ever tried this before!

“Yes,” Chen Bingwen affirmed. “The Grand Canyon itself is a world natural wonder with extremely high renown.”

A paragliding flight without power sounds like a challenge and an adventure.

This doesn't require the extreme technology of the stratosphere, but the visual impact is definitely enough.

Imagine a person using only a hang glider, taking advantage of the canyon's airflow, soaring like an eagle through such a majestic canyon.

This in itself is excellent documentary material, and it could easily be broadcast live or rebroadcast.

Ma Shimin also agreed, saying, "Hang gliding has a certain foundation in Europe and America, the technology is relatively mature, and it is highly feasible to find top athletes."

The cost is definitely much lower than the Stratosphere Project.

The key point is that while risks exist, they are more controllable.

As long as experienced athletes are selected and weather monitoring and ground support are provided, the success rate is very high.

Moreover, the title of "first time in human history" itself is highly newsworthy.

Fang Wenshan chimed in, "If it's just a hang gliding challenge, the main costs are hiring top athletes, equipment, a large photography team, insurance, and most importantly, buying live/rebroadcast slots on TV stations and subsequent global media promotion."

The total investment is estimated to be between $800,000 and $1 million.

"It's understandable that Director Fang is worried about the costs. But this money shouldn't be seen as just an advertising expense; it should be considered an investment."

Invest in a global event that can propel our brand to new heights.

Chen Bingwen paused for a moment, then continued to convey the image in his mind to the three: "It's not just about the process of leaping; we need to package it as a magnificent feat of humanity challenging nature."

Find the best pilots, organize the most professional logistics and filming teams, and maximize the visual impact while ensuring safety.

The live broadcast rights can be sold to American television networks, which can also recoup some of the costs.

The event is named 'Pulsating Thunder Wings: Soaring Over Death Valley'.

All promotional materials, pilot equipment, and parachutes were branded with our logo.

Immediately after the success, a limited-edition commemorative can was released, featuring the pilot's image and a scene of the canyon.

Then, he said with a smile, "This time it was a success. In the future, we can do something even bigger, like... skydiving at the edge of space!"
We'll take it one step at a time, firmly embedding the concept of 'pushing limits' into our brand."

Fang Wenshan breathed a slight sigh of relief after hearing Chen Bingwen's idea.

Although crossing the Grand Canyon is expensive, compared to the vague idea of ​​a hot air balloon stratospheric jump, this option is obviously more practical, with controllable risks and clearer returns.

Seeing that the three of them basically agreed on this direction, Chen Bingwen made the decision: "Okay, let's set this direction for now."

Li Weiming, you immediately take the lead in establishing a project team, codenamed 'Project Leap Forward'.

The primary task is to identify the world's top hang gliders as soon as possible and assess their skills, experience, and willingness to take risks.

Money is not an issue, but safety and success rate must be ensured.

Second, contact the TV stations in the United States, especially the three major networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC), and ask them if they are interested in broadcasting or exclusively broadcasting such an extreme challenge live and what their offer would be.

Third, we will simultaneously study the meteorological patterns, air traffic control regulations, and application procedures for activity permits in the Grand Canyon region of Colorado.

Ma Shimin, you assist Li Weiming, especially in risk assessment and process control.

Director Fang, you are responsible for ensuring financial security.

"Understood!" the three replied in unison, and immediately split up to take action.

After the meeting, Chen Bingwen stood alone in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in his office, gazing at the shimmering harbor in the distance.

He knew that the "Leap Forward Plan" was just the beginning.

If successful, "Pulse Thunder" will no longer be just a beverage, but a symbol of challenging limits and breaking through one's own limitations.

This move is risky, but the potential rewards are huge.

He needs to ensure that everything goes perfectly.

A few days later, Li Weiming brought a preliminary progress report. "Mr. Chen, I've contacted several of the world's top hang gliders."

The most interested party is an American named Rick Steven, who has extensive experience flying through canyons and possesses top-notch skills and courage.

He was very interested in the challenge, believing that if successful, it would be a milestone for hang gliding.

"On the television front, both NBC and ABC have expressed strong interest."

However, they need a more detailed plan and risk assessment report before they are willing to discuss specific broadcasting rights and fees.

NBC even suggested that if they invested in the live broadcast team, they would like to share some of the subsequent documentary rights and advertising revenue.

"In Colorado, the application process is quite complicated. You need to apply for airspace permission well in advance and purchase high-value insurance."

Chen Bingwen listened carefully: "The athletes' backgrounds must be thoroughly investigated, and there must be no bad records or safety hazards."

Tell the TV station that we can provide a detailed plan, but the brand placement of 'Pulse Thunder' must be exclusive, and we will give priority to the TV station that offers the highest bid and has the widest coverage for the live broadcast rights.

"Get the insurance and permits sorted out as soon as possible. Money isn't an issue, but it needs to be done quickly."

Just as the "Leap Forward Project" was being pushed forward at full speed, on Hong Kong Island, the second meeting between Gu Yongxian and Sir Morris also came to a conclusion.

Gu Yongxian's second meeting with Sir Morris was arranged in a quiet coffee shop at the Peninsula Hotel.

This time, Gu Yongxian revealed more information to Morris, implying that the consortium behind him was powerful and determined to acquire RTV, and outlining a grand blueprint for its transformation, upgrading, and even future development into satellite television.

Sir Morris listened with delight. This was not only a generous reward, but also a stage that would allow him to return to the spotlight, satisfying his desire for influence and participation.

"Mr. Gu, to be honest, although retirement life is leisurely, it always feels like something is missing."

Morris stirred his coffee and said with a touch of emotion, "It would be very attractive to be able to participate in such a project that reshapes the media landscape of Hong Kong Island."

However, the Advisory Committee on Television Broadcasting has many rules, especially regarding non-British backgrounds, which are quite sensitive.

This needs to be handled with extreme caution.

“We are very clear about this, and that is precisely why we urgently need an authoritative figure like you, who is highly respected and well-versed in the operating rules of the Hong Kong government, to steer the initial transition phase.”

Gu Yongxian then chimed in with a small compliment to Morris, saying, "We will fully respect your experience and judgment, and will prioritize your opinions on compliance and strategy."

As for compensation, it will certainly reflect your unique value and contributions.

Our initial plan is an annual salary of HK$200,000, plus a special bonus upon project success.

The figure caused Sir Morris to pause almost imperceptibly, his hand holding the coffee cup fluttering, and his brow furrowing slightly. Two hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars!

This is far higher than his current income for any consulting position, and even exceeds the annual salary of many listed company executives.

Sugar Heart Capital's sincerity truly exceeded his expectations.

Sir Morris pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "It seems you are indeed very sincere."

Okay, I agree in principle to take on this role of 'independent director'.

We can discuss the specific details further.

Acquiring Morris means that the plan to acquire RTV has been at least one-third successful.

As the former Director of Information Services, Morris has extensive connections and influence within the Hong Kong government system, particularly in the broadcasting administration department, with his students and former subordinates spread throughout related organizations.

With his intervention and representation, the concerns of the Television Broadcasting Affairs Advisory Committee regarding Sugar Heart Capital's Chinese background can be greatly alleviated, clearing the biggest compliance obstacle to the acquisition.

The news reached the Weiye Building.

After listening to Gu Yongxian's report, Chen Bingwen said happily, "Very good. Finalize the details of the subsequent agreement as soon as possible, and get Sir Morris involved in our preparations."

Meanwhile, discussions about Chan Ping-man and his companies are growing in Hong Kong's business circles.

This young tycoon's rise to wealth is astonishing. From a dessert shop to controlling a British trading company, and then to expansion in North America, he has made every step quickly and accurately.

Many people began to inquire about his background and next move.

Invitations to various social occasions began arriving at the Weiye Building in droves.

(End of this chapter)