How can you become a star without money?

Chapter 270 Covert Auction (Part 2)

Cultures may not always be compatible, but human nature is universal.

Paris is a natural-born hype master. Wang Yao only needs to cooperate with her events and amplify them into a trend to create a hot topic.

However, monetizing traffic still requires advance preparation. The probability of Chinese brands entering the Western market is very low, unless they choose a niche or emerging track.

Wang Yao and Zhang Meng spent an entire night analyzing Paris's fan profile and matching direction with Yunshang, and finally selected an emerging track.

Collaboration iPhone cases, and related accessories.

While the iPhone has just become a hot commodity, most people are still focused on the supply chain related to the phone itself. However, the peripheral industries for mobile phones also have huge profits. Wang Yao was particularly impressed by CASETIFY, a Hong Kong company that leveraged Apple's popularity to package phone cases with celebrities/IPs as fashionable items, incubating a company valued at over a billion US dollars in this niche market.

As a fashion trendsetter in Europe and America, Paris's target audience is mainly young women, which perfectly matches this product.

The mobile phone case industry chain is not a product of the smartphone era. It has existed since the era of the first mobile phones in the last century. There are mature manufacturers in Yiwu next door. Yunshang only needs to design the mobile phone case.

Wang Yao continued to choose metaphysical elements, firstly because mysticism has a positive effect on female consumers in Europe and America, and secondly because it is the fastest way to spread and penetrate culture.

They chose an element that everyone likes: "getting rich." Based on the Qin Banliang coin from the Five Emperors Coins, they designed the four Chinese characters "招财进宝" (bringing in wealth and treasures). The material used is the same sheepskin as Hermes, so it will be easy to raise the price later. It's like the Hermes of phone cases.

Then design a batch of Han-style pendant accessories such as Five Emperors Coins and Peace Buckle. A standard set sells for $299, a Paris co-branded set sells for $29.9, and her own custom set, which is in collaboration with Chow Tai Fook and inlaid with gold and diamonds, will be priced at least $2999.

Although the iPhone 4 only cost $299, Paris Hilton was, after all, the first socialite. She spent $30 to build a dog for her dog back then, so using a phone/tablet case that cost more than the phone itself was a way to highlight the status of her followers.

The advantage of collaborations is that there are no standards; as long as consumers approve, they can be sold.

However, I don't expect to actually sell many at such an outrageous price; it's mainly for hype for the Yunshang brand.

To this end, Wang Yao specially arranged for his team to take Paris to the Shanghai God of Wealth Temple to take a set of photos, which would be posted on social media later. By creating the illusion that worshipping the God of Wealth would bring good fortune to her career, the photos would be made more mysterious and easier for marketing accounts to promote the product.

Paris Hilton's reality show, "Paris's Best Friends," has already been filmed for three seasons. The show features several international socialites of similar status flaunting their wealth to generate discussion among viewers and fans, similar to the format of "The Kardashians." The difference is that Paris Hilton's reality show includes a segment where she befriends ordinary people, making it somewhat like a talent show.

The winner will not only gain Paris's friendship by spending time with ten young people from all walks of life, but may also become her partner and transform from an ordinary person into an internet celebrity.

The event creates entertainment value by highlighting the conflict between socialites and ordinary people, allowing viewers to identify with the characters and satisfying their voyeuristic tendencies towards the "upper class" and their fantasies of achieving upward social mobility through such connections.

It must be said that Paris Hilton is indeed a marketing genius. Although Kim Kardashian is also imitating her, she has only imitated the superficial aspects such as flaunting wealth and creating a persona.

After Paris Hilton retired, Kardashian's marketing strategy became a simple and crude way of grabbing attention, using all sorts of lowbrow topics to maintain her popularity.

Wang Yao sponsored the show under the name Yunshang, with a budget of 250 million US dollars. The show was filmed in China and consisted of 14 episodes. The content revolved around introducing elites, ordinary people and socialites from all walks of life in China to compete for the final spot as friends.

The main socialite friend has been confirmed as Zhu Zhu. Initially, four socialites are planned as guest guests. One spot has been reserved for Fan Bingbing. The remaining three spots will be offered to artists/management companies with capital and ambition who want to pursue an international career.

Wang Yao's psychological counselors include Liu Yifei, Jing Tian, ​​Han Xue, He Chaoyi, and Lin Zhiling, who can indeed carry the persona. However, it's estimated that Zhang Ziyi and Xiao Yanzi might have some reservations.

It doesn't matter, since it's all free bidding and the highest bidder wins.

Ordinary socialites are selected directly from Ma Ruo's "Yingluo Club". In addition to bidding, those with intangible cultural heritage skills or traditional Chinese style/traditional studies skills will be given priority, because Wang Yao wants to do some private work here.

Incorporate some of China's top luxury elements, such as Longquan ink paste, Suzhou embroidery, kesi (silk tapestry), double-sided three-dimensional embroidery, fuguang brocade, jiaosi (silk tapestry), and incense burning. Also, it is necessary to give a proper introduction to the story of how the aesthetics of European royalty originated from China and how Louis XIV cosplayed Chinese style.

Reality shows are all about generating buzz, and these kinds of topics are bound to provoke Western media. It's basically impossible for Yunshang to enter the mainstream Western high-end brand category, but it may become a 'non-mainstream' representative in the affordable luxury market, at least capturing a portion of the market.

Paris doesn't care about cultural export; she only cares about whether it's sophisticated enough and controversial enough. After hearing that the starting price for a brocade jacket was over ten thousand US dollars, she shut up.

Wang Yao arranged for her to learn about several related intangible cultural heritage crafts, and asked Zhu Zhu to go with her to catch up on the lessons first. As the client, Zhang Meng needed to prepare a complete set of costumes for the variety show. This time it was different from "Fairy Robe". She needed to work with some well-known designers to design something that matched Paris's style and then incorporate Chinese elements.

After finalizing the program's flow and content direction, Wang Yao began reaching out to several entertainment companies with which he had close ties.

Berna promoted Huang Yi, Huayi promoted Huo Siyan, Huangyu promoted Han Xue and He Chaoyi, WMA promoted Zhang Ziyi and Liu Yifei, CAA promoted Xiao Yanzi, and Xingcan promoted Jing Tian.

Although Paris Hilton's popularity has waned somewhat, she is still considered a top star by domestic entertainment companies. Moreover, Paris Hilton has always been active as a socialite and cross-industry businesswoman, which is still a fresh image in China. This can be seen as an attempt to break into the international market and then re-import the brand to see how public opinion turns in China.

But when they heard that Wang Yao wanted to select people using a 'bidding' method, everyone fell silent.

It's always the clients who beg them to appear on shows and pay them. This is the first time a client has asked to pay them in return. Even if it's a rare international resource and Skyfire's strength in variety shows has been recognized, that's not a reason for us to pay to work for them, is it?

Young man, you've really gone against the natural order.

Even Bernard Yu Dong, who was closest to Wang Yao, didn't quite understand what Wang Yao was thinking, especially since the money was indeed a 'publicity fee,' not an investment fee.

Little Swallow was the first to withdraw from the competition.

Out of politeness, the others only asked about the starting bid as a formality, intending to go back and see what the artist thought.

Wang Yao's asking price is not high, starting at 5.

Inside Chen Yun's office at WMA Company.

"This is ridiculous! I could afford 500,000, let alone 50,000. It's not like this at all. When did I start having to pay to appear on a TV show?" Zhang Ziyi rolled her eyes as she sat on the sofa.

What exactly does Tianhuo do?

The controversy surrounding Fan Bingbing's inflated salary has not yet officially subsided, and now she's stirring up trouble by paying to appear on shows. Does she really think the entertainment industry revolves around her?

Yes, your online variety shows are doing well now, and all the artists want to find a new way to break into the mainstream. Your company's international resources are also quite good, but what do you mean by charging our artists and celebrities in return?
Protection money? Management fee? Or a fee for your hard work?
If she were a newcomer, it would be understandable; some ambitious newcomers and companies do indeed pay out of their own pockets to buy resources and exposure in the early stages. But she is Zhang Ziyi!
Even if your show is broadcast on multiple Western TV stations, I'm still Zhang Ziyi!

Liu Yifei's "A Chinese Ghost Story" was still filming, and Liu Xiaoli came to the meeting alone: ​​"Ayun, do you think this variety show will have a big impact overseas?"

"Paris is an international socialite. Although her family business is gone, she's still a force to be reckoned with. However, her reputation has been getting a lot of flak lately, and the Kardashians certainly don't want her to make a comeback. From a media perspective, she's definitely a hot topic."

However, Paris has now hooked up with a nightclub tycoon, so she should still have some confidence. But why would she cooperate with Skyfire? Skyfire's business has already reached Europe and America. Chen Yun frowned.

She had some doubts about the "Queen of Silicon Valley" project. She originally thought that she would be asked to produce and distribute it through WMA, but she didn't expect that they would directly cooperate with Fox. She even asked someone to inquire in Hollywood, but in the end, she couldn't find any connection between Wang Yao and the company. However, Fox is backed by a media group, and her intuition told her that there was a high possibility that they were related.

"Paris's connections are pretty good, aren't they?" Zhang Ziyi raised an eyebrow slightly, noticing the key factor.

Although she had just been betrayed by her best friend, she was used to the social dynamics of networking and was still somewhat interested in becoming friends with Paris, an international socialite.

“Of course, although the Hilton business is gone, the connections remain.” Chen Yun nodded.

"Who is Tianhuo participating in the program?" Liu Xiaoli asked.

If it's truly a high-quality resource, the agency will definitely prioritize having its own valuable artists participate.

“They said it was Zhu Zhu and Fan Bingbing,” Chen Yun said, frowning.

"Zhu Zhu?" Liu Xiaoli frowned upon hearing this.

"Fan Bingbing again? They really are feeding her the best." Zhang Ziyi scoffed.

“My suggestion is that you can consider it. I’ve seen the outline, and it’s about promoting Chinese culture. You already have a very strong martial arts image abroad, so this could be a good opportunity to strengthen that image. Anyway, you don’t have any work in China right now, so you can boost your exposure and see if any Hollywood directors remember you,” Chen Yun said.

"I can't afford to lose face like this. If word gets out that I spent money to buy resources and build a funding team, I'll be ruined," Zhang Ziyi said, shaking her head.

"What if all of Tianhuo's resources follow this bidding model in the future? Will you then refuse to participate in any of their projects?" Chen Yun frowned.

Tianhuo is now an insurmountable force in the Chinese entertainment industry. Although Zhang Ziyi's core business is in the film industry, she doesn't get many jobs every year at her level. Moreover, commercial value is now reflected not only in the influence of her works, but also in her influence on internet and social media.

With over 100 million fans across the internet, Fan Bingbing's endorsement fees have increased by 50%, and yet countless brands are still lining up to give her money.

As an operator, Chen Yun has noticed that many of the rules of operation in the industry have begun to change. Whether it is film or television actors, they can no longer rely solely on their works, but also on the Internet and fans.

Moreover, Tianhuo's online variety show model is very likely to develop into another path in the future, and variety show stars may be as valuable as film and television stars in the future.

"Fine, I won't go then. Will I starve to death if I leave Tianhuo?" Zhang Ziyi sneered.

Chen Yun was about to explain the pros and cons to her properly.

Liu Xiaoli suddenly spoke up: "Big news! The investment and production company for Director Zhang's 'The Golden Hairpin' has changed to Tianhuo."

"What?" Zhang Ziyi and Chen Yun were both startled.

As a second-generation actress, Zhang Ziyi knows Zhang and Zhang very well. How could such a big project as "The Golden Hairpin" be handed over to other companies?

"New Pictures went bankrupt?" Zhang Ziyi asked subconsciously.

"Rumor has it that the two Zhangs have fallen out, and Zhang Yimou may be leaving New Pictures to join Skyfire." Liu Xiaoli was also a little dumbfounded.

This news is so shocking.

"My God, how could they possibly fall out?" Zhang Ziyi exclaimed, her eyes wide.

"Things have really changed." Chen Yun frowned and fell into deep thought.

Compared to Tianhuo's reverse-charging approach to appearing on shows, Zhang Yimou's official announcement of bringing "The Golden Hairpin" to Tianhuo is undoubtedly a bombshell in the film and television industry.

As a pillar and key figure in Chinese cinema, Zhang Yimou's movements are almost a bellwether for the industry; the subjects he chooses to film undoubtedly influence the industry's choices.

Previously, the Zhang-Zhang duo was a legendary pairing in the entertainment industry, and no one could have imagined that they would one day go their separate ways.

Moreover, Zhang Yimou chose Tianhuo, a new company. Previously, everyone had a friendly attitude towards Tianhuo because it relied on Tianhuo Cinemas and Kanpianer.com for publicity and distribution, and there was no direct competition.

But now, Zhang Yimou's involvement is like a direct boost to Tianhuo's film sector.

What people are even more curious about is that Tianhuo actually took over the project "The Golden Hairpin," which was said to have a budget of 6 million yuan. At the same time, they also acquired AMC and invested in so many online variety shows. How much cash flow does this company actually have?
Or is it because they've poured most of next year's budget into this collaboration with Zhang Yimou?
After all, even top companies like Huayi Brothers and Bona Film Group only have an annual film and television investment budget of less than 10 billion yuan.

Regardless of the circumstances, the announcement of paid appearances on television programs followed by a collaboration with Zhang Yimou undoubtedly reveals a significant development: Tianhuo Entertainment is likely to officially enter the competition within the domestic film and television industry.

The three giants, Huayi, Bona, and Fiber Optics, directly withstood the pressure, with Huayi's stock price even being significantly affected.

Now they need to rethink their relationship with the heavens.

Wang Zhongjun urgently convened a brief high-level meeting and ultimately decided to wait and see, as Huayi needs to maintain its status as a domestic leader in order to sustain its current high market value.

Originally, we wanted Huo Siyan to pay to participate in Tianhuo's variety show, but now that's not possible, because that would be tantamount to bowing to Tianhuo's rules.

If word gets out, won't Huayi be considered inferior to Tianhuo?
Huo Siyan, who was initially overjoyed, was extremely depressed upon hearing this. She had even prepared to mortgage her house to compete for a spot in "Paris Friends," because her previous Teddy Family brand and circle were modeled after Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian's monetization model.
Now that I have the opportunity to directly befriend Paris Hilton, an international socialite, it's like getting her direct authorization. In the future, whether in film or business, I'll have plenty of topics to generate buzz.

Over the years, she has seen through Huayi's attitude and knows that it will be difficult for her to make it in the Chinese entertainment industry. It is necessary for her to make a career change while she is still young and has some capital.

So even though Lao Wang gave the order, Huo Siyan still decided to secretly try her luck. If she succeeded, she could always leave Huayi and join Tianhuo instead.

Unfortunately, he offended Qin Lan for the sake of resources for "The Banquet," otherwise, given their sisterly relationship, he could have definitely had an advantage.

It seems the only way is to try and find out through Yang Mi.

Bernard reacted quickly. "Sister Flower" was almost finished airing, and the average ratings on satellite TV had reached over 3%, making it another phenomenal hit. It even boosted the overall ratings of Beijing Satellite TV.

The online viewership data of Sohu is even more astonishing, accumulating nearly 500 million views, with an average of over 50 million views per episode. Including various sponsorships and advertisements, the estimated net revenue has reached 120 million yuan. Bona, who takes 25% of the project's revenue share, has already earned as much as 30 million yuan in net revenue.

The revenue from this one online variety show is equivalent to the box office revenue of two movies. If the revenue from the next two online variety shows is about the same, it is equivalent to directly generating 100 million yuan in revenue, but the actual investment is only 50 million yuan, with a return rate as high as 200%!

This is much better than investing in movies. It's shorter, less hassle, and the money comes in faster. Unless Bernard has lost his mind, he wouldn't give up such a large revenue stream. Even if Tianhuo's cooperation with Zhang Yimou might affect the entire film and television industry landscape, he can only firmly choose to cooperate.

Moreover, Berna has also invested in Tianwang Private Equity. It would be even better if they could hold shares in each other in the future. Besides, Berna is listed in the US, so it has no direct conflict with Huayi and Tianhuo in the domestic stock market.

Since Tianhuo is selling resources, they should send suitable candidates to compete for them.

Huang Yi is now not only a key artist promoted by Bernard, but also a celebrity partner and shareholder. This year, he has helped Bernard secure sponsorships for several films and is preparing to move from the stage to behind the scenes.

Since she had recently married a wealthy businessman and needed the opportunity presented by "Payou" to shed her "celebrity-married-for-money" image, she immediately discussed with Yu Dong whether she could participate in the competition upon hearing the news. With the company's support, Huang Yi's mind flashed back to the young, handsome face from the banquet six months ago, and she felt a surge of heat.

After receiving news from Yu Dong that she could participate in the election, Huang Yi dressed up carefully and drove the Ferrari her husband had just bought for her to the meeting place.

I had just parked my car when I noticed a familiar face getting out of the red Panamera parked in the space across the street.

"Hey, Mr. Huang, you're here for an audition too?" Huang Yi said with a smile as he got out of the car.

"Sister Huang Yi," Huang Shengyi greeted her with a smile.

"I heard that 'White Snake' is about to be released?" Huang Yi enthusiastically stepped forward and took her arm. The two were both from Shanghai. Although they had never worked together, they were in the same circle after marriage, so they had some personal relationship.

"Li Lianjie has some objections to the payment, and negotiations are still ongoing," Huang Shengyi sighed.

"It must be Fan Bingbing's doing. She's such a troublemaker. The budgets for several projects I'm investing in next year have also been affected." Huang Yi scoffed.

"There's nothing we can do about it; Mr. Wang is just too rich and powerful," Huang Shengyi said with a smile.

"Is the car new? The same model as Wang Yao's?" Huang Yi asked casually.

"Yeah, I rode in it twice and found it quite comfortable, so I ordered one. The car is too big and not easy to drive, so it's more suitable for guys." Huang Shengyi brushed a stray hair behind her ear.

"It's suitable for professional women like us. We're past the age of driving sports cars." Huang Yi laughed.

"Bernard is going public, Huang Yi must be very busy lately, how does she still have time to record variety shows?" Huang Shengyi asked curiously.

“I don’t need to be with you the whole time; my husband is handling it. It’s just that there’s performance pressure after the IPO, so Mr. Yu forced me to come.” Huang Yi said, feigning reluctance, and then asked, “And you, how are things with Yangzi lately? Do you have any plans to have children?”

"We're divorced," Huang Shengyi said calmly.

"Huh?" Huang Yi was taken aback, then stared wide-eyed at Huang Shengyi in disbelief: "Divorced? Why?"

"We just don't share the same values. He's too much of a chauvinist," Huang Shengyi said with a smile.

"So, the family property has been divided up cleanly?" Huang Yi asked in a low voice.

"I guess so," Huang Shengyi said ambiguously.

Huang Yi was still in shock from Huang Shengyi's divorce until he entered the meeting room and glanced at who was present.

Familiar faces include Han Xue and Huo Siyan, while unfamiliar faces include He Chaoyi and Jing Tian. Qin Lan, sitting in the first seat, is the one who livens up the atmosphere.

Huang Yi frowned slightly. Including her and Huang Shengyi, there were already six people competing for three spots, which was quite fierce.

Han Xue and He Chaoyi are both from Royal Entertainment Group. Han Xue's three consecutive appearances on the Spring Festival Gala are a testament to her talent, and she's probably determined to win this time as well.

He Chaoyi is a true socialite; it's unclear whether she's there to make friends or to use "Payo" to increase her family's international profile.

Why is Huo Siyan getting involved? What gives her the right to do this?
As for this little sister Jing Tian, ​​I've heard she's quite talented. Before she even graduated, her company put together a huge drama for her called "The Warring States," bringing in Sun Honglei, one of the most popular actors in mainland China, and Kim Hee-sun, a popular actress from Korea, to support her. She's probably a formidable rival.

Huang Yi quickly analyzed the situation and then greeted everyone with a warm smile.

Jing Tian stood awkwardly beside Qin Lan, her big eyes watching the seniors exchange pleasantries. Her palms began to sweat. She was naturally a bit slow to warm up to people, and everyone present was a big star to her. She was the least experienced among them, so she felt a lot of pressure socializing.

Fortunately, the conference room door was pushed open again a short while later, and Wang Yao walked in.

"President Wang." The women stood up to greet him, their smiles becoming noticeably brighter.

Jing Tian stared wide-eyed at Wang Yao's overly youthful face, her heart pounding with inexplicable nervousness.

"Sorry for the meeting taking a while. I think everyone knows each other by now, so I won't introduce myself. Let me just tell you about the project." After exchanging pleasantries with everyone, Wang Yao got straight to the point.

Qin Lan turned on the projector, and everyone's attention focused on it.

"Reality shows should be familiar to most people. They have a script framework, but unlike movies and TV series, they don't have detailed outlines. You need to use your own understanding to demonstrate the corresponding state."
The likely roles you'll play will involve introducing your daily lives and work, as well as working with Paris to select suitable non-celebrity guests. Since the content is focused on China, the theme will showcase traditional Chinese culture and its unique characteristics.
For example, since both Mr. Huang and Ms. Huang are from Shanghai, the overall impression could be one of the refined and affluent lifestyle of Shanghai ladies, reflected in their food, drink, and daily necessities. Ms. Han Xue, on the other hand, is from Beijing, representing the traditional aristocratic lifestyle of old Beijing. Alternatively, the cultural aspects of a traditional courtyard house could be showcased, perhaps by inviting Li Chengru or Ma Weidu to visit.

"It would be easier for Sister Chaoyi; she could film some family and sisterly interactions that could rival 'The Kardashians,' while Miss Jing could showcase the cultural heritage of the ancient capital of thirteen dynasties."

After Wang Yao finished introducing the direction, characters, and content of the variety show, everyone had different expressions.

"Hmm, wouldn't it be inappropriate for this variety show to portray such a luxurious aspect?" Han Xue was the first to raise a question.

"So it's going to be understated luxury, in contrast to Paris's ostentatious extravagance. Don't worry, I'll try to use my connections to enhance the luxurious atmosphere. For example, I'll arrange for you to meet some experts and scholars with social standing. It's not just about showing off wealth," Wang Yao said with a smile.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. To be honest, flaunting wealth is not a good thing for public figures in China.

"Mr. Wang, I see that 'Payou' and 'Kazu' have a lot of commercial activities. If we participate, can we showcase them?" Huang Yi asked.

“Of course, reality shows are a mix of truth and fiction. As long as it doesn’t affect the show’s style, it’s fine. Berna is going public soon, and Mr. Huang can showcase his dual identity as a celebrity investor,” Wang Yao said with a smile.

Huang Yi nodded in satisfaction.

“Then it might be inconvenient for my family’s businesses,” He Chaoyi joked.

"It's okay, at least the overseas version will be broadcast without any problems. It will also allow everyone to see a Las Vegas in China that is different from what we see elsewhere. The purpose of a reality show is to let the audience know more about everyone's real life, thereby increasing goodwill and audience appeal. Everyone can discuss any questions they have," Wang Yao said with a smile.

Huo Siyan and Huang Yi, whose career paths are more prominent, asked more questions. After Wang Yao answered, they discussed for a while and basically understood the background of the program.

“If there are no other questions, then we can start the auction. We will use a blind auction format, so just write your bid on a card.” Wang Yao gestured for Qin Lan to hand out bidding cards to them.

A covert auction?

Everyone tensed up again.

This kind of shooting method immediately brought the atmosphere to an extreme. With open shooting, at least there is a limit, but with covert shooting, who knows how much the other party is willing to offer?
It's uncomfortable to lose too much, and it's even more uncomfortable to lose too little.

All the women frowned, unable to put pen to paper for a long time.

Although the starting bid is said to be 5, who knows if the other party will bid five figures, six figures, or even seven figures?

After all, the value of this resource is different for each person.

For some, it might just be about exposure, but for others it could be about selling products or other business activities.

Psychological warfare ensues, and an eerie atmosphere gradually spreads.

Wang Yao and Qin Lan remained silent, simply observing quietly.

It took a full three minutes before Jing Tian was the first to write down the price and then stood up to hand it to Wang Yao.

A delicate orchid fragrance wafted over. Wang Yao glanced at the numbers, raised an eyebrow, and smiled, "When I leave later, Miss Jing, could you please give Nazha and Tian Ai something for me?"

"Okay." Jing Tian didn't expect Wang Yao to chat with her, and nodded subconsciously.

Naza first rose to fame with "Sister Flower" and then became a sensation with "22". She was already known as the most beautiful campus belle of Beijing Film Academy when she first enrolled. Zhang Tianai became a legend with "22", and her popularity even rivaled that of Zhao Liying. Since both of them are students at Beijing Film Academy, it naturally attracted a lot of discussion. Some alumni who had already graduated even went back to try to get close to her.

Although Jing Tian seemed naive, she wasn't stupid; she knew that Wang Yao was using this opportunity to show goodwill.

In the exam room, if someone is the first to hand in their paper, the others will naturally follow suit quickly.

After reviewing them one by one, Wang Yao smiled and said, "Sister Lan will inform everyone of the specific results separately later. Thank you all for your support of 'Payou'. If you are interested in any other collaborations, you can also contact Sister Lan. Many of our company's resources are obtained through fair competition."

"This is the most exciting audition I've ever participated in," Huang Yi said with a smile.

“It’s very special,” He Chaoyi said with a smile.

"Variety shows don't have the same high standards as acting; it's mainly about attitude. Because reality shows convey a mix of truth and fiction, unlike dramas which are often purely fictional."

"Actually, the auction is more like a buffet. With a deposit, people won't waste money, which gives the production company peace of mind. Otherwise, if the threshold is too low, chaos can easily occur. It's also for the sake of the audience," Wang Yao said with a smile.

"Mr. Wang is a responsible producer," Han Xue praised.

"It's mainly about making money; the company is carrying billions in debt," Wang Yao joked.

"The capable should do more work. Even if it doubles, President Wang can easily handle it." Huo Siyan laughed coquettishly, her trembling body attracting attention.

Qin Lan glanced at her and said calmly, "Sisters, if you have any questions, come to my office. If you're not in a hurry, I can give you a tour of the company campus."

She knew that if she didn't speak up to help, these women would probably devour Wang Yao alive.

The women weren't oblivious to the situation; after exchanging a few pleasantries, they left with Qin Lan.

Wang Yao returned to his office with his bidding card, while Zhang Meng lazily lay on the sofa scrolling through her iPad: "So? Anyone bidding both money and sex?"

"What are you talking about? This is a proper interview." Wang Yao chuckled and tossed the bidding card onto the table.

Zhang Meng opened them one by one and exclaimed, "Wow, this young lady named Jing Tian's company is really powerful; she directly offered a million."

"That's nothing. Their company invested 1.5 million yuan to make a movie just to promote her," Wang Yao laughed.

"What's their background? Why would they invest so much?" Zhang Meng asked, her face full of curiosity.

"They're probably their biological parents," Wang Yao chuckled.

"This young lady has a dignified and spirited appearance, and she would look very good in a cheongsam," Zhang Meng commented after searching for Jing Tian's information.

"It hasn't fully grown yet," Wang Yao said with a smile.

"What? Has President Wang already tried it out?" Zhang Meng teased with a smile.

"Which one do you, as the sugar daddy, favor?" Wang Yao patted her leg.

“They all seem fine, and the offers are all about the same. But these people combined have almost covered a quarter of the cost. Mr. Wang, you're making this business really easy.” Zhang Meng stroked Wang Yao’s chin with her fingertips.

“This is my personal kickback, not part of the program budget,” Wang Yao said with a smile.

"Huh???" Zhang Meng was taken aback, then rolled her eyes: "You actually stole from your own workplace?"

“This is called abusing one’s position. Let’s use all six of them and add up the number of guests,” Wang Yao said.

"What? You can do this? You don't care about the survival of our outsourcing team for such a small kickback!" Zhang Meng retorted angrily.

"I want them to know that as long as you spend money, you can get a return, and becoming a star will become exceptionally easy." Wang Yao curled the corners of his mouth, his smile subtle.

The number of celebrity guests has reached nearly five million, while the competition among ordinary guests like Ma Ruo is even fiercer. After all, once selected, one is basically guaranteed a place in the top tier of online socialites in China.

Since its establishment, the Yingluo Club has already recruited 99 core members thanks to Ma Ruo's private domain conversion and Zhou Yougen's discovery and management. Even the peripheral members have been developed and absorbed by two or three hundred people.

These people either came from impoverished families or realized early on how to use men to achieve upward social mobility, so they were very willing to spend money on presenting themselves well.

With this system, the luxury goods business has reached monthly sales of tens of millions, and even the additional medical aesthetics business has reached a scale of millions. They have signed annual cooperation agreements with several companies in Korea.

Many people have realized how important this opportunity in "Payou" is. The competition for 20 on-screen appearances and 10 competition slots is fierce, and it is estimated that five or six million can be raised.

This wave of resource monetization alone added tens of millions to Wang Yao's personal coffers, which demonstrates the importance of resource monetization and information asymmetry.

However, Wang Yao was still quite conscientious; at least he didn't pre-select the champion.

(End of this chapter)