America: My Time

Chapter 300 An Audiovisual Feast
Chapter 300 A Feast for the Eyes and Ears
Of course, Madonna, as the opening lead singer, also received a lot of attention. Although she has already become quite popular and has a lot of resources, being chosen as the opening lead singer shows how much Universal Music values ​​her.

Soon, the fashion world changed. When they saw Linda Evangelista's distinctive runway walk, many people were amazed. Her walk was no less impressive than that of established predecessors, which was hard to believe. It was simply incredible.

If Linda Evangelista didn't have enough ability, Andrea Jung wouldn't have chosen her as the opening model. How could she gain recognition without talent? Andrea Jung wouldn't joke about Victoria's Secret's future. Since she chose Linda Evangelista as the opening model, there must be a reason.

Capital is profit-driven. Even if Linda Evangelista had some kind of relationship with John, she wouldn't have been given such important responsibilities without the necessary abilities. John wouldn't risk Victoria's Secret's future, especially since he really has no connection with this woman, at least not yet.

However, people in the fashion world soon became puzzled. This Victoria's Secret show was different from a normal fashion show. It didn't have such a formal atmosphere, nor the ethereal atmosphere of a high-street fashion show. Instead, it was very down-to-earth and somewhat cheerful.

"Anna, don't you think this lingerie show is a bit too cheerful, a bit abnormal?"

“Jane, it seems you’ve noticed it too. Many people here have noticed this as well. Everyone is a bit confused. Actually, that’s to be expected. This isn’t an ordinary fashion show, but a live-streamed lingerie show. So it’s different from those high-street fashion shows because it’s aimed at a different audience!”

Actually, Anna Wintour was a little uncomfortable at first because the style of this lingerie show was too down-to-earth. But she quickly realized that the audience for this Victoria's Secret show was different. It wasn't for professionals, but for ordinary television viewers. It was a fashion show broadcast live across the entire United States. If it were like a normal high-street fashion show, it would definitely have drawn a barrage of criticism from the entire audience. The current atmosphere and the pleasing designs were the most approachable and popular style.

The fundamental purpose of any fashion show is to spread the word. Different audiences require different design styles. Victoria's Secret is not a high-end brand, but a mid-range brand. Being down-to-earth is the best approach and the most acceptable to people.

"That's right, that's exactly it. It's aimed at the entire American audience, not professionals. I didn't even think of that for a moment. This is a fashion show broadcast live across the entire American audience, and it's the first time that a fashion show has been broadcast live across the entire American audience. How can it be the same as a normal fashion show? This is the kind of show that is most likely to be recognized."

Soon, Jane Wenner, the founder of Rolling Stone, realized that a lingerie show broadcast live across the entire United States could not possibly be the same as a normal fashion show. Not only Jane understood, but most of the media personnel present soon understood as well. If the staff of NBC and other television stations had any concerns before, they could now finally rest assured that this was not an ordinary lingerie show, but a carefully designed television program.

Yes, in the eyes of the people at these TV stations, this was a carefully prepared TV program, only it was a fashion show, so it was somewhat professional.

After one theme ended, the media representatives and professionals present understood that the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was not for them, but for television viewers, and they were even more excited for the next show.

Amidst this anticipation, other themes were quickly introduced. After Madonna left the stage, Whitney came on stage, and the new themes once again brought a rich audio-visual feast to the audience at the venue and those watching on television. Some professionals may still find it a little hard to get used to, but for most viewers, it was a true audio-visual enjoyment.

The entire American television audience was stunned by this Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Five themes, each more breathtaking than the last, culminated in a Christmas-themed finale that left everyone in awe. The singer wasn't a Western celebrity, but rather Naoko, Johnny's "girlfriend." When "Last Christmas" played, everyone was captivated by the beautiful music. At this moment, Jane finally recognized Naoko; wasn't she the singer whose Christmas songs had been a hit last year? Unexpectedly, she was performing another classic Christmas song this year. When Naoko appeared on stage, many people almost had the same thought: this is spoiling her a bit too much! A Japanese person appearing on a fashion show broadcast live across the entire US, and even singing such a classic Christmas song—this shocked and amazed many, especially since it was the final theme.

These people only saw Naoko's identity and her relationship with Johnny, thinking Johnny doted on his girlfriend too much, without considering the underlying reasons. This wasn't just a fashion show for the entire US; it was also for Asia, specifically Japan. Johnny desperately wanted to use this show to boost Victoria's Secret's brand awareness. Without any Asian representatives, how could he satisfy the Japanese and open up the Asian market, especially the Japanese market?

As Naoko Naoko's singing faded and Linda Evangelista closed the show, many people sighed. It was indeed an unforgettable fashion show, and the entire audience was stunned.

"John, this was indeed a great audio-visual feast. It seems you've won again. Tomorrow, the entire United States will be amazed by tonight's fashion show. It seems your strategy in the clothing industry is going smoothly. I wonder if anyone else will rush into this industry after this fashion show!" At this moment, Jimmy couldn't help but sigh. Although he wasn't a professional, tonight's Victoria's Secret show gave him a different feeling. Even as an outsider, he understood that this would definitely be a good business opportunity. He was also deeply impressed. With media power at its disposal, the Forever Group completely crushed other fashion brands and companies in terms of publicity.

Although Jimmy had learned about the Victoria's Secret brand before coming, he thought it was only a mid-range brand. But it was precisely because it was a mid-range brand that Jimmy, an outsider, thought it was a good business. After all, this fashion show was aimed at the entire American television audience. Even if only one-tenth or even one percent of these people were willing to accept the Victoria's Secret brand, it would greatly increase its market value and allow it to grow rapidly.

“I’m really looking forward to someone getting involved. It would be great if someone was willing to enter the clothing business. But I’m afraid those old guys won’t do that. They look down on this small clothing business. They’re into big businesses, like home appliances and semiconductors. Those are the kinds of businesses they value.”

"John, you know about those old guys' plans in home appliances and semiconductors. Do you think they have a chance of success?" Jimmy wasn't particularly surprised that John knew about those old guys' plans in home appliances and semiconductors. If John didn't know anything about them, that would be a problem, a big problem.

"I was aware of these old guys' actions, but I didn't expect them to act so quickly. As for whether they will succeed, it doesn't depend on you or me, nor on Japan, but on themselves and the White House. If the White House is willing to intervene, everything will be fine. Even if their business is in terrible shape, they can still make a decent profit in the short term. But in the long run, it's hard to say. After all, Japan's business has a greater advantage, and I don't know if those guys will invest heavily in research and development. Without an absolute technological advantage, it won't be long before they are suppressed by those Japanese guys. To be honest, I value the capabilities of those Japanese home appliance and semiconductor companies very much. They have an absolute cost advantage, which is why I have set up operations in Taiwan and China. It's all for cost control."

“John, we should sit down and talk sometime. Not only do we Morgans have this idea, but those old guys also want to hear your opinion. And your Quantum Mining is no ordinary company. It’s booming in all directions now. You have a world-class diamond mine, and you’ve acquired two major mining companies in Australia, establishing Australian Mining. You also have plans in South America. Do you really value mining that much?” At this moment, Jimmy’s eyes revealed a faint longing, wanting to know John’s true thoughts.

"It's good to sit down and talk. If I refuse, who knows what trouble those old guys will cause. I don't want to go up against them. As for mining, I am very optimistic about it. You know how profitable a world-class mine is. This diamond mine in Canada is no ordinary mine. It's a case of small investment and big returns! We both know how rich Australia's mineral resources are and how rich South America's mineral resources are. It's necessary to plan ahead. Even if we don't mine them ourselves, we can sell them to raise funds for the company's development. Without the funds from selling those mines, how could Quantum Mining have completed the acquisition in Australia and established a subsidiary?"

"So, your strategy for the mining industry is to sell mines to raise enough funds for expansion?" Jimmy frowned slightly upon hearing John's words and asked. Although he didn't think John's words were very credible, he still wanted to hear what John had to say.

(End of this chapter)