Huayu: From the Era of Ringtones to Becoming a Legend

Having worked together for over a year, Chen Bin and Lu Jiuge had developed a strong rapport, and upon hearing his words, Chen Bin immediately understood:

"Xiao Lu, are you trying to use an auction system to stimulate brands' consumer spending and maximize profits?"

"That's right!"

Lu Jiuge gestured for Chen Bin to sit at the tea table and handed him a document:

"Furthermore, I designed over eighty product placements for the show 'The Voice of China'!"

"Such a large-scale recruitment of Google Ads is too much trouble to handle one by one, and we won't get good prices!"

Lu Jiuge pointed to the documents, her tone resolute:

"These spots may seem scattered, but they are all embedded in the highlights of the show. Discussing them individually is both time-consuming and doesn't fetch a high price. Only through bidding can their value be fully realized."

Chen Bin nodded in deep agreement:

"That's true, mainly because you've designed way too many 'GG' positions!"

"Even with a centralized auction, I'm worried that many slots won't sell!"

"Don't worry, as long as the atmosphere is right, there won't be any unsellable items!"

Lu Jiuge waved her hand, ending the discussion, and changed the subject, giving a word of advice:

"Old Chen, for the investment promotion conference, we absolutely must find the best auctioneer, use the best conference hall at Lantai, and we need to act quickly!"

"Only in this way can we maximize our profits!"

"Okay, I'll arrange it right away!"

Chen Bin gave a reply, then got up and left.

……

Two days later, at 1 p.m., in Conference Room No. 1 of Lantai!

The "Voice of China" sponsorship conference was held.

By 11 a.m., the conference hall was already packed.

The scene was so exciting that not only Lu Jiuge and the staff of Qianxing Media were surprised, but everyone on and off the stage exclaimed in amazement.

Even veteran employees who have worked at Zhejiang TV for twenty years have never seen a single program's promotional event reach such a scale.

As the deputy director who made the final decision to import the program, Zhou Jianming was beaming with joy, smiling wherever he went, and was in an extremely good mood.

Seeing the staff huddled together whispering and discussing, he would always approach them in a good mood and offer his advice:

"Stop gossiping. Although we didn't host this investment promotion conference ourselves, the larger the amount of investment attracted, the greater the impact, and the greater your year-end performance evaluation will be!"

……

Zhou Jianming strode to Lu Jiuge's side, reached out and shook his hand, his voice filled with excitement:

"President Lu, you can rest assured that Lantai will fully cooperate with the investment promotion meeting today, and the equipment, personnel, and venue will be guaranteed to be in perfect working order."

"If you have any problems, just contact me and I'll take care of it."

"Master Zhou, with this support, I guarantee that today's investment promotion conference will be a highlight for you!"

……

After exchanging pleasantries with Zhou Jianming for a while, the two headed towards the conference hall.

At this moment, representatives from hundreds of brands across the country gathered in the conference hall, dressed in suits and ties, each with a different expression.

Among them are first-tier brands that were previously forced to give up their cooperation by Hunan TV, second-tier giants that have been watching for a long time, and many emerging companies that came for the explosive popularity of "The Voice of China".

The huge venue was packed with people, even the aisles were full. It was an unprecedentedly grand event.

When the investment promotion conference was about to begin, Chen Bin, as the speaker, stood in front of the stage, holding the investment promotion plan in his hand. Looking at the huge crowd below the stage, he was so excited that his palms were sweating.

Just a few days ago, they were struggling to find sponsors, but in just a few days, the tables have turned, and brands across the industry are scrambling to participate in this investment promotion event.

"Dear guests and brand representatives, good afternoon everyone!"

Taking a deep breath, Chen Bin cleared his throat, and his voice carried throughout the venue via the microphone:

"Welcome everyone to the 'The Voice of China' sponsorship auction! I am Chen Bin, your presenter for this event!"

"The premiere of 'The Voice of China' averaged 8% viewership, with a peak of 9.8%! This data represents a nationwide phenomenon in viewership!"

After a pause, Chen Bin continued:

"Without further ado, I'll now announce all the available slots for this bidding process, along with the bidding rules!"

The large screen behind him lit up instantly, clearly listing all the categories of GG (Girls) in "The Voice of China":

Title sponsorship, co-title sponsorship, prime-time insertions, segment placements, stage appearances, contestant announcements, subtitles and billboards... a dense array covering the entire program.

The brand representatives in the audience craned their necks to look at the screen.

When the final total was revealed, the entire room erupted in chaos!

"Wait! How many GG slots?"

"Eighty? I'm not seeing things, am I?"

"Eighty slots? That's way too many! Other variety shows only have a dozen or so at most, and you're going for eighty?"

"With so many slots, how much exposure time will each brand actually get? Isn't this just a waste of money?"

"Is Qianxing Entertainment out of their mind? This kind of marketing strategy can't guarantee any promotional effect!"

A chorus of doubts, uproar, and discussions arose, and the faces of the brand representatives, who had initially been eager to try, all changed.

Many people frowned, showing dissatisfaction and doubt.

With eighty GG slots distributed across a single program, the amount of screen time, voiceovers, and exposure each brand receives will be infinitely diluted.

Anyone can do the math: paying a high price for negligible exposure.

Representatives from several leading brands even put down their bidding paddles, their faces showing displeasure, instantly creating a tense atmosphere in the venue.

Chen Bin's expression stiffened slightly, and he subconsciously looked at Lu Jiuge below the stage.

Lu Jiuge slowly stood up, her gaze calmly sweeping across the entire room without the slightest sign of panic.

Upon taking the microphone on stage, Lu Jiuge reached out and pressed it down.

He waited until the audience quieted down before speaking:

"Bosses, I know what you're worried about."

"More 'GG' spots don't mean less exposure, nor do they mean poor results!"

"I hereby pledge to all brands:"

Even for the lowest-priced "GG" slot, I guarantee a consistent, clear, and effective display opportunity across all channels throughout the entire season, including the main episodes, behind-the-scenes footage, reruns, and promotional materials. There will never be a situation where you have a spot but no exposure, or a name but no screen time.

"I don't need to say more about the viewership that 'The Voice of China' can bring to everyone!"

Throughout my journey, Lu Jiuge's bottom line has always been fairness and integrity. Whatever amount you invest, I will give you a return equal to or even exceeding that value.

"Trust me and stay to bid; if you don't, leave now, and I won't force you."

His words were neither humble nor arrogant, but resounding and powerful.

After some hesitation, the brand representatives in the audience all stayed.

After all, no one can resist the temptation of a hit variety show with a premiere rating of over 9%.

Seeing this, Lu Jiuge nodded in satisfaction, returned the microphone to Chen Bin, and went back to her seat.

Chen Bin felt reassured and, without further ado, announced the start of the auction for the GG slot.

The auctioneer, dressed in a formal suit, walked onto the stage; he was experienced and exuded a powerful aura.

Without any hesitation, he started shooting directly from the first GG position.

"The first group, the one inserting the male lead during the show, starting bid is one million!"

After announcing the price and the start of the auction, no one raised their paddle, clearly indicating that they still had reservations.

The auctioneer, being experienced, didn't let the atmosphere become dull; he raised his voice slightly and began his presentation according to the script:

"Bosses, this phenomenal variety show has broken the 9-point mark in ratings, and is being watched simultaneously by audiences nationwide! Every second of exposure translates into real money!"

"If I miss this spot today, I'll have to wait until the next season to get on 'The Voice of China' again!"

"Anything with an extra charge?"