"I'm in Tokyo, and this is some kind of movie star comeback system?!"

Chapter 121 Creative Promotion

When Sakamoto finished his workout and rushed back to the film set, Nissan and Sapporo Beer's statement had already been faxed to various newspapers.

At 5 p.m., the relevant newspapers were available at the station's newsstands and convenience stores.

Thanks to the newspapers, everyone now knows that Bunshun's report was inaccurate again.

In a short period of time, the controversy surrounding Sakamoto Valley became a hot topic of everyday conversation.

The casual question, "Have you seen the news about Sakamoto-ya?" has become a popular opening line when meeting someone.

The morning news had been digested all day, and everyone assumed that the storm had come to an end.

When people open the evening paper, they assume they are simply following a news story that is nearing its end.

But the evening paper gave them something completely unexpected.

After a busy day, Yusuke Aikawa returned home, picked up the evening newspaper delivered by the deliveryman, and sat down with his wife around the dinner table.

After a while, dinner was finished, but the dishes and chopsticks hadn't been cleared away.

Yusuke Aikawa sat at the head of the table, opened the evening newspaper, and habitually flipped through it from the last page to the front.

This is his fixed routine: first sports, then society, and finally culture and entertainment.

As he flipped through the pages, his hand stopped.

That entire page wasn't news, it wasn't a headline, it wasn't filled with dense text.

It was a full-page black and white print, with a large white background and about ten bold black Chinese characters in the center: "The real taste needs no explanation."

Just like true character, it withstands all scrutiny.

Below is the brand history of Sapporo Beer.

Sapporo Beer has been around since 1876...

We insist on using the purest raw materials and adhering to the most traditional brewing techniques.

There's no need to prove its quality, because every glass of Sapporo beer is the best proof.

Next came the brand's evaluation of its spokesperson:

We chose to travel with this actor because we see the same qualities in him.

Silence does not equate to weakness, and humility does not equate to mediocrity; a life that does not require explanation is the most powerful life.

Sapporo Beer pays tribute to all those who let their actions speak for themselves.

This respect is also dedicated to that silent, resilient person who responded to the world through his work.

The picture GG is using isn't of the beer itself, but of a wheat field in Hokkaido in winter—vast, silent, expansive, and full of power.

Yusuke Aikawa was stunned for about five seconds.

He usually reads the newspaper very quickly, turning over a page in a few dozen seconds, but this page took him half a minute to read.

His wife, sitting opposite him, noticed his unusual behavior: "What's wrong?"

Yusuke Aikawa didn't say anything, he just turned the newspaper around.

His wife was still wiping her hands when she took the item and was stunned.

"A tribute to that silent, resilient person who responded to the world through his work."

"1

She looked up at her husband and said with emotion, "I never expected such a large company to publicly come forward to support us."

Yusuke Aikawa glanced at her indifferently and slowly began to analyze, "This is a gamble."

"Betting on an actor's character for the price of a whole newspaper page."

"By daring to publicly endorse him, the company is convinced that he has done nothing wrong."

His wife rolled her eyes at him and said with a smile, "You think you're so insightful."

She paused, then added, "No wonder they dared to make such a grand statement."

"Hmph." Yusuke Aikawa nodded and turned to the next page.

The next second, Yusuke Aikawa was stunned again, and he quickly glanced at it.

It turned out to be a statement from Nissan.

Unlike Sapporo Beer's all-black and all-white designs, Nissan opted for a highly technological design language.

A deep blue gradient background is paired with silver metallic lettering: "True power lies deep within the engine."

True integrity remains steadfast and unwavering even amidst the turmoil of public opinion.

The format is remarkably similar to that of Sapporo Beer's marketing campaign, starting with an introduction to the brand's history.

Then came the affirmation of their own spokesperson: "Having experienced the oil crisis, market turmoil, and fierce international competition..."

'

"We only do one thing: build better cars, because true quality will be proven by time..."

'

"The power that Sakamoto Yuu embodies is precisely the kind of power we pay tribute to."

Even at the height of the public outcry, he remained steadfast in his post, completing each shoot with a professional attitude.

Just like Nissan's engine, it maintains a stable output under any road conditions.

We are proud to have such an advocate, and fortunate to walk alongside someone with such character.

Nissan pays tribute to all those souls that possess immense power yet remain silent.

Yusuke Aikawa put down his newspaper, his face full of sighs. Just how good was this actor to have the support and recognition of two commercial companies?

He immediately became very interested in this person.

"Honey, let's go see a movie in April."

At 11 p.m., the editorial office of Bunshun was still brightly lit.

The original manuscript could not be published, and the public reaction was obvious to everyone. Exposing negative news about Sakamoto Yu at this time would not only have no effect, but would also arouse public resentment, and the reputation of the magazine would continue to deteriorate.

The editorial department had no choice but to urgently search for new material to fill the space, and the editors contacted informants everywhere to gather information.

Shozo Ogiya was anxious and chain-smoked, racking his brains for a way to resolve the crisis.

Suddenly, the office area fell silent.

He turned his head and saw that the president, Kikuchi Takeichiro, had arrived at some point.

Shozo Ogiya's expression tightened, and he immediately stubbed out his cigarette and strode forward.

"What are your plans next?" Kikuchi Takeichiro asked bluntly.

Shozo Ogiya spoke vaguely and was slow to offer a clear solution.

Kikuchi Takeichiro snorted coldly, "If you can't restore the magazine's credibility, you should resign yourself." With that, he turned and left.

At midnight, outside the filming location of "Mom is an Idol".

As soon as filming wrapped up and Sakamoto Yu stepped out of the set, he was surrounded by a large group of reporters.

The camera shutter clicked repeatedly, and all I could hear were questions coming incessantly.

Thanks to his excellent physical abilities, he ran for three blocks before shaking off his tail.

Back at the apartment building, another chase ensued.

I was supposed to finish work at 11 p.m., but I didn't get home until the early hours of the morning.

The next day.

Sakamoto Yu was awakened in his apartment by a series of urgent ringing bells.

He instinctively picked up the pager, only to find that it was the landline in the living room that was ringing.

Dragging my tired body out of bed, I picked up the microphone and listlessly began, "This is Sakamoto-ya, please speak."

"Sakamoto-san! You're a sensation! You're really famous this time!" Watanabe's voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement.

"Huh?" Sakamoto Yu was still in a daze.

"Yesterday's evening paper sold out completely; people were shocked by the full-page 'GG' of Sapporo beer and Nissan cars."

"Both brands have also given feedback that Sapporo Beer's sales that night far exceeded usual levels, and distributors and stores are urgently restocking."

"Yoshinoya and Sharp, who were initially observing the situation, just called to ask to join."

Watanabe's tone held a hint of amusement, "I reckon they've already written the press release, and it's expected to be published tonight or tomorrow morning."

Suddenly, a breathing sound came from the microphone; Watanabe was clearly smoking.

"By the way, Nissan held an internal meeting and decided to move the broadcast of GG, originally scheduled for the end of March, to the beginning of March."

Watanabe's tone shifted, and his expression became serious: "Your current popularity is even higher than last time. To solidify your popularity, you need a leading role in a TV series. We must secure 'Takeda Shingen'."

"After this, your popularity has reached the first tier, but your work is still a bit lacking."

Whether or not you can be promoted from the second tier depends on this year.

95

Upon hearing this, Sakamoto Yu instantly sobered up.

He said seriously, "I understand. Don't worry, I will do my best to help."

The two then chatted briefly before hanging up the phone.

He stood there stunned for a moment, then breathed a sigh of relief and laughed.

"It's finally over."

After finishing the phone call, Sakamoto Yu was wide awake.

I washed up, changed my clothes, and had breakfast early in the morning.

Waiting for Hitomi Ono to call and pick her up to go to the film set.

With Sakamoto Yu withdrawing his attack, this counterattack has temporarily come to an end.

Unbeknownst to him, major entertainment publications had already been secretly vying for dominance, all targeting Bunshun.

The backlash against Bunshun has only just begun.