Huayu: A master director who debuted as a singer

"channel!"

A man responded, "Mr. Wang."

"Those old hands at the record store can't be relied on. We need to launch a second front. What are your thoughts?"

The channel specialist immediately replied, "Convenience stores, 7-Eleven, OK Mart, they're all over Hong Kong. These middle-aged men might not go to a record store once a month, but they go to convenience stores every day to buy cigarettes and newspapers."

"How much is it?"

"We can't price it the same as the record stores, that's too expensive. Let's make a simplified version, with a transparent plastic sleeve, a CD and a lyric sheet inside. Price it at fifty-nine dollars, twenty dollars cheaper than the regular version. That way, when they buy a pack of cigarettes, they can easily grab one too."

Director Wang made the decision: "Okay, let's make 3,000 copies to test the waters first. They must be at the store by Thursday night."

Director Wang's gaze swept over an assistant who had just joined the company: "Publicity assistant, you are responsible for notifying all record stores, karaoke bars, and campus agents to collect all those idol posters we distributed before, or to destroy them on the spot!"

By Wednesday, I want to see no Zheng Hui's headshot on the market! Middle-aged people won't buy anything just because it's a handsome guy.

"yes!"

"To the planning team, restock the promotional materials! A3-sized lyric posters, still black background with white text, shameless. And small standees for the counters, with only the album title and a catchy quote, like 'Dedicated to every Hong Konger who never gives up.' Deliver them to key stores by Friday!"

"Foreign Affairs Department!"

A woman in a suit skirt stepped forward.

"Contact TVB, the news department's 'Sunday Files'."

"Have them do a special feature on it, and call it 'Songs Under the Storm'."

We provided interviewees including several middle-aged buyers: unemployed individuals, small business owners struggling with slowing sales, and drivers. We had them speak in front of the camera, telling their stories—why they bought the album, and which lyrics resonated with them.

"This program must air next Sunday during prime time!"

"What about the music critics?" Director Wang looked at a man who hadn't spoken in the corner. That was his deputy, the deputy director of marketing.

The deputy director said, "I will personally talk to the music critics. The readers of Ming Pao and Hong Kong Economic Journal best fit the target audience of our plan."

"Regarding the tone of the manuscript, I'll have them elevate the album's style from pop music to a social phenomenon."

"Also, I will find a few columnists to write a few articles about midlife crisis and self-help, and naturally incorporate Zheng Hui's lyrics into them."

"What about the community? What about those housing estates?"

The publicity director spoke again: "For communities and churches, we can proactively send authorization letters and simple playback materials, allowing them to use these songs in community activities free of charge, without charging a penny."

The condition for our exchange is that they put up a ground poster for us on their bulletin board. We'll start with thirty locations, to be completed by next Saturday.

"Okay, I need the data now!" Director Wang turned to another person.

"Marketing Assistant, starting next Monday, I need to see the previous day's sales report every morning at 10:00 AM. This includes statistics by channel: how much was sold at CD stores, how much at convenience stores, and whether there were any corporate group purchases. It also includes statistics by region: what percentage was sold in Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories?"

"We also need to create buyer profiles; we can't just guess. We've outsourced this to a market research company to conduct phone sampling outside record stores. People who buy CDs leave their phone numbers, and we'll call them to confirm their age, occupation, and motivation for buying the CD. I want to see the preliminary report next Sunday!"

Finally, Director Wang's gaze fell upon the financial statements.

"Budget! All expenses must be strictly controlled!"

"To 903, completely stop promoting the second single! And stop sending tapes to the Jade Solid Gold Awards, it's useless! The cost of destroying those idol-style materials should be reported separately!"

"From now on, all expenditures must be reviewed and approved by me at the weekly meeting!"

In just half an hour, this group of people, driven to desperation, had completely constructed a multi-dimensional marketing campaign centered around middle-aged men in the entire conference room.

Director Wang concluded, "Everyone, whether we keep our jobs or not depends on this battle."

"Meeting adjourned! Let's get to work!"

Zheng Donghan returned to his office, where Director Feng was already waiting.

Zheng Donghan sat down, poured himself a glass of water, and said, "We can't just sit and watch Ying Huang attack Zheng Hui. It's Zheng Hui's business to retaliate, but we also have to do something."

"His retaliation is his business. We at PolyGram can't just sit here and watch two young men fight."

"This year, Leon Lai was poached by Sony with a signing bonus of 40 million. Now Emperor Entertainment wants to use us as a stepping stone to promote new talent."

"Does everyone think that PolyGram is a pushover, someone anyone can bully?"

Director Feng lowered his head, not daring to reply.

Zheng Donghan said, "Didn't Zheng Hui say on Cha Xiaoxin's show, 'How can a young master understand the suffering of the common people?'"

"That's a very good statement."

"Go and contact the newspapers and media outlets we know right now, and invite their chief writers out for tea."

Director Feng immediately took out his notebook, ready to take notes.

"Tell them we're going to expose something. We'll use Zheng Hui's words to nail Nicholas Tse to the spot, making him out to be a 'cold-blooded' character."

"Isn't he trying to rebel? Isn't he trying to be cool? Isn't he trying to attract young people?"

"Okay, let's help him out."

"Find someone to write an article, dig up as much money as the Xie family has, what kind of life he's lived since childhood, the more detailed the better."

Write down exactly what kind of sports car he drives, what kind of luxury watch he wears, and how much a piece of clothing he wears costs.

"Let all the young people in Hong Kong see how much money was used to build this young master Xie's rebellious spirit."

Director Feng's pen moved quickly across the paper.

Zheng Donghan continued, "Young people are impulsive and idolize others. But they are also the most sensitive and hate injustice the most."

"Make the writing style a little softer, a little more guiding."

"Just one question: Why can Nicholas Tse yell at reporters and act so lawlessly? Because he's rich, he can afford to lose. His father is Patrick Tse, and his mother is Deborah Lee."

"And what about you? You ordinary students who live in public housing, squeeze onto buses to go to school every day, and have to carefully save your allowance—can you afford to study like this?"

"Stir up this class antagonism in me."

"I want all young people who want to imitate him to look at the money in their pockets before they start learning from him."

"I want to make the word 'rebellion' a joke in his case, a game that only the rich can afford to play."

"I'm going to ruin him, I'm going to make him the antithesis of young people."

"He wants to be famous, fine. But his fame must be built on the resentment of all ordinary young people."

Director Feng put down his pen and looked up at his boss.

To kill someone, you must first destroy their spirit.

"Understood, Mr. Zheng." Director Feng closed his notebook and stood up.

"I'll take care of it right away."

Zheng Donghan waved his hand, indicating that he could leave.

Director Feng strode out of the office, took out his phone, and started making a call as he walked toward the elevator.

"Hey, is this Fatty Lai from Next Magazine? This is Old Feng from PolyGram. Are you free tonight? I'd like to invite you to dinner."

"Mr. Ma from Oriental Daily News? Yes, yes, this is Lao Feng. I have some juicy stuff for you tonight at the Haiyi Hotel."