Chapter 215: This is the official start

The meeting ended at 11am, and Steve Jobs invited Ming Zhou and the other friends who had attended the meeting to go to the Wright Restaurant for lunch. After they had finished eating, Steve Jobs and Ming Zhou saw off the invited marketing gurus.

Looking at the backs of those people as they left, Jobs couldn't help but sigh, 'I can't believe today's lunch ended so early. Originally, I planned to go until around 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and I had prepared some other activities for that. It seems that I can save on those expenses today.'

Zhou Ming shrugged and said, 'Actually, I also wanted to see what other programmes you had prepared, but unfortunately your friends don't seem to be as impressive as you said. They didn't ask any very constructive questions.'

'They say the Chinese are humble, but I can see that you are quite uninhibited,' Jobs said with a hint of meaning. 'But you do have the capital for it, because your publicity plan is really eye-opening. It's just that I really want to know how you came up with this idea. Is it really because Jieke is being targeted?'

Zhou Ming put his hands together: 'I know this is hard to accept, but it's true. Yesterday my general manager reported to me that someone on the internet was spreading rumours about Jieke Company . Many relatives and friends of company employees have seen it. I just remembered that I can rely on the convenience and opacity of the Internet for marketing and publicity. After all, if it is just a discussion topic, it is indeed possible not to disclose any names or content.'

Steve Jobs did not speak hastily this time. He looked up and down at Ming Zhou a few times and then said, 'Mr. Ming Zhou, I want to say that you should be more humble like your compatriots.'

'Once once thought I was very perfectionist, that I could build and make Apple great, so I was at least very talented in leading a company; I also thought my friends, who could lead a military-industrial company to a successful transformation and defeat the most powerful Coca-Cola with a marketing campaign, should be very talented! said Steve Jobs, looking at Ming Zhou with a troubled expression. 'But in front of you, we all seem like idiots. We couldn't figure out a problem that you solved in just one day. It really makes one feel frustrated.'

"≦ ; listening to Steve Jobs' sigh, Zhou Ming laughed, 'I can only say that sometimes coincidence can be considered part of intelligence.'

After a joking, Zhou Ming said to Steve Jobs very seriously: 'The day before yesterday I went to Los Angeles and already negotiated with Disney about the relevant matters of co-distribution. To put it simply, we will pay million, and Disney will lend us their distribution channels, take care of the release with the cinema circuit, and also pay for the promotion of the film, up to a maximum of 200,000 dollars.'

'That so quickly? I thought you didn't have any connections on the California side,' Jobs said with some surprise.

'Originally, I didn't, but the Dow family, despite targeting me, can still find someone to cooperate with,' Zhou Ming replied.

'I So that's it, the enemy of my enemy is my friend,' said Jobs, and then asked meaningfully, 'But there is one thing that surprised me. I didn't expect you to have so much confidence in Toy Story. You should that many low-budget films may not even gross $800,000 in a whole theatrical run, and yet you have signed a distribution contract for $1 million. Aren't you worried about not being able to recoup your costs?'

In response Zhou Ming replied cheerfully, 'Of course I'm worried. I don't have much confidence in Toy Story either, but I just have confidence in you, Steve Jobs.'

Jobs was taken aback at first, then laughed and said, 'If you say so, there's nothing else I can do. I'll do my best to make this animated film perfect, despite the time pressure.'

'I think I can say thank you to Mr Jobs on behalf of all the fans of the future Toy Story. 'Zhou Ming said happily. 'But since we're talking about time, I'd like to know how the work on Toy Story is progressing? When will it be released at the earliest?'

Jobs responded without hesitation: 'One hundred and twenty minutes of animation have been completed so far, which is very close to the 180 minutes. I have handed over some of the work to other companies . According to the contract, it is estimated that it will be completed within ten days. If we add in the post-production work such as beautification and editing, it can be submitted to the film association for review in about half a month, and if all goes well, it can be announced for release in about 20 days.'

Zhou Ming nodded silently: 'The time is tight, it seems that we should put publicity on the agenda as soon as possible.'

Zhou Ming was not just saying this. Although in later generations Zhou Ming has seen a lot of online hype, many topics or internet celebrities can become well-known in just one or two days.

However this is not the information explosion of 2016 after all, otherwise with the name Steve Jobs, there would be no need for any other publicity. Nowadays the internet is still in its infancy even in the United States, and bbs have only really become popular in the past few years. Zhou Ming can't estimate the number of users of the internet and bbs. Coupled with the planning of topic hype, you can't just mention a topic and chat about it, right? Then is indeed a bit tight with 20 days to prepare.

Steve Jobs said, 'Although I came from Apple, I dare not say I have any concept of Internet marketing, so I will leave it all to you, Mr Zhou Ming. I look forward to you opening a new world of marketing for me and the whole field.'

Zhou Ming such a high opinion of Steve Jobs, it is inevitable that Ming Chou feels a myriad of emotions. It is important to note that the marketing he did for mobile phones later in life was the most successful, to the extent that Apple became the world's number one mobile phone brand.

'I I will think about it, but before that, Mr Jobs, I hope you can come with me to Los Angeles to sign the contract with Disney. After all, distribution channels are what we should be focusing on now. Besides, Toy Story is a Pixar film, and neither Jack nor I have the authority to sign a contract,' said Ming Zhou.

Jobs nodded in agreement, so on the third day, Jobs and Zhou Ming rushed to Los Angeles together.

The contract was carried out at the headquarters of The Walt Disney Company. As it was not an important contract, there was no ceremony. The person responsible for signing the contract was Distribution Manager Egger, but Film Acquisition Manager Roy was also present.

Roy and Egger were very surprised that the fact that they had signed a contract with Jobs, Roy and Eger were very surprised: 'So we didn't sign a contract with you, Mr Zhou Ming, it's just that you don't own the copyright to this film?'

'I only said that I was an investor in the Toy Story project and had the right to help the film find a distributor, but the full rights to the film still belong to Pixar Animation Studios, and they are the only ones best suited to sign a contract with you,' replied Ming.

Roy and Eger, as the film purchasing and distribution managers at Disney, were not signing a distribution contract for the first time, and naturally understood the significance of

signing the significance of signing a contract with Roy. They were just surprised by Roy's clear and well-organized speech, because in their previous impression, Roy had always been an image of a second-generation rich man who was stubborn and extravagant with money. Therefore, they suddenly had a bad feeling.

However This feeling of foreboding was not helpful, because when Ming Chow then took out a suitcase containing one million dollars in cash, they had no hesitation. After the lawyer confirmed the contract, Iger signed his name on the contract on behalf of Disney.

After signing was completed, Jobs and Iger exchanged the contracts in the presence of the lawyer. After all the procedures were completed, Zhou Ming handed the one million in cash to the Disney finance staff present.

Originally the signing ceremony would have ended here, but Zhou Ming did not hurry to leave. Instead, he asked Eger, 'If I remember correctly, in the contract you promised to have 200,000 yuan for publicity. Now I'm telling you that Toy Story is about to start being advertised. Can you return this publicity fee to us?'

Roy and were stunned. Toy Story was indeed due to be released within a month, and publicity should have started by now. The problem was that their film had not yet been produced, and their publicity requirements must also be based on the premise of not disclosing the name of the film or too much content. If this is not possible, how can they do publicity?

It is precisely because of this reason, they had never thought about what publicity fees they would want, and at least they should not demand them today.

Roy and Eiger exchanged a few words with each other, and in the end Roy asked, 'You want to start advertising now? Do you already have a publicity plan?'

Zhou Ming nodded and said yes . At this point, Eiger added: 'Okay, we did promise to pay for the publicity, but the publicity budget is as follows. To ensure that the publicity budget is used to the greatest extent possible, you must tell us the promotional methods you will use and the budget for each stage of the campaign. You report this budget to us, and we will pay for the necessary expenses for these promotions.'

In the end, Iger added, 'This is a long-standing Disney tradition, so please understand.'

'Well, that's a really fucked-up tradition!'

Zhou Ming shrugged and said a casual quip, and then told them about the viral marketing plan he had thought up and was ready to use on the Internet. Roy and Edgar were shocked.

They looked at Zhou Ming in disbelief looked at Ming Zhou, pointed at him and said, trembling, 'Is this...really your idea?'

'I don't think it could be any more fake,' Ming Zhou smiled and reminded them, 'I believe you are all executives at Disney, and your legal awareness and professional ethics should also be impeccable. So you definitely won't leak our marketing plan to anyone, right? Otherwise, I guarantee we will definitely sue the entire Disney and you.'

Roy and Edg nodding furiously and saying that they will definitely keep it a secret. Roy and Eg are joking that if Zhou Ming and Pixar Animation Studios really sue them, they will not only lose their jobs, but also face a potentially astronomical amount of compensation.

They naturally know what is more important. What really worries Roy and what really worried Roy and Ellen was obviously Zhou Ming, because from Zhou Ming's performance today, he clearly appeared to be a very mature businessman. He was not stubborn or arrogant, nor was he emotional. On the contrary, he was a very rational person, and all his considerations were full of wisdom. Most importantly, he was able to notice many details.

It seems that this time time, and he just hoped that the market would help him out and that the movie wouldn't be a big hit.

Those were the last thoughts of Lloyd and Alan.

On the other side, Ming-Kuo Chou wasn't interested in exploring their thoughts. After the signing was over, Ming Chow returned to San Francisco with Steve Jobs.

That night, in the computer room of the Pixar Animation Studios at the Digital Art Center Pixar Animation Studios in the computer room, Ming sat in front of the computer, opened California's most famous bbs online community, and typed a post according to a pre-prepared draft: 'Oh my god! Toys actually have souls!'

With Ming's final pressing the key, the post was immediately sent out. In those days, there was no censorship in the open and freedom-respecting United States, so Zhou Ming's post was refreshed in the first instance. At the same time, in the machine room next door, the keyboard was crackling as Zhou Ming added several replies.

'Idiot! How could a toy have a soul? If toys had souls, I'm afraid our cat would have been thrown out of the room a long time ago!'

'But I really believe that the toys in our home have souls, because every time I go out and come back, they always inexplicably move position. Sometimes I can find them, sometimes I can't. Oh my, I think they must have their own world!'

Looking at these comments replies, Zhou Ming's mouth curled up into a smile, because his planned viral marketing had officially begun.