Chapter 564 Incubating Internet Celebrities
"As far as I know, this double-sided glass and metal frame design places very high demands on supply chain quality control and assembly precision."
Great design does not equal a successful product.
The true strength of a technology company lies in its ability to transform designs on paper into mature products produced on a large scale, at low cost, and with high yield.
A slight smile played on her lips, her eyes no longer gentle: "Mr. Luo, if I may be so bold as to ask, have you 'smoothed over' the supply chain issues regarding Foxconn's yield rate and JDI's screen supply?"
Before Luo Yonghao, whose pupils had constricted slightly, could organize his thoughts to reply, Liu Shishi put her phone back on the table, exuding an aura of dominance: "President Luo, you said you wanted to be the Apple of the Eastern Hemisphere."
So tell me, with core components like Qualcomm chips, Sony cameras, and Samsung screens all dependent on foreign suppliers, where does Smartisan's Apple dream find its foundation?
A barrage of sharp, incisive questions, like a series of punches, left Luo Yonghao, known for his eloquence in the market, speechless for a moment.
"Mr. Luo, you've come to see me today for more than just a few tens of millions of investment, haven't you?"
Liu Shishi's voice remained soft, yet each word struck Luo Yonghao's heart like a heavy hammer: "As far as I know, Smartisan Technology just completed a round of financing in May and is not short of funds for the time being."
What you really want is to use me to get Smartisan into Tenda's ecosystem, or even...
"I've obtained my husband's technology licenses for fingerprint recognition and AI voice assistants to prepare for the next generation of flagship products. Am I right?"
Before she arrived, she had her Huiwen Asset Management team conduct a very thorough investigation of Smartisan Technology, so she came prepared.
Luo Yonghao's forehead was covered in cold sweat; the other party had completely seen through his intentions. The woman in front of him was far from the "pretty face" that outsiders imagined.
He had thought it would be a casual persuasion session with a "celebrity's wife," but she surprised him by demonstrating the insight of a top investor.
However, being a seasoned veteran, he quickly adjusted his mindset after the initial shock, attempting to downplay the severity of the situation and salvage the situation:
"Mr. Liu, you've hit the nail on the head! You've pointed out the problems with Smartisan Technology! But any company needs time to develop!"
My gaze involuntarily drifted to the towering technological building outside the window, and I was filled with emotion.
"Even Tengda Technology, founded by Mr. Song, took nine years to grow from nothing into the towering company it is today!"
Give me the same nine years, and I'm confident I can lead Smartisan to become one of the giants in the mobile phone industry!
Liu Shishi shook her head. She had heard this kind of talk about the future and dreams far too many times.
Her neighbor, Mr. Lei Jun, and that Mr. Jia Yueting from LeEco are both prime examples of this; she's already immune to them.
In this world, her husband Song Ci's business miracle of building something from nothing and riding the waves is enough.
"Mr. Luo, I'm sorry, you didn't convince me."
When my husband talks about work at home, I never interrupt; I just listen and learn from him.
"After all these years, even a block of wood should understand quite a bit by now."
Looking down at the exquisitely crafted prototype: "Excuse my bluntness, leaving aside the two giants overseas, Apple and Samsung, compared to domestic companies like Huawei, Xiaomi, and Meizu..."
I haven't found any core competitiveness in Smartisan Technology!
Luo Yonghao felt frustrated and defeated. He had underestimated Liu Shishi and was unprepared, which put him in a completely passive position.
He sighed inwardly, a sentence flashing through his mind: Behind every successful man, there is an extraordinary woman. The world has underestimated this billionaire's wife!
But Luo Yonghao is also someone who can let go easily. He took a deep breath and spoke sincerely:
"Mr. Liu, I am very sorry. I was not well prepared today and have taken up your valuable time."
Every issue you just pointed out is extremely valuable for the future development of Smartisan Technology.
I will visit you again after I have optimized my supply chain and systems. I hope you will give me another chance.
Looking at the renewed, resentful light in his eyes, Liu Shishi nodded gently once more.
"I look forward to seeing Smartisan Technology bring me a different kind of surprise next time we meet."
After Luo Yonghao left, Liu Shishi leaned comfortably against the window, took out a book from her bag and started reading, enjoying a rare moment of tranquility.
Today, Cai Yinong went to Tengda's headquarters to discuss matters with Zhang Zhao, and the two arranged to have lunch together.
Meanwhile, Cai Yi-nong, who had just arrived at the Science and Technology Building, was led to the reception room by Secretary Zhang Zhao.
As soon as the door opened, she was surprised to see an acquaintance, Yang Tianzhen, sitting on the sofa fiddling with her phone.
"Mr. Yang, it's been a long time."
Yang Tianzhen looked up at the sound of the voice and saw that it was Cai Yinong. She immediately stood up to greet him with a smile on her face: "President Cai! What a coincidence."
The secretary served them tea: "Please have a seat, Mr. Zhang will be here shortly."
Cai Yinong took a sip of fragrant tea, pondering for a moment, and tentatively asked, "Mr. Yang is well-informed, do you know why Mr. Zhang has summoned us here today?"
Yang Tianzhen gently shook her head and frankly said, "President Zhang has just been promoted to Executive President of Tengda's Digital Media and Entertainment Business Group, overseeing Tengda Culture, Southern Cinema Circuit, and Reading Group..."
I have no idea where his new policies will lead.
Cai Yinong was slightly surprised, not expecting Zhang Zhao to have made such a significant leap forward.
Now he controls the life and death of the entire Tengda Entertainment sector, making him a truly powerful figure in the entertainment industry.
As the two were lost in thought, the door to the reception room was pushed open again.
Zhang Zhao strode in, his voice booming: "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Mr. Cai and Mr. Yang."
"Mr. Zhang!"
"We just arrived too, and we were just about to congratulate General Manager Zhang on his promotion!"
After a brief exchange of pleasantries and congratulations, Zhang Zhao took his seat and got straight to the point: "The reason I invited you two here today is to discuss the transformation of Tangren Media and Alpha Entertainment."
Beyond the traditional film and television sector, a portion of our elite resources will be allocated to developing MCN (Multi-Channel Network) agencies.
After becoming a T17-level executive president, he was qualified to access Tenda's core strategic blueprint.
The next trillion-dollar sector that ZhiXiao Group is betting on is short video business.
Chairman Song Ci assigned him a task:
Select and support several film and television companies, transforming them into content producers and influencer incubators that are in line with the mobile internet era.
Creating exemplary models for MCN agencies. Tengda provides the "map" and "weapons" to help partners expand their territories.
Cai Yinong was still quickly weighing the potential impact of the transformation on Tangren's traditional film and television business.
Yang Tianzhen took the lead in expressing her opinion, her tone resolute: "Whatever Mr. Zhang needs Aofei to do, we will definitely cooperate fully and keep up with the group's strategic pace."
She knew perfectly well that Tengda Culture was the major shareholder of Alpha Group, and anything that Zhang Zhao was personally involved in must be a strategic priority at the group level.
This is not just an opportunity, but a task that must be completed; there is no room for negotiation.
Upon hearing this, Cai Yinong understood that there was no time to hesitate and immediately followed up: "Tangren Film & Television is also duty-bound and willing to fully explore new fields."
Sensing the seriousness in their voices, Zhang Zhao smiled and eased the tension, saying, "You two don't need to be so tense."
This transformation presents a tremendous opportunity for Tangren and Alpha Group. Tengda will dedicate resources to provide comprehensive support.
If you can seize this opportunity, you may one day transform from a traditional film and television production company into a new type of media giant that integrates online and offline channels and controls traffic entry points.
This is a precious ticket bestowed upon us by the times!
Cai Yinong and Yang Tianzhen exchanged a glance, their tense nerves relaxing slightly, and a strong sense of anticipation rising in their hearts.
"Are either of you familiar with the concept of the influencer economy?"
Zhang Zhao posed a question, but without waiting for their answer, he began to outline the main points in the manner of a preacher.
The development of the "internet celebrity economy" can be roughly divided into several stages.
After the turn of the millennium, with the rise of the internet, the first generation of internet celebrities emerged, mainly online literature creators, such as Pi Zi Cai and Annie Baby.
The business model at that time was extremely rudimentary, relying on revenue generation from physical book publishing.
He paused briefly, observed the reactions of the two, and continued, "Around 2010, with the rise of social media platforms like Weibo, we entered the era of text and images."
Popular online personalities such as comedians and fashion bloggers are monetizing their content through product placements and online stores, creating clearer business models.
Upon hearing this, Cai Yinong and Yang Tianzhen simultaneously adjusted their postures, knowing that the main event was about to begin.
“And then, with the full popularization of 4G networks,” Zhang Zhao’s voice suddenly rose, “the influencer economy will undergo a fundamental qualitative change!”
Short videos, live streaming, and other rich media content formats will experience explosive growth, and a brand-new traffic ecosystem with a scale far exceeding expectations is about to take shape.
All of this will be accompanied by the rise of a new type of organization: professional MCN (Multi-Channel Network) agencies.
Cai Yinong quickly digested this information and tentatively concluded: "What President Zhang means is that he hopes Tangren and Alpha will establish a dedicated MCN department!"
Integrating resources to provide signed influencers with professional content planning, operation, and traffic generation—becoming one of the first players in this new arena?
“Absolutely right!” Zhang Zhao nodded approvingly. “Right now, Tengda Spark Live and Huya Live are fully operational and thriving.”
Their primary task is to establish a new media business unit and enter the short video and live streaming content market.
“Aofei has no problem.” Yang Tianzhen immediately agreed. She has always believed that traffic is king, and she is willing to fully invest in the trend that Tengda pointed out.
"Tangren will also immediately assemble a team," Cai Yinong followed up with a statement.
She thought to herself that Zhang Zhao's idea was exactly the same as the "live streaming guild" she had discussed with Liu Shishi a few days ago.
"I can offer some ideas for your reference regarding specific implementation directions."
Zhang Zhao recounted the details with great familiarity, saying, "For example, when celebrities are filming on set, they can open a 'Behind the Scenes' column on the Spark platform."
It showcases behind-the-scenes footage of makeup, hair styling, acting, and martial arts training in real time, satisfying fans' voyeuristic desires.
Celebrities with a strong gaming background can join Huya Live, collaborate with esports players, and precisely target the gaming community to attract young users.
After giving two specific examples, he changed the subject: "But another, and more important, mission of Tangren and Alpha is to incubate internet celebrity artists!"
We need to establish a selection mechanism to sign contracts with talented amateurs who have expressive abilities and unique skills from across the internet.
After providing systematic training, we arranged for them to try live streaming and accumulate initial fans.
Another crucial point is that, regardless of whether they are celebrities or influencers, they must edit the highlights of the live stream into short videos ranging from 15 seconds to 1 minute.
Secondary distribution is carried out in the short video sections of Weibo, Toutiao Video, and live streaming platforms.
I think this should be a natural advantage for film and television companies that excel at content editing.
"Tangren will do as General Manager Zhang says!" Cai Yinong's words were full of enthusiasm, but he immediately raised the most practical question.
"Tangren and Alpha have no shortage of training systems and content production, but even a skilled cook cannot make a meal without rice."
The core of the influencer ecosystem lies in "popularity"; without a strong influx of traffic, even the best seeds will struggle to sprout.
Zhang Zhao smiled slightly, offering reassurance: "The group already has contingency plans in place to address President Cai's concerns."
Rest assured, Weibo and Toutiao within the Tenda ecosystem will receive significant traffic support.
Meanwhile, Spark and Huya's homepages will feature a dedicated 'Celebrity Live Streaming' channel and a featured section.
In addition, this includes special funding support and technical assistance from Tenda Cloud, such as storage and big data analytics. A dedicated team will contact you later to discuss the details.
Hearing such a comprehensive resource commitment, Cai Yi-nong and Yang Tian-zhen were overjoyed, and the last weight was lifted from their hearts.
In the internet world, having Tenda's traffic boost is like having a powerful weapon for pioneering new frontiers.
At this moment, Zhang Zhao's tone suddenly became serious: "I must remind you both that the transformation of any enterprise is never a smooth road."
There are some potential challenges that you need to anticipate and be mentally prepared for.
"Please speak, Mr. Zhang," the two said in unison.
"Tangren and Alpha both have mature film and television production systems, which is your advantage in defeating them."
But remember, short videos and long-form dramas are two completely different products.
Film and television dramas pursue narrative depth and production precision, resulting in a heavy process and long cycle;
Short videos, on the other hand, require 'short, flat, and fast' content, rapid response, and lightweight production.
Balancing these two mindsets and preventing new business from being assimilated by traditional processes is the primary challenge in your organizational restructuring.
Cai Yinong fell into deep thought, already considering the potential impact of the transformation on Tangren Media.
Yang Tianzhen, on the other hand, seemed more confident. In her view, embracing traffic is an innate gene of Aofei.
With sufficient resources, traditional film and television and new media businesses can be pursued as two parallel paths, or even integrated.
Finally, Zhang Zhao concluded with high hopes in his eyes: "The reason Tengda chose to support these two is that it hopes Tangren and Aofei can become industry benchmarks."
You not only need to provide the platform with a massive amount of high-quality content, but also need to explore a replicable success model.
This will guide the development of more MCN agencies and help them collectively expand this new market.
Yang Tianzhen, ambitious as ever, chuckled and declared, "Don't worry, Mr. Zhang, Aofei will make a move soon! Just you wait and see!"
(End of this chapter)
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