Shen Fang then looked at Duan Yongping, who was chatting enthusiastically with Ding Sanshi.
He essentially thwarted Duan Yongping's plan. NetEase's revival was originally due to this bigwig helping Ding Lei stir up trouble in the US stock market, delaying the release of Fantasy Westward Journey, which allowed NetEase to recover.
BBK, to be honest, is really pretty awesome.
Moreover, BBK became even more impressive in its later stages. Many people may have heard of the name but have forgotten the brand, only knowing about BBK e-readers.
However, BBK has essentially retreated to the background. The BBK Group is one of the most watched brands in the global mobile phone market. It consists of well-known brands such as VIVO, OPPO, realme, OnePlus, BBK, and iQOO, which together have built a powerful mobile phone empire.
It even reached the number one sales position in the world at one point.
In the domestic market, BBK Electronics holds a market share of 34.6%, accounting for more than one-third of the domestic market. This huge share makes BBK the dominant player in the Chinese mobile phone market, demonstrating unparalleled competitiveness.
The success of the BBK Group is inseparable from the wisdom and leadership of its founder, Duan Yongping. He has cultivated a series of outstanding apprentices, providing a solid foundation for the continued development of the BBK Group.
Moreover, BBK itself has produced several particularly famous products.
BBK Electronics and its products have left a deep impression on children of later generations, thanks to the brainwashing advertisements for BBK e-readers. However, younger children born in the 2000s may have limited knowledge of the company, but those of other ages have all heard of BBK and have certainly used their products.
When it comes to BBK, many people will immediately think of OPPO and VIVO. Their stories will be told later. When it comes to BBK, one cannot help but mention its founder, Duan Yongping.
Besides being the founder of BBK Electronics and Subor, Duan Yongping is the most memorable figure for the general public.
That was the opportunity to have lunch with Warren Buffett, the "Oracle of Omaha," for $620,100. At that time, Duan Yongping also brought along a 26-year-old Google employee. This young man later founded a website that I think every Chinese person knows: Pinduoduo.
Duan Yongping
Duan Yongping is considered one of the most secretive, low-profile, yet legendary business tycoons in China's business world. Despite his low profile, he has never left the public eye.
The rise of OPPO and VIVO, and the rapid growth of NetEase and Pinduoduo, all bear the imprint of Duan Yongping in their respective business success stories. Duan Yongping's legendary status needs no further elaboration: he took the helm of Subor at 28, founded BBK Electronics at 34, and retired at 40 to pursue his passion. Pinduoduo's Huang Zheng said, "I am his fourth apprentice," and NetEase's Ding Lei said, "Old Duan is a benefactor in my life."
Duan Yongping was born in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province in March 1961. In 1977, the first year of the resumption of the National College Entrance Examination, approximately 5.7 million people took the exam, but only 272,970 were admitted. Duan Yongping was one of them, and he was admitted to the Department of Radio Engineering at Zhejiang University. Please remember this school and department, as they will appear frequently later.
In 1982, after graduating from the Department of Radio Engineering at Zhejiang University, I was assigned to the Beijing Electron Tube Factory. At that time, semiconductor integrated circuit technology was emerging, and electron tube technology was gradually being replaced.
The Beijing Electron Tube Factory had a total investment of 100 million yuan and nearly 10,000 employees. It was the largest electron tube factory in Asia in the 1960s. The 798 Art District in Beijing was rebuilt on the site of this factory.
Duan Yongping then pursued econometrics at the Department of Economics, Renmin University of China, and obtained his master's degree in 1998.
In March 1989, amidst the fervor of "peacocks flying southeast," Duan Yongping came south to Guangdong and was hired by Zhongshan Yihua Group as the factory manager of Rihua Electronics Factory, a small factory that was losing 2 million yuan.
During his time as factory manager, the Nintendo Famicom was launched in Japan. The Famicom entered China in large quantities as grey market imports. Duan Yongping keenly realized that home-use mini game consoles were the future. So, he led his team to develop the "Little Tyrant Game Console" in six months. It had similar functions but was only a quarter of the price of the former.
For many people born in the 80s and 90s, the Little Tyrant game console, which cost 99 yuan, represents their childhood and youth.
You could play games by inserting a cartridge, connecting to a TV, and using a third-generation cable. Although it was a pirated Famicom, given the circumstances at the time, the Famicom was too expensive, and the Subor game console offered better value for money.
In June 1991, Subor invested 400,000 yuan to broadcast its first advertisement on CCTV. It became an instant hit.
A smart person thinks three steps ahead before taking one step. At the same time, he realized that parents wouldn't support their children if they only played games.
So in 1993, he creatively added a keyboard to the game console, turning it into a learning machine—it couldn't be smarter. A new advertisement for "Little Tyrant Clapping Song" aired during prime time on CCTV, and there was even a clapping song.
You clap once, I clap once, and Little Tyrant has released a learning machine.
You clap twice, I clap twice, let's learn and play games together.
You clap three times, I clap three times, it's very easy to learn.
You clap four times, I clap four times, and I guarantee you'll be able to type in three days.
You clap five times, I clap five times, to lay the foundation for the future.
You clap six, I clap six, Little Tyrant comes out with 486.
You clap seven, I clap seven, a new generation of learning machine.
You clap eight, I clap eight, computer basics are top-notch!
You clap nine, I clap nine, the 21st century is beckoning.
In 1994, Subor launched its second-generation computer learning machine and spent 400,000 yuan to hire kung fu superstar Jackie Chan to endorse the game machine, increasing its brand awareness. The slogan "All parents in the world share the same heart, hoping their children will become dragons, Subor" made Subor learning machines popular all over the country and became a standard in many urban families.
They also created a special line for Jackie Chan: "Back in the day, I conquered the world with my fists. Now, in this computer age, my son will conquer the world with his Little Tyrant (a popular Chinese game console)." Pretty simple and direct, right?
Within a few years, Duan Yongping transformed Subor from a heavily indebted company into one with an output value exceeding one billion yuan. Yet, he remained a high-level employee, earning him the title of "Emperor of Employees" at the time. Duan Yongping was not content with this. He believed a more advanced incentive mechanism was necessary to prevent the company from losing its driving force for growth. Therefore, he proposed a shareholding reform, but the senior management of Yihua Group rejected this request.
In July 1995, Duan Yongping resigned, causing a public uproar and sparking widespread debate about the issue of management shareholding.
At this time, Duan Yongping was 34 years old and had already gained fame, fortune and wealth, but he felt that retirement was too early.
He single-handedly created a glorious enterprise, but this industry did not belong to him. The top management of Yihua was vying for power, which Duan Yongping disregarded.
When Duan Yongping left Yihua Group, he took six people with him: three for production and three for development.
The three who left with Duan Yongping at the time later became Chen Mingyong, general manager of OPPO; Shen Wei, general manager of VIVO; and Jin Zhijiang, general manager of BBK Electronics.
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