Chapter 163: Mysterious Spokesperson Countdown
To be precise, this should be Yu Wei’s second business cooperation. The first one was a wuxia game from Ling Xu Studio.
However, the small workshop’s progress was too slow, and no one knew when the game would launch. This cooperation leaned more toward a major brand, far beyond what the game could compare to.
“I guessed you would pick this one.”
Although Song Yiwen didn’t know what business Yu Wei would be interested in, something like a keyboard, he probably wouldn’t refuse.
Isn’t it obvious? He has to write novels for several hours a day; the keyboard is almost like family to him…
From the moment they received the brand party’s invitation, Song Yiwen had negotiated a rough deal for Yu Wei, striving for some rights within her power.
She vaguely felt back then that Yu Wei might choose this one, and sure enough, he took a liking to the keyboard at first sight.
“Do you have an NBA image ambassador?”
“?”
Yu Wei was flipping through the proposal. Ling Yue was a keyboard brand that had risen in recent years, offering both low-end and high-end products, renowned for its excellent hand feel and innovative design.
The endorsement period was two years, with an endorsement fee as high as twenty-two million, pre-tax.
This endorsement fee was already in the top tier in the entertainment industry; many heavenly kings and superstars were around this price.
“Am I worth this much?”
Yu Wei was a bit shocked after reading the proposal. Taking one advertisement was equivalent to singing seven or eight songs; no wonder few stars nowadays settle down to produce works.
In the entertainment industry, to make money, relying solely on works is actually the hardest way. He was cheating, but for those not cheating, where do good works come from to prove themselves?
Taking business endorsements is different. As long as you have popularity and some commercial value, you can make money, and this process is more time-saving and effortless than producing works.
Popularity can be marketed, ridden on, or even turned into black-red hype. In the entertainment industry, there are plenty of ways to get popular and make money.
Producing a song from start to finish not only has uncontrollable time, but whether it profits in the end is also unknown. Filming is the same; effort and return aren’t necessarily proportional.
In the current environment, the simple idea that stars rely on works no longer fits the market. Artist companies aren’t fools; why not take the shortcut if there is one?
Take this keyboard business deal in Yu Wei’s hands, for example. He just needs to participate in two filming sessions to get over twenty million.
One set of print ads, one brand television advertisement, and annual social media promotion—this job is easier than him recording variety shows…
The other party’s additional requirements weren’t many: first, have him avoid endorsing other competitor products keyboards; second, have him use their keyboard in public occasions as much as possible.
After all, everyone knows Yu Wei is a writing maniac who often writes novels right under everyone’s eyes; this is simply the best opportunity to showcase the product.
“If you’re willing to directly advertise for them in your novel, they’re willing to pay extra…”
Song Yiwen sighed helplessly. Finding cooperation with Yu Wei was one thing, but she didn’t know since when some brands had simply targeted his books.
They really treated his novel as a promotion platform?
“Then forget it.”
Business endorsements and such are also one of a star’s main jobs; this has nothing to do with the novel, no need for hard advertisements.
Taking the long way around is my shortest shortcut.
The specific face-to-face negotiation was scheduled for the next day. Things like cooperation details require a legal advisor present; these companies would arrange it.
That evening when Yu Wei got home, he received the product shipped over by Ling Yue—one part to win favor, the other to let him try it out first.
They attached great importance to this cooperation. Ling Yue had a premonition that if they could clinch the deal with Yu Wei, the company could take off…
A spokesperson carrying an entire company sounds a bit unbelievable, but on Yu Wei, it’s entirely possible.
Everyone knows he likes writing novels; the extremely strong association between him and keyboards is something no other artist or star can match.
Stars endorsing products boils down to each getting what they need: stars need money and to bolster their image, brand parties need to leverage stars’ popularity for advertisements.
But Yu Wei is different. Cooperating with him, Ling Yue not only gains popularity but also leaps to become “the keyboard endorsed by Yu Wei”—a surefire profit.
What they could think of, other keyboard companies surely could too. As far as Ling Yue knew, at least five or six keyboard companies had expressed cooperation intention to Yu Wei.
But in the end, Ling Yue won. No other reason—just that they offered the highest price.
For competitor manufacturers, this behavior was somewhat irrational. After all, for keyboard endorsements, no company had ever offered such a high price.
Keyboard endorsements usually invite esports players; they are related to games and one of the groups that best represent keyboards.
Cooperating with professional players, the endorsement fee is just a few hundred thousand to a few million. Offering a flat twenty million to sign Yu Wei made other vendors hesitate for a moment…
This was just an ordinary endorsement, not live broadcast selling goods. When people usually buy keyboards, they mainly look at appearance, hand feel, and cost-performance; who cares about the spokesperson.
Whether it can break even is really hard to say.
Ling Yue actually had some gambling element too. Compared to traditional game keyboard spokespersons, Yu Wei took another path.
He uses it more for writing novels, which is precisely the basic use of keyboards. Having a web novel author endorse keyboards is, in a sense, a new track.
The formal contract negotiation took place in Ying Huo Hua Wen’s conference room. Song Yiwen and lawyer Zhang, the legal advisor, represented Yu Wei, engaging in consultations with Ling Yue’s team on the endorsement contract’s details.
Both sides agreed on a total endorsement fee of twenty-two million, paid in stages.
30% upon contract signing, 30% after television advertisement and print advertisement filming completion, 20% upon product launch, and the final 20% at contract expiration.
In addition, Song Yiwen negotiated sales reward clauses for Yu Wei: if keyboard sales exceed 120% of the target in the first year of the endorsement period, Yu Wei will receive extra rewards.
Money or not, the main thing is that Yu Wei really likes keyboards…
What satisfied him most was actually the contract’s morality clause: if any party has a serious negative event that damages the other’s brand image, the other party has the right to unilaterally terminate the contract.
This clause is good for both artists and brands; after all, in this day and age, the internet flip rate is still too high.
“Then we look forward to future cooperation, Teacher Yu Wei.”
After reaching consensus, Yu Wei even saw a bit of relieved smile on the person in charge’s face. It was clear they genuinely wanted to cooperate with him.
Ling Yue showed full sincerity in this cooperation, and their keyboards were indeed pretty good to use—that was the most important thing.
Last night, Yu Wei tried writing with it; the writing speed didn’t improve significantly, but his hands felt much more relaxed, very suitable for long sessions.
The advertisement filming was scheduled for three days later, but Ling Yue couldn’t hold back and posted a hint on the platform that same day.
“#Mysterious Spokesperson Countdown
Hey, partners! I’m that little glowing elf on your keyboard~ Lately, I’ve sniffed out big news!
A mysterious big shot came to the company; their fingertips can awaken the magic of notes and write interesting stories.
Their figure shuttles between the boundaries of art and popular, just like I can switch freely between game and office modes with one click—they’re the true ‘cross-border king.’
Secretly telling you: their signature might be printed on my keycaps, turning into an exclusive co-branded model! When the time comes, let’s write stories with words together and light up the starry sky with music…”
Too on point. The guest promotion posts Yu Wei saw before used “ta,” emphasizing gender ambiguity to keep the mystery without offending anyone.
Although this post feigned mystery, once those relevant phrases came out, netizens could tell at a glance who it was.
In the entertainment industry, who else can sing and write things?
Not to mention the four words “cross-border king”—who else but Yu Wei deserves that title? He really crosses borders: idol debut as a singer, then suddenly writing scripts to act, and even winning awards.
Not to mention his favorite novels. Although the entertainment ones aren’t great, the suspense ones are really something; plenty of people are following updates for Malice.
This suspected Yu Wei spokesperson quickly drew massive netizen watch. Him endorsing a keyboard—real or fake?
“Damn Ling Yue, if you really get Yu Wei to endorse, I’ll sell the pot and iron to buy it!”
“Really? Yu Wei actually took an endorsement. Thought he’d take luxury goods.”
“Maybe Yu Wei only wants to endorse products us fans can afford. Tears.”
“The first to think of Yu Wei endorsing keyboards is a genius. I wouldn’t dare say for others, but him sleeping with a keyboard? I believe it.”
In terms of topic heat, this cooperation is maxed out, but commercial results depend on actual sales; it could still be a loss-making publicity stunt.
“Took an advertisement?”
Netizens had no accurate info and could only guess wildly, but Qi Luo An could ask directly. This should still be Yu Wei’s first proper business deal.
Stars taking business is actually very normal, as long as it doesn’t fleece fans or cooperate with fake or inferior products—nothing to say, it’s actually a sign of status.
“I won’t take others, but keyboards are pretty interesting.”
This endorsement was indeed too perfect for him, the most persona-fitting one.
“I’m a student, give me one.”
Qi Luo An really wanted this one; the keyboard she was using now was from Ling Yue, so she was an old user.
Heard the co-branded model even has Yu Wei’s signature—who could refuse that?
“Even if you’re Andersen, buy it yourself when the time comes.”
While chatting idly with her, Yu Wei clicked open the latest chapter of Qi Luo An’s novel, not sure if The Devotion of Suspect X had appeared yet.
The latest chapter of Failure Data: Wei Yu successfully won a novel award with Malice, but it also drew doubts from other authors.
They suspected the “malice” in the book was satirizing them, so they immediately charged ahead: Malice isn’t even a suspense novel!
Under the guise of guessing crime motives, it’s ultimately just using techniques to deceive readers. The trick parts are downright nonsense—can this even be called suspense?
In response, protagonist Wei Yu’s choice was to produce a genuine mystery.
The plot is classic textbook: first doubt, then face-slapping. But Qi Luo An wrote it without being greasy; the impression is pretty good.
Is this talent?
The netizens’ comments at the end of the new chapter were quite interesting.
“Yu Wei, oh Yu Wei, Wei Yu even finished the Malice instance—can you learn from your protagonist?”
“Genuine mystery still needs tricks; non-professionals, don’t try this lightly.”
Malice’s reasoning parts are relatively simple, mainly exploring human nature and society—still too shallow compared to orthodox suspense.
This is also why Yu Wei made it his first novel work: going from shallow to deep is more logical, and easier for everyone to accept.
Starting with a masterpiece, then passing off inferior goods later—wouldn’t that be talent exhausted?
“So young and already a multi-millionaire; there’s already a tragic thick barrier between us.”
Yu Wei was somewhat dismissive of Qi Luo An’s words. A true heavenly dragon person saying this—doesn’t she feel guilty?
Besides, he had big plans for this advertisement fee.
