Chapter 108: Where did this Zhang Ye appear from?
At home.
It was getting later and later.
Zhang Ye still did not know how big a name he had made for himself in the advertising circles, both foreign and domestic. He was not even looking at the computer, despite it being in front of him. He had opened the game ring’s virtual interface. He was staring with surprise at the Reputation points surging upwards on the menu!
+266!
+7692!
+2103!
At times, it increased by the hundreds, while at other times, it increased by the thousands!
Just before the advertisement was broadcast, Zhang Ye’s had recalled taking a look in the afternoon. His overall Reputation points had been 290,000. Some of it was left from the interview, and the other 200,000+ were from the sales of ‘Ghost Blows Out the Light’ over the past few days. But today, just after a small public service advertisement, in a short time span of an hour, Zhang Ye’s overall Reputation points had reached 470,000!
480,000…
500,000…
And it was still growing nonstop!
It was estimated that after tomorrow, it would at least increase to 800,000!
Zhang Ye had another deep understanding of the game ring. That was that the works he produced could keep increasing his game Reputation points, even if the audience did not know Zhang Ye’s name, so long as they satisfied the respect and amazement requirements. How could he tell?
The public service advertisement did not have a credits list. No commercial would list it. Only a small number of people will check on the official television website to find out that it was Zhang Ye’s production. The numbers were so small that they were negligible, yet Zhang Ye’s Reputation was increasing nonstop. This explained the problem.
With this rule, Zhang Ye looked at such sideshows with more importance. No, to be exact, this public service advertisement was no longer a sideshow. With so much attention focused on it , and it earning him so much reputation, how could it be considered a sideshow anymore?
At this moment, the Arts Channel’s late-night program had just ended. It now broadcast again the public service advertisement.
Zhang Yuanqi put down her wine glass and looked over. She looked at it fully before saying, “You seem to be multi-talented. In the future, when I have any advertisements or endorsements, you can do the planning for me.”
Zhang Ye laughed, “Endorsement, advertisements? Don’t they have professional production companies?”
Zhang Yuanqi answered coldly, “They can’t do it as well as you can. The direction is a little stiff.”
Advertisements and endorsements… They not only bring in the money for the celebrities. If an advertisement is done well, it has another advantage. It can bring up the visibility of the celebrity, which is very important. But if an advertisement is done poorly and the product performs too lousily, then even if they paid a lot, no big time celebrity would endorse it.
Zhang Ye promised, “Sure. Let’s discuss about it again sometime.”
“What else do you know?” Zhang Yuanqi switched over her crossed legs.
“I know everything, I am an original producer. You can’t do without me.” Zhang Ye started bragging, “Oh, yes. I remember watching a news article about you. In your acting career, no one should be comparable to you; you are considered to be a top star, right? But in your music career, it seems to not be such smooth sailing? Why did the news mention that you are no longer getting ready for a concert anymore? Will you be focusing on movies instead? After conquering the domestic market, you will aim for the international market?”
Zhang Yuanqi said unfeelingly, “I have no good songs.”
“Let your team spend some money then.” Zhang Ye said.
“A good song is not so easy to find. Sometimes you think it’s good, but after people listen to it, no one approves of it.” Zhang Yuanqi related calmly.
Zhang Ye blinked, “Okay, if I have time, I will write you a song. With this song, I can guarantee that you will get back your place in the music industry.”
Zhang Yuanqi didn’t think much of it. She looked at her watch. Probably thinking it’s late, she switched on her cellphone.
When it turned on, a pile of message tones played. Then a phone call came in, probably from Zhang Yuanqi’s assistant or manager.
“Sis Zhang! My Big Sister Zhang! You are finally answering the phone!” It was a woman’s voice.
“Hur Hur, my phone’s battery was flat just now. It was charging.” Zhang Yuanqi expression had changed, a total difference from the one she wore when she interacted with Zhang Ye.
The woman brushed her off, “You…. Right, who are you trying to bluff! The other time you had disappeared for a night! This time you disappeared again? Sis Zhang, are you in a relationship? At your boyfriend’s place? Let me tell you first, the company’s regulations state that our artistes are not allowed to be in a relationship. Even if they want to be in one, they have to go through the company, get permission and report about it. Of course, the company will not dare stick their noses in too much for someone like you, but you can at least inform me first, right?”
Zhang Yuanqi laughed “You’re thinking too much.”
“I hope that I’m overthinking it, too. If you really had a boyfriend, how many people’s hearts would be broken? It would surely affect your acting career.” The woman said worriedly.
Zhang Yuanqi laughed, “You have really been overthinking it. Alright, I will go back now. Please wait at my home. We will touch on tomorrow’s commercial performance tomorrow.”
The woman replied, “I’ve been at your house waiting. I waited for the whole night.”
“Alright, then please wait for me. It’s been hard on you. I will bring some food back for you. I know you love curry beef rice a lot.” Zhang Yuanqi said kindly.
The woman softly said, “You are always like this, placating me after disappearing. I don’t even have the chance to be angry. Okay, so I will wait for you.”
The phone was hung up.
Zhang Ye asked, “Going off?”
“Going off.” Zhang Yuanqi took and wore her blazer, then put on her sunglass and face mask.
To mention it, when the Heavenly Queen was around, Zhang Ye was a little annoyed. The main issue was that her attitude was bad, with that uncaring attitude of hers, but yet she treated her assistant in such a gentle manner. But when it was time for Zhang Yuanqi to leave, Zhang Ye felt a little reluctant, “It’s already so late. Why don’t I send you back?”
Zhang Yuanqi said, “I drove here.”
Zhang Ye said “Oh, then, then alright. Drive safely.”
Zhang Yuanqi did not answer. She took her stuff and left in a hurry.
Zhang Ye said to her back, “Come over when you have time.”
Zhang Yuanqi did not look back, but replied, “If we won’t be having instant noodles again, I will consider it. Bye.”
Zhang Ye happily said, “Sure, we will order takeouts next time.”
After closing the door, Zhang Ye couldn’t help but smile. His relationship with the Heavenly Queen was a little unclear. Were they friends? They could not considered to be friends, as she had only come over twice and they hadn’t spoken much. Zhang Yuanqi’s replies were mainly uhms and ohs, or silence. But if we were to say that the two of them were strangers? You can’t say that either; strangers don’t go to each other’s house late at night, do they? She is a female comrade, and even a well-known celebrity. So, their relationship could be considered as something very subtle, yet special.
Forget it, I’m not thinking anymore.
Zhang Ye went back to his computer.
On Weibo, a number of people started to @ Zhang Ye.
“This public service advertisement is really Teacher Zhang’s work? I’m again impressed by Zhang Ye’s artistic foundations!”
“@BeijingWritersAssociation @ them once everyday”
“Help Teacher Zhang into the writers’ association, @BeijingWritersAssociation !”
“We have mentioned them for so many days. Why is the writers’ association not replying? Are they such petty characters? If they are inferior to Teacher Zhang Ye, they should learn from him how to write poems. Why are they ostracizing him instead? Such pettiness! If they are like that, then it’s better that Teacher Zhang be not admitted!”
The voices calling for Zhang Ye’s admission into the the association were getting louder and louder.
But there were also some voices that were focused on the public service advertisement.
A long Weibo post was written specially to Zhang Ye. The poster was called Hundred Year Tree “Teacher Zhang, I have been your loyal fan since I heard of your melody poems. Only after seeing everyone’s discussion did I realise that the public service advertisement earlier in the night was made by you. That ‘Lights off with people gone!’ is a real classic; it’s really great. We are also having some worries over an issue here at our unit, so we would like to seek your advice.”
His Weibo verified status was as an employee of the Beijing Taoran Pavilion Garden Park, “I am an employee with the garden parks. During the November long holidays when there are more tourists, the cases of stepping on lawns have become our nightmares. A lot of the grass lawns have been destroyed due to all the trudging. 20% of the whole park’s lawn areas have been destroyed and the percentage is ever-increasing. Are you able to help us come up with an advertisement tagline to discourage such unethical behavior?”
“Support!”
“Yea, the ethics of many tourists these days are getting low!”
“We would like some advice. Are there are any creative slogans?”
There were many replies below, especially from employees of the garden parks and their related industries.
Concerning this request from his fan, Zhang Ye thought for a bit and replied, “Okay, let me think a little.”
“Haha, Teacher Zhang actually responded!”
“Sitting here waiting for Teacher Zhang’s advertising slogan; I hope it’s aggressive!”
“Right, it needs to stop people from stepping on lawns just by seeing it!”
When this discussion came up, many advertising professionals who were lurking at his Weibo suddenly paid attention. They had all just found out about Zhang Ye’s name and searched for his Weibo. They were just in time to see him giving a creative brief for another public service advertisement, so they immediately kept their eyes peeled on his Weibo!
“Old Zhou, quickly come and look at this Weibo!”
“Teacher Sun, that creative who made the ‘conserve electricity public service advertisement’, Zhang Ye, is preparing another advertisement. It’s on Weibo!”
A few creative people informed their friends, some over the phone, while some @ them over the internet. In the end, more and more people gathered to observe.
Zhang Ye was a mysterious person to the advertisement professionals’ circle. He had no industry experience, nor any results or reputation, but somehow his first production had given the creative world a light of innovation. Everyone was curious about this person, about whether he had the ability or if it just a fluke. Was he the real thing? This resulted in advertising professionals from Beijing, outer provinces and even foreign countries staring at Zhang Ye’s Weibo and awaiting his new idea.
Love the lawn?
These days, on the PSA taglines were all “Love the lawn; be responsible.” What else could be a new idea? If it’s nothing more than just changing the slogan, the effect will be the same! If a person was ethical, even without a warning, they would not step on the lawn. Those without ethics, even if you told them off for half a day, they will ignore the warnings.
This was too difficult!
Everyone wanted to see what Zhang Ye, the man who made a public service advertisement miracle, would come up with.
Zhang Ye made an announcement a short while later. He wrote very simply, a single line for a slogan. When the Garden Parks employees wanted him to be more aggressive, the first thought that came to his mind was a popular phrase concerning lawn protection from his world. Aggressive? There was nothing more aggressive than this!
Zhang Ye typed: “Lawn slogan: Stepping on me today, growing on your grave tomorrow!”
The moment it was posted, Weibo nearly exploded!
“Pfft!”
“I burst out!”
“It’s too damn fierce!”
“Hahaha, I’ve gone mad laughing!”
“If this slogan is used, who would still dare step on lawns!?”
“The fiercest advertisement slogan this century! Verification completed!”
“Teacher Zhang Ye is always so humorous! I love him so much!”
“You may say say so, but I think it’s really good. I think we should try it!”
The Garden Parks employee who had posted before said, “Haha, thank you, Teacher Zhang. This slogan is too good. Why didn’t I think of it? In a while, I’ll try submitting it to the higher-ups. Uh, but I guess it won’t be approved.”
This slogan was placed on a property in a tiny city in his world. It had not been greatly promoted. But when the slogan was made known, it caused a stir online. Everyone was shocked. The person who had come up with the slogan was too talented!
If Zhang Ye had used it in this world, the effects would be similar!
Some people treated it as a joke, while others didn’t. For example, those people in the industry or famous or obscure advertising professionals saw a different scene! Honestly, from a certain angle, this slogan was offensive to the public’s morals. As there were some morally degrading words, it was unlikely that it could be widely publicized by garden parks, not to mention publicized openly. It was a slogan that could not be used!
But so what if it could not be used?
So what if it couldn’t be publicized openly?
This slogan had lit up a light for everyone in the advertising industry. It made many of them curse in their hearts. Your sister, who knew that a slogan for caring for the grass could be written this way?
They had gained a lot!
Zhang Ye had really given them a lesson!
Who was this person? Where did this Zhang Ye appear from?
Momentarily, an advertising professional who was rather famous in the industry sent Zhang Ye a private message on Weibo, “Teacher Zhang, are you interested in coming to the advertising world to develop yourself? If you are interested, you can contact my company. We can discuss the remuneration.”
Zhang Ye received the message and was at a loss of whether to laugh or to cry.
Following that, another person sent Zhang Ye a private message, “I’m from Aide Advertising. Teacher Zhang Ye, our company welcomes you with open arms. Please give us a line of contact.”
Zhang Ye very politely rejected them.
Make advertisements? Forget it. Doing it for fun to gather some fame and reputation was nice, but to do advertisements professionally? Zhang Ye was not so free!