Exploiting Hollywood 1980

BBDO's creative director, Miss Darcy Maguire, walked into the company early in the morning and waited for the sales test results in Cincinnati and Cleveland with Ronald.

After a month of advertising, Hershey got the sales results as quickly as possible, summarized them, and sent them to BBDO. Today is the day to announce the results.

Ronald and Darcy sat outside the partner's office, waiting for the two partners to summon them and announce who is the winner of this internal competition.

"Miss Maguire, Mr. Li, please come this way." The secretary opened the door and respectfully invited them to the highest-level office in BBDO's New York headquarters.

"Did we win based on the secretary's attitude?" Ronald asked.

"Not necessarily. The secretary may have seen the final results, but they will pretend not to know."

"Based on my experience as a director, it doesn't look like acting. Otherwise, she can go to Hollywood."

The two sat side by side at one side of the conference table. Opposite them sat their competitor Dan, and the other director Hugh Hudson was not present.

Dan looked at Darcy and Ronald with a smug look, and touched the red handkerchief in the left breast pocket of his suit. He was dressed very formally today, and seemed full of confidence.

"You will stop laughing soon," Ronald laughed secretly.

After greeting the two groups of competitors, the two partners yielded to each other for a while, and finally opened the envelope containing the results based on the principle of whoever has the subordinates should announce it.

"It looks quite like the Oscars." Ronald laughed secretly.

"The sales data of Dan's group's advertisement in Cleveland is 69.7%." Dan's protector, one of the partners, opened an envelope and announced the sales results of Dan's advertisement.

After one month of broadcasting in Cleveland, the sales volume driven by Dan's advertisement was equal to about 70% of the one-time distribution.

Darcy Maguire previously estimated that he would have a great chance of winning if he could achieve 60%, but now it seems a bit too optimistic.

Darcy sat up straight involuntarily, raised his head, and waited for the announcement of Cincinnati's data.

Ronald looked at Dan's face, which was flushed. He was picking up the coffee on the table, hoping to slowly savor the taste of victory.

"Maybe he has learned the answer from an insider?" Ronald thought, "But my own advertising can't lose to the other party. Is my judgment wrong?"

"Did they do something?" Ronald asked Darcy in his ear.

"They must have done something, but I have confidence in our creativity, and I have confidence in you, Ronald. We are not without a chance of winning. Hershey's new products have also had a higher pull effect than 70%." Darcy Maguire felt that their creativity might also exceed 70%. Even if they were behind the other party, if the gap was within 3%, they might still be able to compete with Dan's tricks.

While he was thinking about it, Darcy's protector, another partner, tore open the envelope, took a look at the result, and read it out slowly.

"Darcy's sales data. The sales data in Cincinnati is 163%"

"What?"

Dan was shocked. His hand holding the coffee shook and burned his mouth. Then most of the coffee spilled on his formal jacket. The scarlet suit towel on his left chest turned brown.

"It seems that the dry cleaner can't clean it properly." Ronald thought with gloating.

163% means that all the Chewels in the first distribution were sold, and most of the second replenishment was sold. In this way, Ronald won their version of the advertisement without dispute.

The partner who favored Darcy began to announce the official results of the competition:

"In this way, Darcy Maguire won the sales test. The sales of Chewels in Cincinnati made Hershey very excited. This broke their monthly sales record for chewing gum products.

Their marketing director called me and asked you to submit 10 more advertising ideas. After that, the series of advertisements for this new product will be strongly promoted on the national television network." The partner announced the follow-up work to Darcy Maguire.

"Finally, I want to say: Well done! You have secured the Hershey account for the company. I will also secure it for you at the junior partner promotion meeting next year." The partner who favored Darcy gave a final instruction.

"Congratulations, Darcy." Ronald congratulated her after she finished talking to the partner.

"Congratulations to us, Ronald." Darcy came up and hugged Ronald.

"If you agree, I would like to shoot the creative version of the jazz singer by Gerald Slater's daughter as soon as possible. He supported us a lot in the early stage." Ronald made a request to Darcy Maguire.

"We should seize this opportunity. You plan the storyboard and shooting location, and I will go with you to meet Gerald." Darcy also knew that this kind of high-level relationship in a national television network is rare.

"Of course, we will go together, Gerald attaches great importance to his daughter's debut work." Ronald did not mind sharing this relationship with Darcy Maguire. They are partners and have no direct competitive relationship.

…

The next day, after making an appointment with Gerald’s secretary, Ronald and Darcy Maguire came to the PBS New York headquarters with the new storyboard.

Gerald Slater, wearing a light-colored suit, smiled when he saw Ronald walk in, “I heard you won, Ronald?”

"A big win. We sold twice as much gum as the other party." Ronald said as he pulled up a chair and sat down. "This is my partner, BBDO's advertising creative director, Darcy Maguire. Miss Er.”

"Hello, Mr. Slater. Just call me Darcy." Darcy opened the folder and took out the advertising creative for Helen Slater and several real photos of the shooting location.

This time it was a great win. No one from BBDO dared to hold back. The filming location and creative plan were all given the green light. The Hershey Company was also satisfied with several series of advertising plans submitted by Darcy, and immediately released a larger-than-expected budget.

This sales performance may have broken some of Hershey's internal records for new product launches, making several managers in the chewing gum division very excited. The highest filming budget was given.

"Drink something?" Gerald Slater leaned down and took out a bottle of wine from the wine cabinet below. There was still half a bottle left in it. The bottle has a blue strip running from the front to the cap, and the word "Martell" is written on the bottle's label.

He opened the cork, poured some into three glasses, handed them to Ronald and Darcy, and picked up a glass himself, "Congratulations."

"Thank you." Gerald's brandy tastes very good, and Ronald wants to continue reporting on the shooting of the commercial.

Gerald raised his hand, indicating that they didn't need to say anything further, "The market is a much harsher judge than me. Since you have been recognized by the market, I can feel free to let Helen shoot her first commercial."

Ronald and Darcy looked at each other, and both felt the convenience of beating their opponents again, so they raised their brandy: "I wish Helen a successful shooting!"

…

"Helen, have you done your makeup?" Ronald said to Helen Slater as she walked out of the dressing room during the filming of Chewels chewing gum's second commercial.

"Yes, the makeup artist said that I am suitable for painting a more mature look, not quite a high school student. Does my performance need to be adjusted accordingly?" Helen walked over excitedly and looked at Ronald with a pair of big blue eyes.

Ronald was almost distracted by her sight, as if everything around him had gone away from him, and only himself and Helen's beautiful big eyes were left in the universe. The beauty of this girl was irresistible.

"Ronald? Ronald? Is there something wrong with my idea?" Helen wondered why the director didn't speak.

"Oh, I was thinking about other things." Ronald came back to his senses and hurriedly answered Helen's question.

"No, we all trust your acting skills, but the character of this advertisement is close to you. Just show how you usually play the piano and sing jazz." Ronald hopes that Helen can perform in her true nature, just like the gymnast girl Elizabeth Sue. That’s it.

"Okay, director." Helen made an OK gesture to him, sat in front of the piano, a melody sounded, and Helen began to sing a jazz song that Ronald had never heard of.

Helen's voice is very clear, even more "fairy" than a church choir.

"It's really great. Helen, you sang really well." Ronald clapped his hands twice and motioned for the photographer to take a photo.

"Recording? Camera? A!"

…

"Cut, let's take a break for 10 minutes." Ronald stopped the sixth shooting.

"Director, is there something wrong with my acting?" Helen is a very smart girl, and she keenly saw some clues on the faces of the photographer and assistant director.

For this shoot, Ronald once again brought in Spike Lee and his black photographer partner Dixon.

Hershey's company gave me a sufficient budget, Ronald paid me enough, and the two black guys worked very hard. Cooperated with filming over and over again without any complaints.

The environment is also good. We have found the best music performance venue in New York, Lincoln Center, and a small hall where the New York Jazz Band often rehearses. Everything is authentic.

The shooting just didn't feel right. Ronald had shot it six times and still couldn't find the right feeling.

Even Darcy, who came to hold the show back, also discovered the problem, "Ronald, what's the problem? Why did you take six shots in a row? Last time, Elizabeth Sue, you took three takes and called it a day."

Ronald looked at Helen who came over and said loudly, "No problem, I just raised the standard a little because the budget was larger. We shot like last time and we have called it a day."

Hearing this, Helen smiled again and ran into the dressing room to rest and touch up her makeup.

"What went wrong?" Darcy asked Ronald gently as he watched Helen run away.

"As for the performance, Helen's singing always felt wrong, and I couldn't figure out what the problem was." Ronald was a little anxious. They only applied for two days of shooting at Lincoln Center, three hours a day. If you don't find the right feeling for performance today, then you can only pray to God to help Helen find her form tomorrow.

Thinking about this, Ronald turned to look at assistant director Spike Lee, "What do you think the problem is, Spike?"