Exploiting Hollywood 1980

20th Century Fox was very interested in Ronald's project, and the cooperation plan was placed on Ronald's desk the next day.

"Why is Fox so interested in my "Deep Love"? Don't they like big productions?" Ronald was a little puzzled, so he asked Michelle Cannold, who was in charge of distribution.

"You are now the target of Hollywood's pursuit, but CAA was responsible for most of your directorial projects, so other interested people can't grab it. This movie is produced by Daydream, and the actors have nothing to do with CAA, so Goldberg, who has been thinking about it for a long time..."

"The writers' strike really screwed Hollywood..." Ronald shook his head. Now even Fox has no finalized script, and even this teenage romantic love drama is going to be snatched.

"But they also asked us Daydream to participate in the marketing plan, and you have to invite Michael Gray (Ronald's marketing consultant) to come."

Unlike Cannold, Gray did not join Daydream, but was responsible for the marketing plan of Ronald's movie as an external consultant.

The marketing of "Die Hard" was a great success. Now many Hollywood producers are eyeing this marketing genius and want to bring him under their banner to work for them.

However, Michael Gray insisted on maintaining independent operation and remained unmoved. He did not want to work for a fixed producer and endure the command of those ignorant senior managers. He maintained independence and cooperated if he was willing to cooperate. If he was not willing to cooperate, he would seek help from others. This was his principle of doing things.

There was no other reason. It was really that the film marketing industry was too affected by various factors and it was easy to become a scapegoat for box office failure. Michael Gray only cooperated with those who respected and appreciated his marketing plan. Among them, his favorite was of course Ronald.

"Michael, Fox specifically asked you to participate. Are you willing?" The next afternoon, Ronald invited Gray to come for an interview.

"I don't care. Anyway, we have a long-term cooperation agreement. I guarantee to be your marketing consultant for two movies every year. We will discuss each of the other movies separately. Are you willing to use next year's quota for this movie?"

"Well, forget it." Ronald thought to himself that I still have "Steel Magnolias" and the romantic comedy with Nora Ephron that is in preparation.

"In this way, I will still provide you with marketing consulting services, but I will not participate in the specific work." Michael Gray knew that Hollywood was very ruthless to those who failed. Ronald was a rare insider who did not evaluate marketing countermeasures based on box office results. Such a client, when his fortune was not good, was an anchor in the storm.

"This is good. The marketing department of 20th Century Fox is probably more receptive to your plan." Ronald thanked the other party. Although President Goldberg admired his marketing operations in "Die Hard", the people in the marketing department certainly had nothing good to say about him. This way, everyone can accept it.

"Okay, but let's discuss the marketing plan for your second movie "Working Girl" to be released this year." Michael Gray said and took out a notebook.

"Joel (Silver) and I both think your idea of ​​getting action stars to support the film is very effective. So I wonder if we can have a similar marketing plan for 'Working Girl'?"

EA SRE has sent a more detailed analysis. The reasons why the audience who watched "Die Hard" chose to watch this movie, in addition to "heard from friends" and "saw the recommendation on the film review program", the third reason is "so many action stars recommend it, I love watching action movies."

"You may think that this is because many action stars attended the premiere and said good things in the interview?" Michael Gray said to Ronald with a smile.

"I don't know, but 20th Century Fox does think so. I don't understand why this method is so effective, and this is also the great value you can bring to us." Ronald's words actually mean that I pay you because you know something I don't know.

"So why is this marketing plan so effective?"

"It's human nature. We all like to talk about a topic. Movie marketing is to find a topic for the movie that can make the target audience talk about it non-stop."

Michael Gray explained his approach. In fact, unlike the golden age of movies, many people can only watch movies a few times a year. Therefore, the purpose of movie marketing is to give the audience a reason to go to the cinema.

Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman are both newcomers in Hollywood. They cannot use the star strategy like Tom Cruise to attract audiences to the cinema with their names. So Gray came up with a way to classify Bruce Willis as an action star. The category of action star is used to replace the personal appeal of a certain star.

The first-line action stars in Hollywood are those few, Schwarzenegger, Stallone, Cruise, etc., and these stars have different fans among action movie fans. Gathering them all at the premiere, no matter who you like among the three stars, you will want to see what this movie recommended by the three stars is about.

"Great idea, very inspiring...", Ronald applauded, this kind of imagination and creativity is a marketing method that he could not think of. Of course, this idea is not for everyone. Only a director like Ronald who is very popular in Hollywood can invite Stallone and Schwarzenegger to appear at the same premiere.

Since Stallone's divorce was a hot topic, his appeal has been declining. His ex-wife Nelson revealed a lot of negative news about Stallone, such as arrogance, bad words to restaurant waiters and fans, etc., and fans are a little tired of Stallone.

It happened that Schwarzenegger shot several comedy action movies during this period, and initially got rid of the stereotype that the bodybuilding champion could not act. When the two met in public, they would exchange a few words with each other, just like boxers would abuse each other during the weigh-in before the game.

"Can we use a similar strategy for Working Girls? Well, for example, for example..."

Ronald thought for a long time, but couldn't think of any ideas to attract the audience's attention. He looked at Gray, hoping that this marketing consultant who had come up with surprising moves in "Moonlight" and "Die Hard" could give him another idea.

"Is that right? It's hard to summarize this "Working Girls" with a concept, the reason why the audience must go to the cinema to watch it." This is the value of Michael Gray. If everyone can think of this idea, who would pay him a high consulting fee?

"I thought about it for a long time. Working Girls is the Star Wars for women who have been secretaries in companies for many years."

"Huh?" Ronald felt very interested. It was interesting to have an urban business war film related to Star Wars, although the male protagonist who finally got the beauty was played by Harrison Ford.

"Because those secretaries are often bullied by their male superiors. They are asked to make coffee, pick up children, weed the garden at home, and pick up dry cleaning. When there is credit, the managers take the credit, and when things go wrong, they are asked to take the blame..."

"Yeah, very good, you have a good grasp of the mentality of the target audience." Ronald nodded frequently. This kind of desire to see the protagonist achieve something that he can only dream of in the movie is one of the necessary conditions for a good movie.

In addition to letting secretaries vent, his "working girl" also has great appeal to young women. Working and engaging in a career are full of curiosity and mystery for them. Tess is their moral role model, a model worth emulating in career and love.

You see, a girl, even if she has never been to college, can get a night school diploma through her own efforts, and seize the opportunity, with a little courage, and finally get the dream job and sudden and natural love.

"So, we can imitate Die Hard and find a group of representative women to promote the movie."

"This..." Ronald thought for a long time. Hollywood has all kinds of female stars, but there is no one who specializes in playing professional women...

The last hit movie about the life of a professional woman can be traced back to "9 to 5" starring Jane Fonda and Dolly Parton. But what about the three leading actors? Jane Fonda is the character who snuggles up to the man in life and on the screen.

This is even more true for Dolly Parton. There are many contents about husband and wife in her songs. And every time she releases a new album or shoots a new movie, she will go home to live with her unknown husband and be his housewife.

Among the three, the only one whose role is most like a professional woman is Lily Tomlin. At the end of the story, she took over the position of general manager. But she is also the least famous among the three, and has not filmed any TV series in recent years.

"We can't invite Lily Tomlin to promote Working Girl, can we?" Ronald asked. Besides, this woman is actually a toboy. She lives with a woman. Hollywood has ignored her for this reason.

"No, just as you said, Ronald, Hollywood doesn't have any female stars who mainly play working women. In recent years, only Helen Slater's "The Secret of Success" has received a certain response." Michael Gray added.

"I can invite her, but..." Ronald implied that Helen was not a big star and had no effect on promoting the box office.

"We have to think outside the Hollywood routine. Who says that only stars can drive the box office? Just like the policies of this president have received the most comments, we have to think outside the box."

"Okay... tell me." Ronald couldn't think of it himself.

"We can find some secretaries like Tess in real life, and promote the film nationwide. At the premiere and audience meeting in each place, we can find four or five female secretaries to tell their stories about the film."

"This...?" Ronald was shocked by this creative marketing plan, "It won't work, right? Secretaries are not celebrities. It's impossible for them to share their experiences with the audience at the fan meeting in the media."

Ronald looked at Gray, and then added, "I'm not denying your plan. In fact, the plan is good, but we need more ways... If it doesn't work, we can use traditional marketing methods."

"Who said that secretaries have no influence? There are many secretaries in America whose influence is no less than that of ordinary company presidents?"

"Who are you talking about?" Ronald was puzzled.

"We have many listed companies, all of which have board secretaries, company secretaries (paary, a high-ranking position in British companies), secretaries of state, and secretaries of the treasury..."

"Hahahaha," Ronald laughed. This is some kind of word game. In English, many high-ranking positions actually start with the word "secretary". For example, the secretary of state is actually a government secretary, and the secretary of the treasury is literally the secretary of the Ministry of Finance.

"Of course, we will not forget the real secretaries. We can invite some important figures to cooperate with the board secretaries and president secretaries of some listed companies, and then select some real secretaries locally to attend the fan meeting together. In this way, newspapers from all over the country will be very happy. This is a person they find difficult to interview."

"That's okay, but our country doesn't have a female secretary of state or secretary of the treasury, right?" Ronald, like most Americans, can't even name all the ministers, let alone the names of all the ministers.

"Yes, our current president is the first one." Michael Gray took out his plan.

"Elizabeth Dole, who served as the U.S. Secretary of Transportation from 1983 to 1987, has just stepped down and is now unemployed. She must be willing to participate in this kind of event to promote women's equality."

"She is good, I know," Ronald remembered meeting her in the White House. When the President promoted the minimum drinking age in the federal government, it was achieved by relying on Dole's tough stance of not giving highway subsidies to states that did not pass the minimum drinking law.

South Dakota even sued Dole, the Secretary of Transportation, for this matter, and finally went to the Supreme Court and ruled in her favor. Failure to pass the minimum drinking law will reduce federal subsidies, which has become an unshakable precedent.

"And our current Secretary of Labor, Ann McLaughlin Cagle." Gray mentioned another name. The President cares a lot about women's votes and always balances to ensure that at least one woman serves as a minister.

"In addition, there are some important secretaries of listed companies. I plan to draft a letter in your name and send it to all the famous listed companies whose board secretaries are women. In the end, there will always be some people who are willing to do so.

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But I can't do anything about these politicians. When I write to them, the letters will be returned by the secretaries with their seals." Michael Gray said with a smile. Everyone knows that you, Ronald, have a good relationship with the first couple, and the president even supports your movie.

"Okay, when I go to New York, I will visit the deputy president. He is now preparing to accept the nomination of the Elephant Party National Convention and officially run for the president. He has a wide network of contacts. I will ask if there are any female secretaries of state."