“Don’t boost their morale and crush our own spirit. I heard Tianjiao is relocating the entire company and operations to Shanghai. They must be in total chaos right now. This is the perfect chance for everyone else in the industry!”
Jiang Youjia comforted Xu Mei. She remained half-convinced.
Tipping off Yuan Fenghui was simply Xu Mei being savvy.
She hadn’t expected Yuan Fenghui to immediately dispatch Wen Ying to oversee Tianjiao’s Shanghai business. Now Xu Mei suddenly had to snatch food from the future lady boss’s bowl. Yuan Fenghui’s move felt a little underhanded… Heh, if she lost this cosmetics endorsement today, she would go cry prettily in front of Yuan Fenghui and demand some “compensation”.
With a fallback plan, Xu Mei relaxed and gracefully took a seat beside Li Mengjiao.
The brand rep compared the two side by side. The meticulously styled Xu Mei fitted the brand’s needs far better.
Her eye make-up today used the brand’s latest flagship eyeshadow palette. The sincerity was obvious.
Then there was Li Mengjiao: only light make-up, fresh and pretty with a touch of innocence. Even the rep couldn’t help sighing inwardly: what an adorable kid!
Yes, in the rep’s mind Li Mengjiao was still firmly in the “kid” category. Personally, she loved girls like Li Mengjiao, but professionally, Li Mengjiao had already lost to Xu Mei today.
The decision was made in the rep’s heart, though nothing showed on her face. She smiled and asked Wen Ying, “Why didn’t Director Yuan from your company come herself?”
Wen Ying smiled back. “Are you worried I’m too young and incapable?”
The rep hurriedly denied it. “Of course not! I’m actually thrilled to meet Teacher Little Fish. To be honest, my daughter is a huge fan of yours. If you could sign something for me to take home, she’d be over the moon.”
Everyone played the flattery game; a few polite words warmed the atmosphere.
“Really? She’s my reader?”
Wen Ying looked delighted. “Of course I’ll sign! Actually, Director Yuan was supposed to come today, but I insisted on taking her place. I’ve always loved your brand. Back when I was still in senior high it wasn’t convenient to wear make-up, but now that I want to learn, the first brand I thought of was yours. Especially the new summer collection—several pieces have stolen my heart!”
The rep assumed it was courtesy, but Wen Ying described the new products’ features in precise detail. She really did love them.
Everyone loves compliments, and Wen Ying was a bestselling author.
In the public eye, writers were seen as refined and above vulgarity. If a popular author openly declared love for a cosmetics brand, that was a marketing win.
The rep’s smile became genuinely warmer.
“I never imagined Teacher Little Fish liked our brand this much. If the opportunity arises, perhaps we could collaborate in the future!”
The collaboration she meant was not with Tianjiao, but with Wen Ying personally.
Wen Ying’s blog had terrifying selling power and an impeccable personal image. Even if not make-up, the brand had plenty of other products that would suit a writer perfectly.
Once a celebrity’s influence reached a certain level—singer, actor, star athlete—they could partner with top-tier brands for limited co-branded lines. Fans would snap them up!
Jiang Youjia was utterly baffled.
What was Wen Ying playing at? Pulling the emotional card?
The spokesperson was crucial. Pick the right one and it added lustre to the brand; pick wrong and the damage could be severe. There had been cases like Yu Tianlin dropped after scandals, or others replaced because their image simply didn’t match the brand. Even someone as new to the industry as Jiang Youjia had heard of the infamous millennium case: a hugely popular diva chosen as Asian ambassador for a luxury brand, only to be axed after one quarter because target customers protested that her image lowered the brand’s prestige.
After that fiasco, luxury brands became extremely cautious about spokespeople, terrified of alienating their core clientele and achieving the opposite of the desired effect.
Unsuitable was unsuitable. A few compliments from Wen Ying wouldn’t magically make it suitable.
Unless… Wen Ying planned to kick both Li Mengjiao and Xu Mei to the kerb and become the spokesperson herself!
Jiang Youjia mentally evaluated the possibility: …Hmm, unlikely. Wen Ying had been famous for a while and had never done commercials, probably worried it would clash with her literary image.
A wise choice. She could earn plenty staying in the cultured lane; no need to wade into entertainment’s muddy waters.
Xu Mei, however, felt a prickle of alarm.
What was the future lady boss up to?
Li Mengjiao, on the other hand, was thrilled. Once Wen Ying steered the conversation to the brand’s new make-up line, she could finally join in.
Thank goodness she had done her homework and memorised the brand history. Picking out a few key points now didn’t sound forced.
The rep, who had just been leaning heavily towards Xu Mei, now wavered slightly.
Maybe not the perfect fit, but Wen Ying and Li Mengjiao were clearly trying hard. Youthful energy! And Li Mengjiao’s popularity was undeniably higher!
Before Jiang Youjia or Xu Mei could counterattack, Wen Ying suddenly pulled a document from her bag and handed it over with a bright smile. “When I say I love your brand, it’s not just flattery. Snatching this meeting from Director Yuan wasn’t me being wilful either. Actually, I put together an endorsement promotion plan and wanted to deliver it to you personally.”
The rep was astonished. “Teacher Little Fish does marketing plans too?”
Wen Ying looked a little shy. “I don’t normally, but I love your products so much I couldn’t help trying my hand. It’s my first time, so there are bound to be lots of shortcomings. If you’d be kind enough to give me some feedback, I’d be incredibly grateful.”
She didn’t normally do plans—she made an exception because she loved the brand.
Her writer status worked in her favour; the rep wouldn’t underestimate her because of her age.
Even Li Mengjiao hadn’t known Wen Ying prepared a full plan. The idiot’s brain suddenly came online and she enthusiastically backed her up. “The entire Tianjiao Spark Cup writing contest was planned by her from start to finish! Not only was the first contest a huge success, the second one still used her framework…”
The Spark Cup really had exploded in popularity, especially the promotional short film Wen Ying and the others shot—it was still talked about in advertising circles.
A contest of that scale had actually come from Wen Ying’s planning?
Instantly the proposal in the rep’s hands felt heavier.
Jiang Youjia’s eyes nearly popped out.
Tianjiao was playing dirty!
Everyone was competing on the artist.
Once the endorsement contract was signed, how to promote was the brand’s business. Since when did entertainment companies muscle in?
The rep ignored Jiang Youjia’s inner turmoil and started flipping through Wen Ying’s proposal on the spot.
Honestly, the plan itself wasn’t jaw-droppingly brilliant.
But the copy inside made the rep’s heart skip.
“Every girl’s first lipstick upon coming of age?”
Wen Ying picked up the thread. “Exactly. The moment a girl turns from minor to adult, she gains the chance to explore make-up. Maybe her first job interview, maybe her first open romance date, maybe she needs to shine at a school performance—different occasions, same need. We all want that first lipstick, that first eyeshadow palette, that first foundation… Isn’t that an enormous market?”
