Chapter 255 254 Throwing a stone to ask for directions
Chapter 255 254 Throwing a stone to ask for directions
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"Preferences?"
Li Wei got the hint immediately; he was now the one holding the power of choice, at least Donald was confident about that, and he couldn't help but chuckle lightly.
"Not at all."
"A check from Nike is a check, and a check from Under Armour is equally a check—there's no difference to me; I suppose the real difference lies in the brand's marketing strategies and image positioning, that's what truly matters."
"If they don't have a plan, it won't matter which brand I sign with—I would just be one of the insignificant and irrelevant endorsers, and that means there's no substantial difference between these brands for me."
Mahomes glanced at Li Wei involuntarily—
He hadn't realized that choosing a brand endorsement could be so intricate.
Li Wei himself hadn't experienced it, but he knew the game—even if he hadn't eaten pork, he had seen pigs run; the fundamental reason David Beckham could become a uniquely legendary superstar among professional players laid in his understanding of managing a brand image.
Or rather, Victoria Beckham understood.
Which endorsements to sign, what image to craft, treating a player like a brand to be cultivated—the player's image is the brand image, every business collaboration is part of building that image, ultimately creating a commercial empire.
Clearly, matters were not that straightforward.
Of course, whether it was Li Wei or Mahomes, they were both rookies with limited commercial value, and their future prospects hazy. Their bargaining chips were modest, so more than ever, they needed professionals like Donald.
On the other side of the phone, Donald wasn't surprised; after all, it wasn't the first time Li Wei had brought surprises.
Donald nodded slightly, "But your preferences are very important, too. The choice is yours now, and they need to cater to your likes."
Li Wei chuckled softly, "My preferences aren't important, what's important is who's trying to find out about those preferences, right?"@@@@
He had hit the nail on the head.
Li Wei was also curious, "If you're planning to use LeBron, does that mean Nike has a slight lead for now?"
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Donald, "No, not necessarily."
"Using LeBron is just a way to make these brands recognize your influence—not just in the NFL, but other professional leagues have begun to take note of your presence as well."
"Obviously, this is just a corner of the business map."
"Hahaha." Mahomes couldn't contain himself any longer and burst into laughter.
...
Los Angeles, the City of Angels, the home of Hollywood, the second-largest city on the North American continent trailing only New York, is the undisputed entertainment capital.
Movies. Television. Music. Different entertainment industries all shine here.
At the same time, the sports market here is extraordinarily vibrant, a popular choice for major professional sports teams.
However, Los Angeles has always been a city crazy for basketball and baseball, with football failing to spark a craze on this land.
Once, the Raiders, Chargers, Rams, and other NFL teams were stationed in this city, yet they moved away for various reasons. Since 1994, Los Angeles had not had any professional football team.
It's incredible, considering this is one of the most bustling cities on the North American continent—that it wouldn't have a professional football team?
For this reason, the NFL League has put in a lot of effort.
Not until 2016, last year, with the support of Los Angeles City Hall and the NFL League, did the Rams return from St. Louis to Los Angeles. After twenty-two years, the City of Angels finally welcomed back NFL games.
Then, in 2017, this season, the Chargers moved from San Diego to Los Angeles.
From having no NFL teams for over twenty years to suddenly having two professional teams, the league's ambition to break into the Los Angeles market couldn't have been clearer.
Last season, the Los Angeles Rams, with a series of bold moves, picked quarterback Goff with their first pick, showing their determination to shake up the sports market.
Of course, one short season was far from enough, especially since the Rams had a lousy record last season and couldn't stimulate the passion of the fans to attend the games.
In fact, Los Angeles has a vast base of football fans, but their passion and loyalty are all committed to the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of Southern California. For NFL professional teams to win their hearts—
It's a long road ahead.
And now, the opportunity had arrived.
When the Kansas City Chiefs came to play against the Los Angeles Chargers at the guest field, the league's extensive promotional campaign filled every nook and cranny, even more explosive than a summer blockbuster's release. The most prominent face of it all was Li Wei.
Don't forget, Los Angeles is the third-largest gathering place of Chinese Americans in North America. When counting other Asian communities as well, the numbers are even higher.
Ever since the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles last week, the league had already started promoting, hoping that the local Chinese American fans in Los Angeles would come out to support Li Wei.
Looking out the window of the hotel conference room, there's a giant face of Li Wei—
"Heh, it's like stepping right off the poster, a powerful visual impact. I must admit, you look even more handsome in person than on the poster."
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