Toys, games, book publishing, merchandise licensing... The operations of Golden Dawn Entertainment Group, based on the Spider-Man copyright, have swept across the entire American market in just over ten days.
At an advertising company.
"Did you see that?"
A man held up a Coca-Cola bottle and said in a deep voice, "Even Coca-Cola has specially developed a Spider-Man character portrait bottle, which shows that they have big plans!"
Hearing this, the woman next to him couldn't help but laugh, "I guess that guy, Kyle, paid a hefty price for this, after all, Coca-Cola is also a greedy master."
Kyle paid the price?
"Bullshit."
The man clenched the bottle in his hand and gritted his teeth, "Coca-Cola Company gave Kyle money, not that guy Kyle paid the price!"
"How is that possible?!" The woman was astonished.
It's no wonder the woman was surprised.
Since the start of commercialization, many Hollywood movies, during their promotional period before release, often cooperated with well-known fast-moving consumer goods brands like Coca-Cola and Pepsi, and snack products, paying them to heavily promote their films.
Remember, it was the film companies that gave money to the product manufacturers!
After all, well-known fast-moving consumer goods brands like Coca-Cola and Pepsi never worried about sales.
"I thought so at first, but we underestimated the power of Golden Dawn Entertainment Group, and even more, Kyle's boldness!"
The man said in a deep voice, "According to sources, that guy Kyle signed a gambling agreement with Coca-Cola Company, an agreement based on the sales increase of Coca-Cola after the Spider-Man movie is released."
1. Coca-Cola Company will place stickers on beverage bottles to promote the Spider-Man movie;
2. During the Spider-Man release, Coca-Cola's sales increase, year-on-year, must not be less than 1.2 times, otherwise, Kyle Films will pay Coca-Cola Company 35 million US dollars, which is for promotional fees;
3. However, if, during the Spider-Man release, Coca-Cola's sales increase, year-on-year, exceeds 1.2 times, then Coca-Cola Company will pay Kyle Films 15 million US dollars for portrait rights licensing fees.
Gambling agreements have a long history!
However, can anyone sign a gambling agreement with a behemoth like Coca-Cola?
Just think about it, it's impossible!
To be able to sign a gambling agreement, you must first have the qualification!
Obviously, Kyle, as a well-known billionaire super-rich and media mogul in the United States, has the qualification to be on an equal footing with Coca-Cola Company.
This is Kyle, otherwise, try someone else?
This agreement was not kept secret; within two days of its signing, it had already spread like wildfire in the Hollywood industry and the advertising world.
"Who's crazy?"
"During the Spider-Man release, Coca-Cola's year-on-year increase has to exceed 1.2 times? Dude, for a company like Coca-Cola, its monthly sales are over 1 billion bottles!"
"Only 1 billion bottles of drinks? Who are you looking down on?!"
"In August 1999, in just that one month, Coca-Cola's sales exceeded 1.4 billion bottles. Now, to grow by 1.2 times, that translates to at least an additional 16 million bottles sold!"
Many people gasped in amazement.
Within one month, Coca-Cola had to sell at least an additional 16 million bottles!
Many people were shocked!
Everyone acknowledged Coca-Cola's popularity, but you also cannot deny that it has entered a bottleneck period, with very, very small growth, and even, under the concept of promoting healthy water consumption by many people, Coca-Cola's sales might even decrease.
Plus the suppression from competitors in the same industry;
Increasing sales by 16 million bottles is definitely a very difficult task... Coca-Cola Company.
Coca-Cola's California regional head, Rocky Smith, was interviewed by the West Coast Economic Journal today regarding the signing of the gambling agreement.
"Mr. Smith, as far as I know, in the past 10 years, even for the film distribution of Hollywood's six major companies, through the method of bottle stickers, it was the production companies that gave money to your company, correct?" the reporter asked.
"That's right!"
Smith nodded and said, "I admit that movies have a huge promotional effect on the sales of other products in the market, but we sell inexpensive fast-moving consumer goods and beverage products, not luxury goods and expensive products like cars, watches, or babies."
In a word, Coca-Cola Company does not need sticker authorization; even if there is, it is others who pay them money.
Of course, if it's about product placement in movies, that's another matter!
The reporter asked again, "Then, in your opinion, which party benefits from this gambling agreement?"
"I think it's a win-win!"
Smith said without hesitation, "Kyle Films pays, and we help promote it. This is a reasonable, fair, and market-compliant business operation."
What if Kyle wins the gambling agreement?
Heh heh!
Rocky Smith believed that Kyle simply couldn't win this gambling agreement!
An increase of 1.2 times?
Dude, that's an increase of 16 million bottles of beverage sales!
And in just one month!
Coca-Cola Company invests an unknown amount of effort and money each year to increase sales, yet the results are minimal. Even if there is a considerable increase, it will certainly not be 1.2 times within a month, after all, the volume is too large.
Of course, Coca-Cola Company is not afraid of losing this gambling agreement either!
If they lose, they only have to pay 15 million US dollars in merchandise licensing fees. However, the returns gained will be enough to significantly boost Coca-Cola's sales.
In a word, win or lose, Coca-Cola Company is the beneficiary!
...Kyle Films.
"Boss, you really dared to do it!"
"I remember in 1997, when I was still the CEO of 20th Century Fox, I was also responsible for negotiating business cooperation with Coca-Cola Company."
"Dude, that was Titanic, with a production cost of 200 million US dollars!"
"Even so, regarding bottle stickers, I couldn't even get a cent from the stingy Coca-Cola, let alone a gambling agreement!"
President Mr. Bill reminisced, his face full of sighs.
Coca-Cola and Pepsi, in the late 90s and early 2000s in the Hollywood market, never paid a single cent for bottle stickers; instead, they charged money.
Well, for product placement in movies, they would pay to insert product advertisements.
At this time, these beverage giants were undoubtedly overwhelmingly powerful when facing Hollywood production companies.
But... several years later, everything would turn around.
The reason?
It all started with Spider-Man!
In the original timeline, Sony Columbia Pictures, which owned the Spider-Man copyright, was very bold and was the first to initiate a gambling agreement with Coca-Cola Company.
After the movie was released, Coca-Cola's sales that month surged by 20 million bottles!
It shocked America!
As a result, in collaborations between fast-moving consumer goods companies and production companies for A-list commercial films, the positions of the two parties swapped.
Sticker advertisements?
Heh heh, it had to be the beverage company paying the production company for merchandise licensing fees, not the so-called promotional fees!
Kyle narrowed his eyes at Mr. Bill and laughed, "Old man, I'm going to win!"