NOVEL NEXT Chapter 202: Cater to His Interests_2
It's undeniable, Lei Yibin's words were a bit harsh.
Yet, there absolutely were people who thought this way, and Lei Yibin took this opportunity to give them a warning.
Wuyou Media isn't a small household like Galaxy Media, where having a couple of million-level followers already makes one a pillar of the company.
Perhaps top influencers generate significant revenue for Wuyou Media, but a significant portion actually comes from that group of smaller influencers and live streamers. Dependence on top influencers was absolutely not heavy for Wuyou Media.
Zhang Yang indulged Xiao Lan and Lin Jiayun because there was no other choice.
But Lei Yibin wouldn't indulge them.
However, a warning is a warning, but it can't always continue. Seeing that no one contested his words, Lei Yibin's tone softened slightly, "I admit that asking you to come forward to please Mr. Gu is somewhat unseemly, but think about it, since you joined the company, has anyone ever forced you? Has the kind of situation in other companies, where influencers are treated as 'companions for drinks,' forced to be out there as toys for others, ever happened to you even once?
I, Lei Yibin, have always advocated for mutual benefits.
I provide the platform for you to develop, and then both sides profit.
Just like with Mr. Gu this time, are you saying you don't know him? He's a business magnate who casually invests billions of US dollars, I ask you to be a bit more approachable towards him, would that really be so unfair to you?
To put it harshly, you all, whether you are small influencers with hundreds of thousands of followers or top influencers with tens of millions, in his eyes you are all just small fry. If he were to take notice of you, that would be your good fortune!
If you had the strategies to maintain this relationship, you might even see me raising a glass to you with a smile in the future; even without those methods, making Mr. Gu happy for a while could benefit you more than you could achieve by working hard for ten, twenty years, or even half your lifetime!
That's all I will say, I'll give you two minutes to think it through! If you still can't see it after two minutes, let me help you think! And by then, don't blame me for not being sentimental."
As Lei Yibin finished speaking, one influencer with a fan base of around 300 thousand hesitantly stepped forward, "Mr. Lei, actually, there's no need for you to mention this, we all understand…
But we dare not gamble…
You probably don't scroll through TikTok often and might not know about Weibo, but these past few days Mr. Gu has almost been cursed to death online, they say he's a snob because he has money, a lapdog for foreigners, a traitorous running dog, all sorts of things...
As such a big boss, he of course doesn't need to care what that online mob thinks, but we are different, our livelihood depends on the internet. If we get entangled with Mr. Gu's current narrative, the next second could be a complete internet blockade waiting for us…
By that time, whether we can enjoy the benefits Mr. Gu offers is another matter, but if it bursts out that we are associated with Mr. Gu, our careers are completely ruined, getting Mr. Gu's benefits at best means we enjoy less, but if our careers are smashed, we'll be left biting the dust…"
The female influencer's tone was full of grievance…
Although the other influencers did not chime in, their expressions conveyed the same sentiment…
Lei Yibin was a bit baffled after listening, he didn't really know the situation…
This man was a major investor cooperating with government departments, although he might not be a patriotic entrepreneur, he couldn't be a traitor or sell-out, could he?
What kind of situation was this?
As Lei Yibin looked bewildered, Xu Bin who stood behind him came forward, already handing over a cell phone: "Mr. Lei, what she said is correct, Mr. Gu's online reputation has indeed been poor recently, starting from last night, it's been on the trending topics for over ten hours."
Lei Yibin glanced at a video explained vividly by an AI-generated voice from a marketing account, then took the phone...
The video was short, roughly half a minute long, and was soon over.
After watching, Lei Yibin finally understood the situation.
It was nothing more than an incident from a few days ago when Gu Heng bought planes at the Geneva Air Show and the interview that followed caused controversy.
In the video, Gu Heng spoke arrogantly, "My money, I'll buy planes from whichever company I want, and when the planes come to my country, I still have to pay millions of US dollars in entry tax, isn't this supporting the development of the aviation industry?"
Actually, there was nothing wrong with this statement.
It's his legally earned money, he can spend it however he wants. Supporting domestic production is commendable, but not supporting it warrants condemnation?
Moreover, the domestic aviation industry in China started late and though it's catching up now, it's often self-reliant, hardly finding a company like 'Boeing' or 'Airbus.' Even if one wants to support, it's not possible; you can't ask someone to compromise and go buy those mediocre domestic planes, that's outright moral coercion, isn't it?
But...
What the internet situation is like now, Lei Yibin, someone in the industry, knew all too well. After all, playing with public opinion on the internet is something these MCN agencies are veterans of...
Populism is rampant, and stupidity is everywhere.
Not to mention someone like Gu Heng who spent billions abroad on airplanes, even using a smartphone to buy foreign goods would get you scolded.
More importantly, Gu Heng was too rich and also young.
Both young and rich, he was living the life everyone dreamed of.
Some might genuinely think Gu Heng buying foreign airplanes was inappropriate, but most people were blinded by envy, muddying the waters as they joined in the chastising.
They didn't care whether Gu Heng bought domestic or foreign airplanes.
They were just angry that they weren't the ones buying the planes...
After watching the video, Lei Yibin was silent for a while, then handed the phone back to Xu Bing, also acknowledging that this matter was somewhat excusable.
This group of internet celebrities' inaction might be forgivable, but he wasn't planning on restoring Xu Bing's position.
Similar incidents had happened several times before, but it was the first time Lei Yibin had lost his temper. In his eyes, as the director of the artist department and the direct boss of these internet celebrities, he had given him so much power, yet he couldn't even control his subordinates. Why keep him?
Such leadership inadequacies were commonplace in big companies around the world, nothing unusual.
After all, not everyone was like Gu Heng, financially robust, scooping up top talent in the industry, continuously integrating and being tested before they could rise to high positions.
"I know what you guys are worried about, but I think you're thinking too much."
Hearing Lei Yibin speak again, the many internet celebrities immediately turned their gaze, waiting for his next words.
"This kind of public opinion usually disappears within a few days. For someone like Mr. Gu, online opinions are worth shit.
You're afraid that Mr. Gu's public opinion might affect you which is nothing but an unnecessary worry. Even if it did, retracting 10,000 steps, getting involved in the public opinion would actually be a good thing for you. Such massive exposure, if you could even catch a tenth of it, would be enough to significantly increase your fanbase!
Don't be afraid of being slandered. Being infamous is also a form of fame; does being slandered really hinder your money making?
The comment section is filled with insults, that indeed feels terrible.
But is it exhilarating lying in your bed at night counting bright red banknotes, wearing the latest Hermès bags, using limited edition cosmetics and skincare products?
And our company isn't just sitting around doing nothing. Remember Liu Siyao's offline exposure fiasco? But do you see many people talking about it online now?
The internet has no memory, but the money that goes into your pocket is tangible!"
"I'll say no more, I am giving you one last chance. Tonight, I will invite Mr. Gu for dinner, and I'll create another opportunity for you. If you still have ambition, you can try then. If not, I won't force you.
Moreover, if any of you are fortunate enough to be favored by Mr. Gu, the company will also reward you.
The reward is a 30% increase in all exposure resources for the next year."
Having said this, Lei Yibin didn't intend to waste more words on them. He had already been delayed here for over ten minutes. Leaving Gu Heng alone in the office for too long wouldn't be appropriate, especially since he was in need of favors...
With this thought, Lei Yibin gestured to Cheng Yuxin and said, "Cheng Yuxin, come with me to receive Mr. Gu."
Then without waiting for her response, he walked straight out of the practice room.
Lei Yibin had been keeping an eye on Gu Heng and had also noticed that Gu Heng looked at Cheng Yuxin more often than at others.
Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire
Of course, he needed to pander a bit...