Chapter 107 Competing on the Same Stage (2122)
S.M. had not yet figured out a fixed formula for 'black-red' (notoriety), and the industry naturally didn't have a complete way to 'whiten' (rehabilitate) such a reputation. Therefore, everyone was still trying their best to avoid being 'black-red'; either not famous at all, or 'white-red' (clean and famous), but definitely not 'black-red'.
And Red Velvet, being 'black-red' before even debuting, was considered as good as dead in the eyes of industry insiders.
"Okay, I'll act according to the situation. If they keep helping us execute the plan, then we'll stay put," Qin Zhen said with a smile.
Being able to be idle and not have to work was simply too comfortable.
The special project funds were there, and they wouldn't lose out. The company could save money, they could do less work, and the result would be the same or even better. Where could you find such a good deal?
YG is truly a good person!
"Mm." Jiang Shu hung up the phone and looked at the screen, waiting for Lee Ji-eun to perform.
“good day” as a debut song was decent. It was a song that could well represent IU's early days, and Jiang Shu chose this song as her debut song with that in mind.
Neither “Celebrity” nor other famous songs were suitable to be Lee Ji-eun's debut song directly. They would take it slowly.
The new regulations of October 1st had already begun to be implemented. This was Lee Ji-eun's debut day, and she was automatically not participating in the first-place selection, nor would there be any data displayed. However, what surprised Jiang Shu was that there were still many fans holding IU light sticks and cheering rods in the audience, coming to Inkigayo to support Lee Ji-eun.
Unlike other companies, DM Entertainment had designed Lee Ji-eun's related merchandise very early on. Basic items like cheering sticks were naturally prepared in advance, and fans could purchase them along with the pre-ordered debut album.
Originally, the gift to be given with the album was supposed to be cheering sticks, but considering that the production cost of cheering sticks was much higher than that of photocards, it was changed to photocards.
Currently, DM Entertainment still had external debts to the bank, so every little bit saved counted.
Lee Ji-eun's debut stage ended successfully. From a data perspective, it was far from IVE's debut, but according to the market's regular solo data, IU's debut performance had already far exceeded the average line for new artists, reaching the second tier, and even approaching the first tier.
After the music show, the group went to a restaurant for a meal, and Jiang Shu recorded a vlog along the way.
The album distribution event that Jiang Shu and Lee Ji-eun participated in that morning was also fermenting, bringing buzz to the newly debuted Lee Ji-eun.
This was just the first step, followed by the second step…
Boom!
On October 15th, the invincible top-tier girl group IVE officially made their comeback with their first mini-album “Love Dive”!
At the same time as Lee Ji-eun, at 9 AM on the 15th, as IVE's first mini-album's music was released, the IVE first mini-album distribution event was held as scheduled in the DM Entertainment first-floor lobby.
With IU's album release event as a template, IVE's fans also followed suit, lining up and waiting for the distribution event to begin.
This was a subtle way of piggybacking on popularity.
IU's album distribution event was first, so even without intentionally mentioning it, IVE's fans would naturally think of IU. If one out of a hundred IVE fans became interested in IU and listened to her music, then the goal would be achieved.
Marketing methods are diverse, but the ultimate core goal is to make people remember the artist being marketed. As long as the goal is achieved, regardless of the method, it is considered appropriate marketing.
However, IVE's album distribution event was not entirely consistent with IU's; it added the distribution of photocards on top of IU's. IU only had herself, so each person received one card, but IVE had six members, so each fan received a complete set of special photocards, which was six cards.
Whether photocards are valuable or not depends not on the fans, but on the company.
If a company prints and stuffs cards indiscriminately like JYP, photocards are naturally not valuable. But if they are stingy like S.M., the price naturally goes up.
And DM Entertainment's special photocards were all not for sale to the public; there were only one hundred copies, not one more, so their preciousness was beyond doubt.
To make money, DM Entertainment also restricted the number of photocards. Each album would only have one photocard, both for group albums and solo albums. And, as per custom, solo albums would not only contain photocards of that member, which could slightly boost album sales.
Liu Zhimin and Zhang Yuanying's fans were more than the other four combined multiplied by ten, so their photocards were also only half of the other four. If fans wanted their photocards, they either had to buy a lot, be incredibly lucky, or go to the secondary market.
DM Entertainment profited no matter which method was used.
As a young man who had been tormented by Tencent's tricks since childhood, playing these tricks caused no psychological burden whatsoever.
This is inheritance!
Since IVE had many more members than IU, taking group photos was a bit troublesome. Therefore, by the time the distribution event ended, it was already noon. After eating at the cafeteria, the group rushed non-stop to MBC Broadcasting Station.
IVE's first comeback stage was at Music Core. The reason it was set here was because IU's music show performance was also here today.
"Karina sunbaenim, Yuan Ying sunbaenim, Soo-jin sunbaenim... Yunzhen sunbaenim, hello!" Lee Ji-eun bowed to all six members of IVE after arriving at their waiting room.
This time, IVE had their comeback, and Lee Ji-eun returned to waiting in the common waiting room.
"IU-xi, these are our albums, all signed." Liu Zhimin happily handed the mini-album in her hand to Lee Ji-eun.
"Thank you, Karina sunbaenim!" Lee Ji-eun "surprisingly" took the album and bowed again in thanks.
Jiang Shu, who was watching from the side, almost couldn't hold back his laughter.
What a strange scene, let me look again.
IU bowing to Karina and calling her sunbaenim, hahahahahahaha!
Jiang Shu covered his mouth, stifling his laughter. This scene was truly hilarious.
"I didn't expect us to become sunbaenims just four months after our debut," Kim Garam said, looking at Lee Ji-eun in surprise.
"Next month, after Red Velvet debuts, you'll have another junior," Xu Suizhen said with a smile from the side.
"Is Red Velvet considered our company's, or S.M.'s?" Kim Garam asked curiously.
"I'm not sure about that," Xu Suizhen shook her head.
"You can ask President oppa," Zhang Yuanying said, sitting cross-legged on the sofa and pointing to Jiang Shu, who was watching the show from the side.
Kim Garam looked at Jiang Shu upon hearing this, but instinctively shrunk her neck after seeing him.
She was quite intimidated by Jiang Shu; this President oppa had left quite a psychological shadow on her.
Especially when Liu Zhimin recounted Jiang Shu's words to Choi Yunjin, it sent shivers down her spine.
Thinking of this, Kim Garam couldn't help but look at Choi Yunjin, who was locked in the corner, sitting there lost in thought, not saying a word. She wondered what she was thinking.
Kim Garam's eyes darkened. She and Choi Yunjin didn't get along, but she also knew the immense unwillingness hidden within the other's proud heart.
In such a group, they were destined to be mere backdrops for the two suns, Liu Zhimin and Zhang Yuanying.