Chapter 38: The Winner Pulling the Strings Behind the Scenes

On the third day of the album's release, it forcefully surged into sixth place on the weekly domestic sales chart in Taiwan, with a market share of 6.76%;

On June 18, less than two weeks after the album's release, the market share for sales at Popular Records skyrocketed directly to 15.16%.

Its sales power crushed a host of top-tier singers like Wang Lihong, Zhang Yu, Cai Qin, Zhang Xinzhe, Karen Mok, and Xiao Xiaoqi, forcefully claiming the number one spot!

This is the report card Sun Yanzi submitted as a newcomer.

This result was beyond the expectations of everyone at Warner except Zhou Yi.

Warner went all out to promote Sun Yanzi; the initial expectation was merely to satisfy themselves with around 20,000 copies in the first week. But reality, which refused to follow the usual playbook, was that Sun Yanzi doubled that figure in the first week—

And now, in less than two weeks, the momentum is heading straight for 100,000.

This can no longer be called a hit; it is a massive, massive hit.

Some artists held the number one spot for four consecutive weeks, yet their total album sales were merely over 80,000, while the suddenly emerged Sun Yanzi surpassed that in just under two weeks.

This is a terrifying fact.

The last young female singer to make such a huge splash in the record market was named Watching Xiao Yaxuan.

Coincidentally, Watching Xiao Yaxuan has recently been getting very close to a newcomer at Warner.

"Yes, that's right, I knew Yanzi before. She is a very impressive singer."

When attending an event and facing questions from the media, the current red-hot star Watching Xiao Yaxuan nodded without any displeasure: "Moreover, the quality of her album is so high; it's not surprising that sales are good."

One of the fastest reporters went straight for the jugular: "Then may I ask if your acquaintance with Sun Yanzi is because of your rumored boyfriend, Zhou Yi?"

"First, I need to correct one point: Zhou Yi and I are just good friends; there are none of those messy relationships written in the outside newspapers between us.

"We have a very pure friendship between a man and a woman."

Facing the reporters' long guns and short cannons, the young little goddess seriously debunked the rumors, while also promoting Zhou Yi: "And you might not know, Zhou Yi is also a talented singer; my feelings for him are based solely on appreciation for his music.

"When his album is released, I think you will know I am not speaking falsely.

"If I remember correctly, his album will be released on July 1st; if you don't believe me, you can buy it then and listen."

????

The reporters, who never expected Watching Xiao Yaxuan to use this opportunity to advertise for Zhou Yi, became even more anxious.

Damn it, in this kind of setting, you, a public figure from Virgin Music, are openly advertising for a competing company; who would believe you are clean and clear?!

There were even busybodies who went to ask the suddenly exploded Sun Yanzi, seemingly wanting to pry some secrets out of her mouth.

Alas, this person's mouth... seems to be quite tight as well?

"Zhou Yi? Zhou Yi and Elva are indeed just friends; those reporters' reports outside are just written nonsense."

Sun Yanzi, while on her promotional tour, heard the reporter mention Zhou Yi's name and immediately beamed while debunking the rumors: "Zhou Yi has basically been recording songs and shooting MVs with me and Elva in Taipei these days; where is there the leisure written in the newspapers?

"Oh, right. Speaking of which, the two female leads for the MVs of the two songs on the new album Zhou Yi is releasing on July 1st are me and Elva respectively.

"Friends who are interested can buy a copy on July 1st and listen; the songs are absolutely good, and Zhou Yi is indeed a talented musician."

"…………????"

The reporters, who had hit a wall with Watching Xiao Yaxuan, watched as Sun Yanzi, seemingly following the same method, promoted that Zhou Yi's new album right in front of them, and their eyes immediately widened like copper bells.

Did you two plan this together?

Why is the script so similar?

A reporter who had been chasing the hot spot carefully reviewed the situation and noticed that on the sales chart, Watching Xiao Yaxuan's debut album released at the end of last year had actually defied the trend, rising by several percentage points during this period alongside a huge increase in exposure.

And immediately, a few days later, Virgin Music officially announced the release date for singer Watching Xiao Yaxuan's second album: August 15th.

"..."

It's bad; we reporters, the uncrowned kings, seem to have been played in the palm of someone's hand!

They instinctively wanted to curse, but under the impact of the Sun Yanzi storm sweeping the entire island of Taiwan, they had to hold their noses and chase this hot spot—

As a result, Sun Yanzi was like a broken record, occasionally steering the topic to Zhou Yi's new album on July 1st.

And on Watching Xiao Yaxuan's side, every now and then she would share some interesting stories about what happened after she met Sun Yanzi through Zhou Yi, especially the interesting stories during the MV shooting.

She even brought out a photo of herself and Sun Yanzi taken at the MV shooting scene; according to her, the photographer was that Zhou Yi, and then she would steer it back to "July 1st is the release date of Zhou Yi's new album..."

How could the audiences of this era withstand this kind of subliminal advertising marketing?

After a series of combination punches, the information "July 1st is the release date of Zhou Yi's new album" directly brainwashed its way into the hearts of many audiences along with the press releases from these two currently most popular and most exposed female artists in Taiwan.

Truly achieving "Although Zhou Yi is not in Taiwan, there are legends of Zhou Yi in Taiwan."

This time, it was Rock Records, PolyGram, and other record companies that couldn't sit still.

Anyone with eyes can see this is a marketing campaign, a marketing campaign where Warner and Virgin hooked up at some unknown time, but this novel marketing method is truly effective.

Damn it, Warner just exploded with a Sun Yanzi; what do they want to do? Does it need much thought?

The people in the marketing departments of various record companies worked overtime all night to analyze, wanting to see if they could replicate it, but the conclusion they reached left them staring at each other in confusion—

It is possible, but the premise is that there must be two artists of the same age, both currently at the height of popularity, willing to cooperate, willing to market in this almost fixed manner in other settings, willing to divert their high popularity to an artist obviously inferior to themselves, and to do so persistently.

The previous points are easy to say, but regarding the last point "persistent diversion," currently no one in the entire entertainment industry can replicate it.

Even knowing the entire process of this marketing campaign by Warner and Virgin Music, even being able to replicate the entire marketing strategy one-to-one, currently no one in the entire entertainment industry dares to copy it wholesale.

In the entertainment industry, popularity is life.

Zhou Yi's configuration here is a top-tier popular artist Watching Xiao Yaxuan, a Sun Yanzi who exploded massively without warning, starting with a rumor, then layering on the gimmick of "mainlander" promotion, and finally releasing the so-called "paparazzi stolen photos of divine looks"—

After that came the debunking, and various statements about "July 1st new album release date" that were worse than not debunking at all, as well as the sisterhood between Sun Yanzi and Watching Xiao Yaxuan.

Sun Yanzi is easy to understand; she is one of Warner's own people; after suddenly exploding, being "required by the company" to promote a junior brother like Zhou Yi is not hard to understand.

But the problem lies with Watching Xiao Yaxuan.

What is she aiming for?

Is Zhou Yi just a bit taller and a bit handsomer? There are so many handsome men in this world; is it worth diverting her popularity to Zhou Yi at such a cost?

What benefits can she get from Zhou Yi?

The heads of the major record companies were truly baffled, and in the end could only attribute it to being love-struck.

I can't learn it, I really can't learn it.

According to information gathered from various sources, Warner had no additional dealings with Virgin Music; in fact, Virgin Music initially tried to prevent Watching Xiao Yaxuan from approaching Zhou Yi.

As the entertainment circles of Taiwan and the mainland reacted with varying degrees of intensity to the name "Zhou Yi," Zhou Yi himself lay on the school lawn, idly spinning a coin between the fingers of his left hand—

Summer sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, dappling his face; a gentle breeze carried waves of fragrance.

"You changed your perfume again?" Zhou Yi smiled without turning his head.

Cheng Hao, dressed in a light beige floral dress, smoothed the hem with both hands and sat beside him as if familiar with the spot, propping her cheek in her hand, her eyes lively: "You still have the leisure to lie here enjoying the shade? I saw your name everywhere in Taiwan's entertainment papers."

"This is just the beginning."

Without surprise, Zhou Yi flicked his thumb, and the coin shot into the air: "It's just a simple marketing tactic.

"Essentially, it's repetitive brainwashing—only subtle and gradual."

At the peak of its flight, sunlight struck the coin, flashing for an instant—

"But unlike those who, after being brainwashed by ads, feel compelled to spend money on products,

"As the beneficiary of the split in popularity between Watching Xiao Yaxuan and Sun Yanzi, all I need is to become wildly popular—so popular I'm purple with fame—and then I can boost their popularity in return.

"Even the reporters and paparazzi frantically chasing these trends know it's a trap, yet they willingly jump in, reporting the news exactly as I planned, all to earn raises and commissions.

"All I need to do is release my album right at the peak of this trend, before the public grows tired of it."

The man caught the falling coin in his hand and declared firmly: "Four-way win."

Beneath the dappled sunlight filtering through the dense leaves, Zhou Yi's confident, radiant expression was clearly reflected in Cheng Hao's eyes, stirring a faint smile across her delicate brow.