"What do you think?" As an agent, Laihe still needs to ask Lu Ke for his opinion. After all, the last person to sign the contract should be Lu Ke.
But Lu Ke was a hands-off shopkeeper and shrugged, "Leh, you know, I don't know much about brand sponsorship."
"Ha, I know. I'm just asking, what's your personal impression?" Laihe was used to it and was not surprised at all. He shook his head and asked.
"It's very pleasant." Lu Ke's answer was crisp and clear. "It's definitely not that simple for Indra to be in charge of Pepsi-Cola for nearly twenty years; but she did not pose in a condescending manner, nor did she take the initiative to cater to you with flattery. The entire conversation was It was very relaxing and I honestly didn’t know how to say no to her.”
Lech laughed, "It doesn't matter, that's my job, and that's why you hired me. The question now is, do you decide to refuse or accept?"
After a slight pause, Laihe did not continue to talk about it and directly told PepsiCo's offer to sign Lu Ke.
"Ten million per year, contract for ten years."
There was no preparation, no foreshadowing, not even a prelude. Lech just made a blockbuster offer, one that was enough to shake up the entire industry, and one that was enough to change the course of industry history - no press conference was needed, just A press release can detonate the entire North America.
What does this contract mean? And how much weight does it have?
First, horizontal comparison.
Whether it is Pepsi or Coca-Cola, they are now focusing on "stars shining", either changing one spokesperson every season, or signing multiple spokespersons to appear at the same time. It is definitely not uncommon for two-digit superstars to appear in one advertisement. . The former is a short-term effect, and the latter is a group effect. Both situations are doomed. The endorsement fee must not be too high, otherwise it will exceed the budget.
In recent years, Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola's endorsement fees have generally been relatively "low", with the average price being around one million US dollars, while a few top stars can raise it to 1.5 million US dollars, which is the cap.
Even in the long history, Pepsi spent five million US dollars to invite Michael Jackson to be its spokesperson in 1994. It was a moment of glory, and it is almost impossible to find such a grand occasion again in the future - in the final analysis, Coke is still a fast-moving drink, and Pepsi and In the fierce competition, Coca-Cola still needs to constantly "refresh its sense of presence" in order to keep consumers fresh. Naturally, its spokespersons also need to be updated from time to time.
It was not until the second decade of the 21st century that the situation changed slightly. Because of the existence of the Internet, the update speed of freshness reached an unprecedented height, and the speed of news change increased by more than ten times. Even Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola It is difficult to keep up with the speed of changes in the Internet even if it is fully accelerated, so the two companies have no choice but to adjust their publicity strategies, gradually develop their own unique style, and their market positioning is further clarified - as Indra said , target groups are undergoing subtle changes and distinctions.
Leo Messi signed a contract with Pepsi-Cola to endorse the 2014 World Cup in Brazil for 1.5 million euros, which is the current highest price paid by Pepsi-Cola.
Secondly, vertical comparison.
So far, Lu Ke has signed six endorsement contracts. The most expensive ones are undoubtedly Under Armor and Mercedes-Benz. The annual endorsement fee is US$5 million, but the contract period is different—— But even Under Armor has only signed a contract with Lu Ke for five years.
The reason is very simple. The career of a professional athlete is full of many variables. One injury may ruin everything, especially in football. Even for a relatively stable quarterback position, if you want to continue your career and continue your highlight performance, it is not Such an easy thing.
Of course, three veterans among the four elite quarterbacks have been in the league for more than ten years - but that is only ten years.
Under Armor has shown its determination by choosing to sign a five-year contract with Lu Ke. This means that they firmly believe that Lu Ke’s top form can last for at least five seasons. In the opening game of the 2013 season, Lu Ke was injured and left the field. At that time, Under Armor's top executives were so frightened that they had a heart attack.
In terms of endorsement fees and contract terms, Under Armor has reached the top level in the industry. Not to mention the NFL, this is true even in the NBA. Lifetime contracts like LeBron James's are really too rare. This top-level contract may only appear within five or ten years.
What's more, this is only Lu Ke's third season in the league, so the future will be full of more uncertainties and the risks will naturally be greater.
After completing the two-phase comparison, look back at the figure Lech just quoted: $10 million per year for ten years. The shock and magic hidden in it just hit your face, and it has an irresistible charm.
PepsiCo not only signed Lu Ke with a fee of 10 million per year, but also gave him ten years with a wave of his hand, which can almost be regarded as a "pension". In one go, Lu Ke was pushed to the level of the first player in the league. At the same time, it also made a long-term guarantee for Lu Ke in the next ten years.
Real courage!
Lu Ke blinked his eyes and nodded slightly to show his understanding. Without too many expressions or words, he seemed to be savoring it carefully, "Oh, they showed their determination."
Such a response... is really too bland, even a little uneventful.
Laihe raised his eyebrows, "Your reaction really doesn't give me any sense of accomplishment."
Only then did Lu Ke react and laughed out loud, "No, no, no, I was so surprised that I didn't know how to react." Then Lu Ke turned sideways and faced Laihe, frowning slightly. She frowned and said in surprise, "Ms. Indra really didn't give me any room to refuse, right?"
"Yes, she didn't." Lech gave an affirmative answer. "To be honest, I was also very surprised. Although I have been in this industry for so many years, contracts of this level are still very, very rare in the four major sports. All across the league, she showed a rare courage."
Obviously, Indra's real plan is not just to be a spokesperson, but to sign Lu Ke to launch PepsiCo's next corporate image transformation plan and further tap the market potential. The strength of the contract figures truly reflects the British Della's powerful ambition.
This is also the fundamental reason why Indra was able to impress Lech: it was not a short-term effect but a long-term plan that allowed Lu Ke's image and Pepsi-Cola to help each other, completely changing the weight and direction of the entire signing and endorsement game. Even Lech was seriously beginning to reconsider the matter.
A contract of up to 100 million U.S. dollars, signing a third-year quarterback, and it was before the Super Bowl was about to come. Even though Lu Ke and Leh had already anticipated Indra’s determination, they could still feel it at this moment. The unexpected shock was far beyond my initial imagination.
In comparison, Coca-Cola has indeed been at a disadvantage in the past ten years, and the days to come will be even more difficult and arduous.
This is the role that a wise senior leader can play, vividly explaining the truth that "talent is priceless".
There was a hint of admiration in Lech's eyes, "This will not only shake the entire league, but the other three major sports leagues will inevitably pay attention. Even Europe is no exception. Ms. Indra's courage has indeed impressed countless CEOs. They all pale in comparison and must be given my applause.”
Lu Ke was not calm, but was so shocked that he calmed down, because none of this felt real. Even after experiencing so many storms, reality can always bring surprises again. This is also an unknown part of life, no ? He even couldn't help but think: One hundred million dollars? Is Indra kidding?
"If I really sign the contract, I might have a myocardial infarction because of the tax filing." Lu Ke said sincerely.
Laihe couldn't help laughing happily, "So, what do you think? Accept it? Or reject it?"
"Leh, this is not my problem, you know, it never has been." Lu Ke said frankly, "I can choose whether I should pass the ball short or long, or make a fake fax, but I can't choose to speak for myself. Advertisement, because every one of them sincerely took out their check and invited me, what can I say?”
"Haha." Laihe laughed heartily.
Lu Ke spread his hands with helplessness on his face, "This should be your decision. Last year, you told me that we should not sign a contract with Pepsi or Coca-Cola, and I said 'ok'; this year, you told me that I should sign with Ying Indra met to talk and I said 'yes' too. Now, let me tell you, I had a great conversation with Indra and she is an admirable lady; as for whether I should sign or not, Pepsi would be very interested in my career The impact on my career is not something I can see. Leh, this is your job, and you should give me the answer."
Laihe's smile narrowed slightly and he looked at Lu Ke seriously, "Really? One hundred million dollars, are you really willing to just refuse it like this?"
"God, it's because I can't refuse. If it were left to me to decide, I would have been dizzy because of those numbers. How could I make rational judgments and choices?" Lu Ke's exaggerated expression finally showed the shock. And unexpectedly, all the emotions were revealed, "So, it should be you who makes the choice, before I do something stupid."
About image, about value, about strategy, etc., these were all told by Laihe to Lu Ke, and Lu Ke was a complete layman.
Lu Ke clearly understands one truth: Never pretend to understand, otherwise you will be the one who suffers. Professional work should be left to professionals; and if you can understand something superficially, it is just to prevent yourself from being deceived, but not so that you can point fingers without knowing anything. Then, even good things may end up being messed up.
Lech nodded slightly to show his understanding, "Fair enough. You are responsible for fighting for the championship, and I am responsible for creating value, which makes us a pair. Then, leave the rest to me, and I will complete the follow-up negotiations. Just relax and prepare for the next game."
"How's it going? Are you ready now? Defend your title?"
"Look, this is what I'm good at. I'm not ready yet. Let me enjoy tonight's victory first. The joy of beating the Seattle Seahawks should last a little longer."
