On March 10, 1985, Pierre Cardin arrived in Beijing on an Air France flight.
The purpose of the master's trip is threefold.
First, as a special guest and judge, he came to participate in the "Second Splendid Oriental Model Competition" that started in April.
Second, in June, he will hold the world's largest fashion show at the Workers' Stadium in Beijing, which is expected to accommodate tens of thousands of spectators.
Third, he also wants to take the opportunity of this model competition and fashion show to select twelve top models from the Republic to go to Paris to serve as models for his latest fashion show in the second half of the year.
For this reason, not only has the influence of this model competition been upgraded again, but it has also attracted the attention of people across the country than the first competition.
The master himself has become a super VIP guest in the clothing industry and related foreign trade departments, competing to show his goodwill.
So don't look at the master who came to the capital alone.
Compared with the last time a huge group came here, it seemed to be alone and very low-key.
But the reception specifications have been upgraded.
Not only did Song Huagui personally drive to the airport to pick him up, the Ministry of Foreign Trade, the Ministry of Textile and the Ministry of Light Industry all sent people to welcome him, and many reporters who knew about the situation also went early and waited at the airport.
Even the airport has specially laid out a red carpet, prepared flowers and a welcome ceremony, just like receiving foreign heads of state.
As a result, as soon as Picardon appeared that afternoon, he was immediately surrounded by reporters from various countries and immediately became one of the most eye-catching figures at the airport.
The reporters at the scene couldn't wait to launch a fierce "attack" against him.
If the average person is absolutely confused, they will definitely be in a hurry and overwhelmed.
But a master is a master.
Throughout the interview process, under Pierre Cardon's silver-grey hair, his kind eyes always shone with wisdom, and he gave rigorous answers calmly.
It not only satisfied all reporters, but also did not reveal too much inside information.
After the visit, the master even said to the reporters with a habitual smile, "I hope you can all wear 'p' clothes next time we meet."
This talk of attracting customers for his own business immediately caused a burst of laughter.
If not for anything else, Pierre Cardin's clothing is really famous in the capital, and everyone knows that wearing this kind of clothes is a respectable thing.
But at a price of one thousand yuan, how many people can afford to wear it?
The reporters present all knew that this was unrealistic and could only regard it as a beautiful blessing.
After that, after just one afternoon's rest, Picardon began his non-stop and intense schedule in the capital.
Attend the welcome banquet, hold a press conference, visit government officials at all levels, and learn about the preparations for the "Model Contest".
He even received an invitation to shoot a special report on national television and an invitation to give a lecture at the Fashion Culture Correspondence Center, the only external window in the domestic fashion industry.
It was precisely because of this that Ning Weimin was particularly moved.
You know, just three days later, the master himself didn't even have time to take a look at the new location of Pierre Cardin's China headquarters and his beloved Maxim restaurant.
At Song Huagui's request, he dedicated an afternoon to Ning Weimin and listened to his detailed plan to deeply explore the Chinese market.
This is enough to show the master's trust in Song Huagui and the importance he attached to Ning Weimin's proposal.
However, during the process of listening to the report, compared with Song Huagui's serious and nervous mood, and compared with Ning Weimin's carefully considered wording, the master himself was smiling and seemed particularly relaxed.
After listening to the report, he only asked some questions about the general direction, but did not mention the relevant operational details. In the end, he actually nodded and fully agreed with the plan.
It is decided that the business strategy of the Huaxia region can be adjusted accordingly and implemented accordingly.
He also fully delegated power to Ning Weimin, allowing him to make full decisions in negotiations with Goldlion.
Even for Ning Weimin's idea of setting up a discount store in Tianqiao Shopping Center and for his creation of ice cream with Pierre Cardin's exclusive trademark, Pierre Cardin also personally praised and praised it.
He even laughed a little childishly, saying that he had authorized so many products, and Ning Weimin was the first to think of using his own brand to make ice cream. He couldn't wait, especially hoping to eat Pilka as soon as possible.
Dun's ice cream.
But now, seeing the master agreeing so happily and acting so relaxedly, Ning Weimin himself became hesitant.
He was a little worried that the master was not paying attention to what he said, or that he did not understand the subtext of his report.
So after thinking about it, I still felt that there were some things that needed to be said clearly, so I focused on the possible side effects of discount stores.
"Mr. Pierre Cardon, I don't know if I made it clear just now? This plan will have a major impact on our future brand positioning. At present, in the domestic environment where there is a lack of means to protect rights, we insist on the direct sales model of specialty stores.
It is conducive to timely adjustments in business methods. More importantly, it can keep the supply of goods clear and controllable, so as to avoid and reduce the negative social effects caused by the proliferation of fake goods in the future."
"It should be said that through this method, we have performed well in maintaining the quality and reputation of the 'p' brand. In just a few years, 'p' clothing has become an absolute high-end clothing in the country. However, this positioning and
There is a gap in the position of the 'p' brand in the international market. Considering the country's open attitude, considering that the 'p' brand has too many authorizations in the international market, and the quality is uneven. There is no doubt that our family is in
It is impossible to maintain a situation in which a domestically dominant country can obtain excess profits for a long time."
"So I have to remind you that in my personal opinion, as the domestic closed environment loosens and more and more foreign clothing brands enter the domestic market, our 'p' clothing will gradually return to a reasonable position for mass consumption. This process
It may be ten years, or it may be fifteen years. We can only delay this process as much as possible, but we cannot reverse it."
"It is based on this judgment that I propose that the 'p' brand lowers its stature in disguise and uses some cheap products to get closer to the public. Although such benefits will make the 'p' brand more popular among the people, we can also make profits.
Earn more profits. But at the same time, this is also an overdraft of the brand and reputation, which has certain risks for the domestic market. It will gradually cause real high-end customers to dislike it and dilute the brand value. A real high-end brand will not
Do you really know this?"
Unexpectedly, the old man smiled and nodded, and what he said was more clear than what Ning Weimin thought.
"Ning, I understand everything you said. In fact, the reason why the French fashion industry dismisses my 'p' brand is because I took the initiative to lower my status and turned the high-end fashion house into a brand for middle-class consumption.
Yes, I did take a deviant path that destroyed my brand in the eyes of others."
"In order to break the high barriers to fashion, I took the lead in adopting the factory mass production model of ready-made garments. I also sold design sketches directly to other factories and only asked for a small OEM profit, so the French fashion industry's contempt for me became even more
Big. No one did this at all at that time, because everyone knew that this would undoubtedly make the status and identity represented by the brand impure."
"But I did it because I realized that classics are difficult to create, and fashion brands have a longevity. Brand designers who engage in clothing are different from painters. Painters usually become famous after their death. But clothing brands usually become famous after their death.
The glory of a designer usually only lasts about the best twenty years of his life. It is not easy for anyone to ensure that his brand and works are still popular for thirty or forty years. If you want to make your name like Chanel
, the probability of a brand that can still be loved by people after the founder passes away is too low. So in that case, why don’t I make more money when I can? It is for this reason that I put
License your trademark to other merchants.”
“I don’t want to be an elite, I just want to be supported by the masses. Today, there are hundreds of products with the “p” trademark printed on them, and they are sold in hundreds of countries around the world, ranging from soaps, toothbrushes, bath towels to canned sardines.
This is the public's love for me. It can be said that my trademark is my visa. I am not afraid that my name will become an equal sign with daily necessities, so if someone wants to spend money to print the 'p' trademark on toilet paper, I
I will be happy to agree. Why not? You know, it is entirely thanks to the authorization that I can make a lot of money in the short term, but I can do more things I want to do in this limited life. Isn’t this a good thing?
Is it a good thing?"
"So if you want to open a store and sell some products authorized by 'p' at a low price, then open it. You are helping me expand the company's profits as much as possible. Of course I want to support it, and there is no reason to oppose it. This is why I decided to authorize
original intention. I trust you very much, and I also trust Song. You have run Huaxia Company beyond expectations. Even you said that in Huaxia you should be able to maintain 'p''s high-end brand image for ten years, which is very important to me.
It’s a kind of happiness.”
"Believe me, I certainly know the disadvantages of licensing. Although this method can help my popularity reach its peak. However, because there are too many categories and too many categories, consumers have no way to tell which product is authorized and which one is
Counterfeit. To be honest, even if someone really prints the 'p' trademark on toilet paper without my permission, consumers will only think it is real. And I have never complained about the quality problems of these products.
The method is different now. Ning, I didn't expect that you actually found a way for me to effectively maintain the 'brand' benefits and reduce the side effects of authorization. That is to insist on being a directly operated store."
"Yes, Ning, think about it, what if I sign a licensing contract again in the future and add an additional agreement that stipulates that authorized products can only be sold in 'p' direct stores? Then I can't intervene in the production of these products.
?'p'Department store, this is such an exciting goal. This may be a dream that I can pursue in the second half of my life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, my friend. Because of you, I may no longer have to worry about others occupying my time.
Although you are still young, your business talent is really dazzling. You let me see a new world in the business field..."
At this point, Ning Weimin finally understood the master's thoughts.
To put it bluntly, the business philosophy followed by this old French man is actually very simple.
In our words, the gold that was spent overnight is not as good as the silver that is the same day.
But fortunately, the era when the master rose was not the information age after all.
Without the Internet and the communication channels of smartphones, if a brand is rotten, its reputation will not collapse so quickly.
Therefore, this method can be applied on a global scale and is a very effective strategy for attracting funds during the early stages of a person’s career.
This is how the master quickly monetized his brand and further expanded his business.
Originally, while enjoying this benefit, it was ultimately impossible to avoid the side effects of authorization.
The master himself had been mentally prepared for this, so he just wanted to have no regrets in this life.
But thanks to the non-information age, the methods of running a brand in this era are still immature, and not many people are aware of the benefits of franchised stores.
However, Ning Weimin proved the benefits of this approach in the Chinese region, and at this time the master had become famous and was no longer short of money.
This is tantamount to him discovering a remedy that may be effective and may extend the life of the brand.
So one can imagine how happy Picardon would be when he realized this.
This is actually no different from just spending a lot of money that makes people feel miserable, only to turn around and pick up a bag of gold from the road.
Of course, the master had to express his gratitude to Ning Weimin, and the gratitude and excitement in the master's heart was still difficult to restrain. It made him quite excited. It would be an exaggeration to say that he was elated.
No wonder he was smiling all the time while listening to Ning Weimin's plan today.
So next, when it came to the issue of compensation for the Yi La De tie patent, Ning Weimin took advantage.
When the master was happy, the price he blurted out was already different from what Song Huagui told Ning Weimin when he was making dumplings on the fifth day of the lunar month.
He actually increased the cash compensation to one million francs.
The compensation method for sales dividends has been increased from 15% of profits to a full 20%.
Obviously, the master is a person who can achieve a perfect balance between sensibility and rationality.
Even though he was so happy, he still remained wise.
The price offered was obviously an attempt to tempt Ning Weimin to choose cash compensation.
Ning Weimin did not disappoint the old man. He chose one million francs and signed the document as he wished.
As a result, this seemingly foolish choice made Song Huagui frown.
After he signed, the eldest sister's expression returned to normal and she said congratulations to him for becoming a millionaire.
But there was a bit of disappointment and dissatisfaction in her eyes, but it still revealed that the eldest sister thought that Ning Weimin was short-sighted and wasted such a good opportunity.
Ning Weimin could only keep this in mind silently, and look for opportunities to repay his elder sister's kindness in the future.
He knew in his heart that this matter could only be accomplished without Song Huagui's good words for him.
Otherwise, no matter how particular the master is, it would be hard to imagine that he would rush to put so much money into his hands.
But to be honest, it's not that he is stupid and doesn't know that long-term dividends will make more profits.
On the contrary, it is because he is also a sensible person. He is a mute eating wontons and knows everything in his belly.
Think about it, he is going to Japan to cut leeks, what is he missing? Isn’t it foreign exchange?
No matter how good the project of easy-to-draw ties is, in a domestic environment where counterfeit goods are rampant, it needs to be recycled slowly, and his expectations are not high.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have come out to save people in the first place.
In short, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.
To him, this million francs was like a pillow when he wanted to sleep, and it couldn't be more suitable.
When I went to Japan, it was a bag of sand and a house of gold.
In a few years, one million francs can be turned into at least ten million, so why wouldn't he want it?
To be honest, he even had the urge to propose another plan to Pierre Cardon.
That is, he didn't want a penny of compensation and just wanted to get more loans from Pierre Cardon.
A few years later, the principal was repaid with interest.
But then he thought again, the last time he borrowed money to buy paintings and calligraphy, he had been clearly rejected. The big boss seemed to hate this way of borrowing money.
It's better not to force others into difficult situations, stop surprising the two immediate superiors, and pursue maximum benefits.
But even so, in order to use this wealth more conveniently, he still puzzled everyone and soon felt strange.
Fortunately, he also made two additional small requests.
First, I hope that the master can convert the money into Japanese yen and temporarily deposit it in an overseas account for him.
Second, I hope this matter can be kept confidential and not let other people in the company know.
"Ning, I understand that you want to convert this money into Japanese yen. After all, you are going to Japan, and the exchange rate of the franc has been very unstable in recent years. But why don't you want to let people in the company know about your achievements?
Is this the reward you deserve? Don’t you want others to envy you and be inspired by it? Then how much satisfaction will you get from pursuing success? "
Ning Weimin was speechless for a moment and didn't know how to answer.
This can only be said to be a huge surprise for Eastern and Western cultures.
Even an outstanding artist and businessman like the master doesn't seem to understand the simple truth that our country's wealth should be kept secret and that people should live in harmony with the world.
After thinking for a while, he came up with a more suitable explanation.
"Mr. Pierre Cardon, it is widely said around the world that Jews are the best at doing business in the world. Some people even say that they are the smartest race. What do you think of this view?"
"Of course, this is recognized in the world, and everyone recognizes the business wisdom of Jews..."
However, Ning Weimin spread his hands with a somewhat disdainful expression.
"But I think it was this sentence that killed the Jews. If the Jews had not made people all over the world aware of this, if they had made money without making it public or showing off, and had known how to be humble like us Chinese people, maybe during World War II
, they won’t be so miserable, what do you think..."
What can the master say?
I am afraid that this is the first time even Song Huagui has heard such strange remarks.
Therefore, Ning Weimin's words not only made the master completely speechless, but also made Song Huagui's eyes wide open, and he almost spit out the coffee he just took a sip of.