Rejected, actually faced rejection?
Moreover, without hesitation, without delay.
Donald didn't seem to struggle at all, refusing a $20 million contract without even blinking an eye, indicating that his ambitions far exceeded this figure.
Stanley: ...
So, what kind of contract did Nike offer to Li Wei to make Donald so confident?
Stanley almost lost his composure, this being the second—no, third ti that expectations had been disrupted; he had to exert all his efforts to stay in control, barely maintaining his calm.
"Donald, you should take a look at our initial offer."
Donald noticed Stanley's gaze, and this ti he didn't refuse Stanley, picking up the piece of paper on the table and unfolding it:
$1.5 million. Three years.
That is, Stanley had instantly raised the offer by two notches, truly showing absolute sincerity.
Stanley noticed Donald showing the note to Li Wei, he hurriedly added, "I agree with your statent, Li Wei is different, we should build a brand-new image around him—youthful, fearless, brave, and glorious, like creating a brand-new ga protagonist. Not only making people want to follow in Li Wei's footsteps to level up and battle monsters, but also making them aspire to beco Li Wei."
"This is Li Wei's advantage. We should fully utilize it."
"Li Wei is not just an endorser; we can even weave a narrative around him as the core, shoot a series of ads, and have our other endorsers complent the whole story. I believe the market will go crazy for them."
"Of course, the specifics still need to be discussed and handled by professionals, but I believe Li Wei can beco the iconic figure of Pepsi's collaboration with the NFL, he won't just appear in every ga broadcast, but also on the Super Bowl halfti show screens, around the clock, seven days a week."
"Li Wei's convictions and Pepsi's innovation can achieve mutual success."
"Without a doubt, Li Wei and Pepsi are each other's perfect choices."
With a sense of urgency, Stanley held back no longer, now that he had decided to go all in.
Donald, however, wasn't in a rush, he calmly refolded the note, "Yes, I know, Li Wei currently represents a unique image in the league. I believe what we see is only a fragnt of his brand influence, a vast world lies ahead, waiting for us to explore together."
"I agree with your opinion."
"Li Wei can be the hero everyone admires, and yet he can also represent every ordinary person. Li Wei is you, , and him, embracing dreams. Each of his steps can write legends and create history."
"What lies before us is a new world, and Li Wei can complete this grand feat with any brand. However, we hope it will be Pepsi."
"So, $7 million a year, five years."
Casually, Donald dropped this bombshell, his words as effortless as if he were discussing $700, completely oblivious to the string of zeros that followed.
Stanley was stunned, but then no longer anxious, he completely cooled down—
It seed that Donald had co prepared, Coca-Cola's "chance encounter" was an overt sche.
But here lies the crux, Donald believed that Pepsi would not want to miss out on Li Wei, and he believed that Pepsi's rivalry with Coca-Cola in the field of competitive sports had reached a fever pitch.
After all, it had been hard for Pepsi to finally achieve the full Grand Slam sponsorship of North Arica's four major professional leagues, finally getting ahead of Coca-Cola. They definitely would not want the situation they strived hard to achieve to be disrupted by Coca-Cola again.
Moreover, Donald believed that Pepsi had greater aspirations, although he was unaware of Pepsi's future plans, as it was comrcial secrecy; but he was sure that Pepsi had gone to great lengths not rely for a modest football market.
This, then, was an overt sche.
Even though he had been seen through, he still couldn't help but step into it, face-to-face with the outco.
By now, Stanley had completely cald down—
Far from being angry, he was increasingly exhilarated.
Thinking carefully, the eting this afternoon had been strategically linked, step by step; Stanley had completely been in Donald's pocket, never taking the initiative. But from another perspective, was the result of Donald's ticulous planning just for a $35 million contract with Pepsi?
No, Stanley didn't think so.
At this point, Stanley recalled the first question Donald asked at their eting:
"What does Pepsi think is Li Wei's brand image that impacts the market?"
The key was: brand image.
So, could Stanley infer that Donald was selecting brand sponsorships to build Li Wei's brand image—
Vehicles. Watches. Fashion. Wine. Beverages.
Different brands in different fields, ultimately combining to create a lifestyle:
The blue-collar worker who drives a pickup truck to and from the refinery every day and drinks a beer at the bar, the playboy who drives a Ferrari around the world savoring Michelin three-star cuisine, the hardworking genius who drives a Chevrolet and wears Rolex between the training base and ho—three starkly different images, naturally attracting different target audiences.
Just like Roger Federer on the tennis court.
Thus, Pepsi was also one of the brands Donald was seriously considering.
In other words, if Donald's blueprint matched Pepsi's vision, then they were a perfect match, capable of achieving a synergy where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
This ant that Pepsi should not miss out on Li Wei.
Suddenly, Stanley was curious about which other brands Li Wei had t with that afternoon, not just Coca-Cola. They should elevate their perspective; those brands weren't competitors of Pepsi, on the contrary, they found a common ground in Li Wei, potentially serving as indirect collaborators.
Perhaps, Pepsi should also aim higher.
The thought was expansively long, but in fact, it was just a mont in his mind.
When he heard "seven million dollars a year," Stanley's first reaction was "ridiculous," as Pepsi's $1.5 million and $4 million proposals seed like a joke, and he believed Coca-Cola wouldn't match that offer either; but now, it seed Donald wasn't just speaking off the cuff.
It seed this ga of chess wouldn't conclude today.
He had no choice, as Donald's offer now exceeded his authority: moreover, it was complicated, and Pepsi still needed a eting.
However, that's just how negotiation works; there was no need to rush.
Stanley controlled himself and showed a half-genuine, half-forced smile as he spoke.
"I'm sorry, this is beyond my authority, but I will relay your request to headquarters."
After so brief, rambling pleasantries, Stanley stood up, looking at Li Wei who had been clear-eyed and composed throughout, and couldn't help feeling so admiration.
"I hope we can work together in the future."
Li Wei showed a smile, "Of course, that's a big check."
With honesty mixed with a bit of jest, Stanley's smile instantly brightened, and although the deal wasn't finalized, it was indeed a pleasant eting.
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