Chapter 152
It's all about forming their own groups, documenting the process of forming the group, uploading it to public platforms, and then using marketing to highlight the unique points of the trainees or artists to retain fans. Offline interactive fan activities are also added to enhance fan stickiness.
The formula is laid out here, yet no company can replicate it.
The outside world attributes this to the magical peripherals of Random Entertainment.
But now Random Entertainment has taken over the domestic peripheral industry, and most companies have signed contracts with Random Entertainment, with future peripheral production and sales handled by Random Entertainment.
Recently, many companies have released their own temperature-sensitive small cards, but the albums bundled with them still haven't made much progress.
This has made many small companies wonder.
"I'm so done with them. They can't blame Random Entertainment for their poor taste; let's see if they dare to blame the netizens." Zhao Xu has been out on business lately and often runs into CEOs of companies of similar size to his own. Since they are all in the same industry and facing similar situations, they have even added each other on social media.
Random Entertainment's peripherals have once again sparked a trend within the fan circle, and those people had hoped to follow and get some benefits. However, they didn't expect that fans outside wouldn't even glance at them.
Although they have left Random Entertainment, they still stand with it in such situations.
Another employee in the same office slumped in her chair, hugging a pillow and sighing, "It's all because of these small companies that just want to cut the grass and run. It's making our reputation, which is genuinely trying to create an idol group, worse as well."
Compared to those companies with no fans, their company, which has been established for less than a year, is doing much better.
They have investors willing to invest, programs that give them resources because they are from Random Entertainment, and fans who have followed the trainees from Random Entertainment.
But this is still not enough.
To survive in this industry, they need to expand their fan base, have a solid fan foundation, and only then can they go on programs, take endorsements, and get the funds moving.
Idols are much harder to succeed in than actors; actors can still go to places like Hengdian to wait for small roles, but idols have no way to go in the domestic market.
If it weren't for Random Entertainment leading the way and building the platform, all these companies aiming to create idol groups in the country would have gone bankrupt.
Someone in the office cursed, "Ungrateful things."
Everyone knew they were referring to those complaining about Random Entertainment in the group chat, but the others in the room seemed to be unintentionally hurt as well.
Zhao Xu: "……"
She put the pillow aside, stood up, and said, "I'm going downstairs to check on their practice. Today, everyone should go home and rest early; our recording time is at midnight."
Zhao Xu tidied up the things on her desk, glanced at the small clock beside her, and said, "It's twelve thirty already. Let's go back quickly. We can still get some sleep in the afternoon; we have to be there by two in the morning."
Hearing her say that, the others also began to pack up their things, although their movements were a bit slow, showing some reluctance.
"……Do you think we might run into Jiang Producer?" the person in the corner asked cautiously.
The place they were going to record at night was where they used to work. Several of those present had been with Random Entertainment since it was operating backstage at Galaxy Hall.
When Random Entertainment underwent internal restructuring, many people left on their own accord, feeling that it would be difficult for them to survive in Random Entertainment with their abilities, so they took the N+3 compensation and left early.
It's not just them who feel awkward; even the seven people in the downstairs practice room probably feel embarrassed.
Zhao Xu thought about it carefully and said, "……The big boss probably won't be at such an event, but if it's Jiang Juyou, she might come, but not necessarily tonight."
Someone next to her prayed, "I hope we don't run into her."
Because it would be really awkward.
"Alright, you guys go ahead and leave. Go back and get some sleep. I'm heading downstairs first. See you tonight." Zhao Xu said goodbye to them as she left, carrying her things.
Yang Siyu and Li Yao were downstairs supervising their practice. The atmosphere in the practice room was so heavy that it felt like the oxygen was about to run out. Zhao Xu didn't even dare to breathe when she pushed the door open, tiptoeing to the corner and putting down her bag.
The practice room had old wooden floors, some of which were damaged, and the front mirror was a large floor-to-ceiling one they had bought themselves. The landlord didn't allow them to install anything on the walls, so they bought a movable mirror.
Two Bluetooth speakers were placed in front, and the sound quality of the music played wasn't great.
Since the seven boys were still in school, most of their practice time was after school or on weekends.
Occasionally, they would rent a venue to hold a mini Livehouse, which could accommodate about seventy to eighty people, or participate in some commercial activities in shopping malls on weekends.
The company has been operating for half a year and is still in debt.
"Let's take a break for a while," Yang Siyu said to the seven boys in front when she saw Zhao Xu come in.
Zhao Xu didn't sit down with them but instead raised her wrist to check the time. "It's almost one o'clock. My suggestion is to let them go back and rest for a while. Our recording time is at four in the morning, and we have to be there for rehearsal by two, plus makeup and hair, which adds another five hours."
"The recording will take four to five hours, and if they don't sleep now, they won't be able to sleep."
Li Yao looked at Zhao Xu, then at the seven boys standing in a row. "……Alright." She turned to the boys and said, "Go upstairs and sleep for a while. I'll wake you up at the right time, then go to the big bathhouse next door and take a bath."
Yang Siyu also urged them, "Go ahead, we'll clean up here."
"Thank you, teacher," the seven boys bowed neatly and then left, nudging each other as they went.
There are fourteen groups of artists in this recording, with both recorded and live broadcasts interspersed. Their group was lucky to be both the opening act and recorded.
Zhao Xu almost knelt down to the director when she got the performance order list from the assistant director.
Zhao Xu kicked the two of them who were still squatting there, "What are you still doing here? Let's go and get some sleep too."
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"Idol New Museum" is the first live broadcast singing program in the country, with the platform inviting many marketing accounts to promote it, and the live broadcast entry quota also distributed to many media outlets.
Those who follow idols on their phones today have seen many videos of fans queuing outside Galaxy Hall waiting for idols to go to work.
She didn't get the recording quota, but thanks to her identity as a marketing account, Jiang Liuxing got a live broadcast entry quota.
She didn't forget to bring her friends along for the ride, and Zhou Keke and Liu Yue's quotas were also arranged by her.
It was still early for the audience to enter, and the roadside was full of fans waiting for idols to go to work.
This was the first time the road outside Random Entertainment was blocked so tightly. If it weren't for the security uncle who opened a path for cars to pass, the idols today wouldn't be able to go to work.
The entrance and exit for idols to go to work is at the ticket inspection entrance of Galaxy Hall.
Barricades were placed on both sides of the one-way street to prevent fans from crowding onto the road.
There were no idols around yet, but a few passing cars slowed down when they saw the crowd, curious people even rolled down their windows to ask what was going on.
Fans waiting boredly would also explain to passersby.
Liu Yue and Jiang Liuxing also picked up their cameras for the first time in a long time. They had been traveling a lot lately and almost forgot their identity as station masters.
It had been a long time since Liu Yue experienced the rush of getting up early to queue for a spot to take photos of the idols going to work. This was her first time in the country.
Hearing the voices around her speaking Chinese felt quite novel.
"How did you manage to stick it out once a week before?" Jiang Liuxing was struggling after standing for two hours. Back then, when lining up for photos, there was no situation like now where even changing poses was impossible. She had been leaning on the railing for two hours, and her body was almost stiff.
Liu Yue beside her was holding up better. "Once a week? Overseas, there are idol stages every day of the week. I used to have to attend two or three times a week."
Zhou Keke and Jiang Liuxing both gave her a thumbs up.
While they chatted and waited, the security guards who had been standing idly by the roadside suddenly got busy. They spaced themselves out at intervals, indicating that the artists were about to arrive.
In fact, the artists had already been backstage at Galaxy Hall. The so-called "commute route" was just taking the nanny car from the back door of Galaxy Hall to the front door.
Soon, a commotion was heard up ahead, and a white minivan stopped at the intersection.
The female singer who stepped out had already done her makeup and hair, and she seemed a bit shy, as this was her first time experiencing such a scene.
In addition to idols, "Idol New Museum" had also invited many solo singers, each with more fame than them.
The first singer to walk the commute route relied on her works. She might not have as many die-hard fans as Random Entertainment's groups, but she had a decent number of fans and listeners.
"What am I supposed to do, just walk by?"
"Ah, this is so awkward!"
"Should I stop for photos? Should I pose for you?"
Being new to this, she was at a loss. The fans on either side of the road were quite supportive. Most of the fans today were there for Equals3, but there were also some fans of other singers and groups mixed in.
For artists without competitive relations, the fans on both sides of the road showed high enthusiasm and cheers.
Every ten minutes or so, a group of artists would arrive. Those experiencing this for the first time were inevitably a bit awkward, but the fans were very happy.
The on-site photographers quickly pressed their shutters, and some fans seized the opportunity to shout out.
This scene was captured in many short videos uploaded online, and fans who followed from behind screens were also infected.
"I can't even imagine how cheerful and happy I would be if I were on site."
"It's really tiring on site, but also really fun!! There are fans of many families, but everyone is very friendly. For the first time, I saw a support scene in the domestic entertainment industry without drawing circles and fighting. The fans of Equals3 next to me heard that I hadn't had breakfast and even shared their European bread and coffee with me! The experience is really top-notch!"
"A joke, would they let you fight in the venue of sjyl? Even the solo fans in the venue of sjyl dare not show their solo fan faces."
"Is this our domestic entertainment industry?!"
"So is this going to happen every week?"
"No, this is a seasonal broadcast. This season only has twelve episodes, but don't worry, there are other song programs that will take over afterward."
In addition to the Random i viewing platform, there are four song programs in total, all coexisting peacefully, each taking a quarter, first trying out with a seasonal broadcast, and then changing to a fixed weekly program once the domestic idol market heats up.
Today's excitement made everyone aware that there is now a song program of our own in the country.
Aliali: 67567d42bd5e46c308c70feeEven small broadcasters rushed to the scene, wanting to live-stream the idols' commute route.
Several groups had already arrived, and it was almost over when Equals3's nanny car finally appeared.
The wide minivan with a glossy black finish was clearly from Random Entertainment. It slowly stopped at the intersection like a crouching beast.
Before the door even opened, the screams outside were almost going to overturn the car.
The security guards held onto the railings, in case the fans got too excited and rushed out.
The door slowly opened, and before Jiang Wangran even stuck his head out, his hand was already raised.
After getting off the car, he stood to the side and greeted the fans on both sides, followed by Sang Mo and Chen Wu.
Chen Wu, standing in the middle, had a slight dip, and the fans immediately knew he wasn't wearing height-enhancing insoles. Some fans teased him, shouting that they liked his "dipped" look and asked him not to wear insoles anymore.
Chen Wu's smile, which had just started to rise, was suppressed by the fans' words.
The reason he wasn't smiling was that he actually had worn them.