Hollywood Hunter

Burbank, Universal Studios.

When Simon Nickles, CEO and president of the Victoria's Secret brand, was led by a staff member into a setting community like a fairy tale town, Simon had just concluded a production meeting for Desperate Housewives.

This'fairy tale town' is naturally a set of Wisteria Street built by Simon in memory.

After saying goodbye to the main creator of "Desperate Housewives", Simon greeted the short-haired black-haired woman with glasses, and the two walked along the clean asphalt road.

Leslie Wexner’s main focus is still on the transformation of the LTD’s fashion business into a “fast fashion” operating model, and Simon is unlikely to spend too much time staring at this matter.Therefore, the preparation and implementation of the Victoria's Secret show is still in charge of Grace Nichols.

Grace Nichols is a senior executive in the marketing department. Last year, she was promoted to the top of Wei Mi by Leslie Wexner.

From this point, we can also see the business style of Wexner.

Therefore, Simon does not have 100% confidence in whether Wexner can change the LTD's fashion business from marketing-oriented business style to focusing on the'fast fashion' mode of operation.However, as long as the Wei Mi brand is built, Cersei Capital's acquisition of LTD is considered successful.

I've been in touch a few times before and it's familiar.

Simon and Grace Nichols just chatted casually, and the topic quickly turned to the topic.

Grace Nichols still has some scruples about some of the feedbacks on the Wei Mi show in the media: "Recently, the media has accused us of the fashion show we are preparing to be sexy and materialized women. I think maybe we should this time Be more conservative."

Simon did not worry about Grace Nichols, saying: "I have discussed this issue with Leslie, and the dispute is inevitable. No matter how the outside world evaluates, we should first confirm a positioning for this catwalk: Victoria's Secret Fashion show, hoping to convey to consumers a fashionable, charming, healthy and romantic underwear consumption concept."

"I know this," Grace Nichols continued: "However, the media often don't think so."

"Some things, even if it's a lie, you tell the public a hundred times, most people believe it," Simon said, suddenly realizing something, turning his head to look at the woman beside her, laughing: "Okay Well, for media matters, I will greet you."

The freedom advertised by the Western media is more of a kind of freedom without interest.

If because of your remarks, some big money owners may withdraw their advertisements on the media platform, then this freedom will suddenly not be free.

Daenerys Entertainment, or the entire Westeros system, is undoubtedly the advertising gold that cannot be ignored by any mainstream media.Whether it is a mainstream newspaper or magazine or a professional movie, technology or fashion newspaper or periodical, whether it is a cable TV network or a radio station, there are advertising figures from various companies in the Westeros system.

Moreover, the media platforms in North America basically belong to some large comprehensive media companies.

For example, the Hearst Group, which holds countless newspapers and magazines, such as the Metropolitan/ABC Group with ABC TV network and cable networks such as ESPN and AE, therefore, even if a certain newspaper or TV station had no interest in the Westeros system at the time, It is difficult to guarantee that other media under the same parent company are the same.

Many things in this world, in the final analysis, will eventually only have two words, benefits.

Grace Nichols mentioned some of the media encounters of Victoria's Secret Show, and also hoped that Simon would use the Westeros network to reverse some public opinion.

Simon realized this, and readily agreed, mainly because of this. Now the LTD company is also part of the Westero system interest community. In terms of media, the LTD company is also a large advertiser.

In order to make it easier to prepare for the nearest Victoria's Secret show, Simon specially allocated a studio in the Universal Studios to the Victoria's Secret team.

In fact, it seems better to directly choose this studio in the Malibu Daenerys Studios.However, Malibu's studios are now basically used for filming, and more than half are professional virtual studios for front-end shooting.Only the old-fashioned studios at Universal Studios are free.

After the acquisition of MCA was completed last year, after reconfiguration, many buildings on the Universal Studios side will be demolished to build new attractions. As for the functional studio and post-production center, it will mainly be used to produce TV series.

Hollywood movie productions are more and more inclined to live-action shooting. For TV series, until many years later, the application of studio shooting is still very extensive.

The Wei Mi team chose a small studio with a length of 45 meters and a width of 25 meters.

Simon and Grace just turned into the corridor where the studio is located, and they saw that there were many slender figures waiting at the entrance of the studio.Those figures obviously saw Simon for the first time, and there was obviously a commotion.

Today is the final round of interviews with Victoria's Secret Angels.

The 40-person Victoria Secret Angels team, of which about 10 places are basically set, including the planned 5 Victoria Secret Angels spokespersons, and several other famous models who will participate in the Victoria Secret Show but do not act as spokespersons.The remaining 30 places will be selected from various model agencies.

In order to select a batch of finished ODY, Simon also put forward very high requirements.

The elimination of height less than 175CM, the elimination of face is not beautiful enough, the elimination of Taiwan step is not good enough, can not accept the elimination of a set of harsh contracts of Victoria Secret Angels.

The first three conditions are actually very easy to choose.

Only the last one, to participate in this catwalk, for non-famous models, the Wei Mi team only paid $5,000 in salary, which is basically equivalent to the salary of a salaryman for one month.

However, once the selected model is finalized, they will start to prepare for the catwalk in November, further physical exercise, diet control, participate in catwalk rehearsals, participate in media activities according to the schedule of the Victoria's Secret show and so on.In addition, the follow-up TV broadcast and videotape sales of this catwalk have nothing to do with these models.

Of course, in the next four months, extra costs such as fitness and transportation for the models will still be borne by Victoria Secret.

What the model industry eats is youth rice.

For four months, focusing on one thing, the results are not necessarily good, and the compensation is also pitifully low. These requirements have discouraged many models who have opened their careers and are expected to go to the next level.

The Wei Mi team, which is in charge of casting, does not make any concessions or demand.

Just like Hollywood actors, fashion circles also have beautiful women.

Moreover, this big show is a grand publicity for the Wei Mi brand. For the models participating in this big show, it is a rare promotion of the fashion circle to the general public.Because the Wei Mi brand and Wei Mi Angel are a mutually beneficial relationship, Wei Mi also designed a set of promotion programs for the Wei Mi Angel team.

In the same words, the model circle tried every means to rub the star's superstar model, in the final analysis just for popularity.

Victoria's Secret Show is equivalent to giving a group of models a dazzling platform that stands directly in front of the public.

The two walked to the gate of the studio, and a series of active greetings suddenly sounded in their ears. Many girls looked at Simon with a bit of hot eagerness to try.It's just that probably because there were too many people, until Simon passed through a group of flowering fairies, none of them dared to step forward.

Simon also saw a lot of familiar figures in his memory, but this kind of thing is hard to cause any disturbance in his heart now.

After several rounds of advance selection, the final 30 places, a total of 100 candidates.

The waiting area inside the studio couldn't fit in, so it was just outside the gate.

Entering the studio, thousands of square meters of space have been separated from several work areas. There are all design and production spaces for the makeup room, dressing room and angel costume.The most spacious space in the innermost side of the studio is a 20-meter long T-stage, and the next audition will be held here.

The audition process has already been designed.

Dress up, log on the T-stage to show your body steps, simple communication, and then the next one.

Therefore, in the afternoon, 100 people passed quickly, and many of the models who looked forward to interacting with Westeros did not find any opportunities.

At six o'clock in the afternoon, in the brightly lit studio, Simon finished the audition, and Simon continued to discuss with the Victoria's preparatory team about the reserved 10 places.

Five spokespersons, Cindy Crawford was the first one. This supermodel who was already partial to commercialization also accepted the invitation of Victoria's three-year endorsement contract for the first time. Of course, the cost of endorsement is also very expensive. USD 5 million in three years.Of course, this part of the expenditure is the responsibility of Wei Mi, and is not included in the budget of Wei Mi.

Then, Simon Yasmine Gary, who came by accident last year, was the second.

This'waist essence' was once one of Victoria's spokespersons on the original timeline. Yasmine Gary is a very suitable candidate for both appearance and racial diversity.

Although there is already an Asian mixed-race of Yasmine Gary, the five spokespersons, if there are no black people, will certainly be justified, and this year's 19-year-old Tyra Banks was selected.The black model made his debut when he was 15 years old. For the model, 19 years old is considered old, and the other party's reputation is enough.

In fact, some people recommend Naomi Campbell.

Although the black supermodel was expelled from Elite brokerage company last year because of various bad behaviors, but because of his solid foundation, he still remained active in the fashion circle after changing a brokerage company.

However, as everyone knows, this black supermodel is really difficult to deal with. There is no problem with short-term cooperation. If it is a long-term endorsement, it can be imagined that it is definitely troublesome.

After Cindy Crawford, Yasmine Gary and Tyra Banks, with two remaining places, Simon finally selected Helena Christensen and Stephanie Seymour.

Compared with Cindy Crawford’s three-year endorsement cost of US$5 million, the cost of the endorsement of the last four angel spokespersons has just flipped to US$3 million over five years.

In addition to the five spokespersons, the remaining five supermodels who will be in attendance are basically confirmed. They are also the most famous supermodels of this era, such as Linda Ivangolinsta and Claudia Schiff.

The next day is another Friday.

The time is already July 3, and this year's Independence Day holiday happened to be Saturday.

As the most popular period in July, on July 3, a total of three weight-series films were released on the North American theater. They were the cooperation projects of "The Last Mohigan" by Daenerys and Warner Brothers, and Disney's. Science fiction family comedy "Darling, I made my child bigger" and "Patriot Game" by Paramount Pictures.

The "Moment of Kill", which was painted the week before, ended up with a box office of $23.73 million in the first week.

Due to the subject matter, this kind of drawing performance is not high, but it has also met expectations. The key is to watch the subsequent box office trend of the film.

Although this independent day holiday rushed on Saturday, however, working wage earners in the United States generally arrange their annual leave during this time, so this period is still popular.

Yesterday spent an afternoon on the preparation of the Victoria's Secret Show. Simon flew to San Francisco again this morning.

After half a year of preparations, Blockbuster's online platform happened to be online during the holiday of Independence Day, and Nancy Brill hoped that Simon would be able to attend the press conference today.

As the largest video chain in North America and the world, the launch of'Beststar Online' naturally attracted a lot of media attention.The conference was also selected in the conference hall of the Marriott Hotel in downtown San Francisco.

Simon arrived at the Marriott Hotel and the press conference is nearing its beginning.

Just greeted the guests who were present today, and everyone started to sit down.

At 10 o'clock, the press conference officially began.

Topview executives detailed the development history of'Bestview Online' on the stage, the application process of the website and the outlook for the online business prospects, etc., while Nancy Brill discussed the top stage with Simon The problem facing Shida at this time.

After taking over Blockbuster for a few years, the video chain company now has more than 4,300 chain stores worldwide. Nancy's ultimate goal is 5,000 global chain stores, including 3,500 in North America and 1,500 overseas.

This goal will probably be achieved next year at the latest.

Compared with the largest 9000 chain stores in the world at the peak of memory in memory, 5000 chain stores seem to have shrunk by half, but now the company is under the operation of Nancy Brill and the team of Blockbuster. Through continuous optimization of the operation model and warehousing and logistics system, it is more powerful than the original Besida, which is only a pursuit of scale.

However, in Nancy Brill's view, the current Blockbuster still faces many problems that need to be changed.