[player] Ancient Ingredients Go Viral: Hunt for lost ancient ingredients like bags of rare spices collecting dust, jars of sauce sealed for decades, and mushrooms stored for centuries, all to promote Bamboo Cloud's menu development...
[player] Supreme Flavor Competition: Host a 'Flavor Showcase' to establish our brand as the embodiment of 'Supreme Flavor.' Plan a 'Flavor Tour' and 'Free Tastings and Talks' where culinary ambassadors from different regions serve as Bamboo Cloud's 'organic brand advocates,' naturally promoting Bamboo Cloud in various food-related fields...
[???] These are all alternate promotional campaign proposals for the anniversary celebration. What do you think?
[-] The soft, elegant fragrance of orchids fills the tastefully decorated room. The charming young man in the wheelchair smiles at me, his brows arched.
[-] This is Ran, one of the Four Nobles of Bamboo Cloud. Before I arrived, Jiu Hua and Take gave me an intense rundown on the many misdeeds of this "Mr. Ran," making me picture him as a "smiling devil."
[-] However, their portrayal of him doesn't seem entirely accurate to me now...
[player] From what I've seen so far...
[Ran] It's fine, just say what you think. Ms. Fuuka gave you a glowing recommendation on assisting me with the final campaign for the anniversary celebration, and I trust both her judgment and your abilities.
[player] They're pretty ambitious projects. With the celebration around the corner, I'm just worried that we won't have enough time to pull off something of this scale.
[Ran] You make a good point. What do you think about this one then?
[-] Ran reaches for another document and hands it to me.
[player] Anniversary Celebration Ambassador: Invite a celebrity to endorse our brand and boost its influence...
[Ran] It's a relatively traditional approach, but highly doable.
[-] I turn to the second page: "Proposed Invitees: Popular girl group W.I.N, international supermodel Cynthia, top streamer Hibiki Himekawa..." This is looking a little like my friends list.
[player] If I agree with this proposal, then...
[Ran] Then I hope you'll take charge of it and invite one of the people on the list to be Bamboo Cloud's brand ambassador for this year's anniversary celebration.
[-] Ran looks at me with an affable smile, just like an NPC in a game assigning quests in the beginner village. Hold on, now Jiu Hua's "smiling devil" description is starting to make sense – we've only just started and he's already given me a Nightmare-level quest!
A new main quest has been automatically assigned to the Jyanshi: Invite a celebrity or celebrity group as the ambassador for the anniversary celebration. (0/1)
[-] A group that can sing and dance like W.I.N should be a good fit for the lively celebration. I decide to give Kana Fujita a call.
[Kana Fujita] PLAYER! You called just after I finished rehearsal. You're not psychic, are you? Haha.
[Kana Fujita] What's this call about then? Just so you know, I'm trying to eat healthy these days, so I'll have to pass on any dinner invites.
[player] Then we'll celebrate with a banquet after your tour's over. Anyway, the real reason I'm calling is...
[-] I tell Kana about Bamboo Cloud's hunt for a brand ambassador for the anniversary celebration.
[Kana Fujita] Aww... I'd really like to, but the group just signed an exclusive contract last month to represent a bubble tea brand on Champion Street, so we can't represent any other food or drink brands right now.
[Kana Fujita] I see... That's too bad.
[-] Hanging up, I heave a sigh. Still, it didn't come as a complete surprise – W.I.N's popularity has skyrocketed over the last two years, and companies must be lining up to partner with them.
[-] Looking at the list, the next familiar names I see are Cynthia and Hibiki Himekawa.
[player] Hibiki's been making livestreams about Bamboo Cloud's anniversary celebration nonstop lately. Inviting her to be the ambassador won't make much of a splash if customers see it as too predictable.
[player] As for Cynthia... What?! "Supermodel Cynthia becomes the most-searched public figure on major search engines after her workout videos dominate the Trending list on CatChat."
[-] Just as I'm torn between candidates, a push notification for trending topics on CatChat pops up on my phone... After reading it, my mind is made up.
[Cynthia] My call fee during working hours isn't based on call charges, but rather on my hourly rate. Timer starts now –
[player] Wait, already?!
[-] Before I'm forced to declare bankruptcy over a phone call, I get right to the point and explain the ambassador role to Cynthia. She likewise gets right to the point and turns me down.
[Cynthia] Can't, sorry.
[player] Why?
[Cynthia] Simple: I like Bamboo Cloud's menu, but I have to maintain my public image as a model, which obviously doesn't align with the restaurant industry's endorsement requirements.
[Cynthia] People tend to associate models with tags like "fit, slender, and aloof," but the restaurants need people who are "gourmets, foodies, and approachable."
[Cynthia] It would be like asking a bald person to endorse a shampoo brand. Even if I wanted to, my team would never sign off on it.
[player] Failed again...
[???] Having a hard time, huh?
[player] Ms. Fuuka? Wh-What are you doing here?
[Fuuka Minami] Relax, I'm not supervising your work. I was walking by and happened to see you standing there in a daze.
[Fuuka Minami] Come on, tell me what's troubling you. Who knows, maybe I can offer some helpful advice.
[-] After hearing my recap of the calls, Fuuka thinks for a moment.
[Fuuka Minami] I don't see it as a failure. Cynthia declined because, objectively speaking, the two parties aren't a good fit. However, it didn't sound like she genuinely wanted to turn down your offer.
[player] Hm... but how can I convince her? She does make a good point...
[Fuuka Minami] An open mind is key to successful negotiations. It needs to be a two-way street, not one-sided persuasion.
[-] Seeing the look of slight confusion on my face, Fuuka smiles and taps my forehead with her fan.
[Fuuka Minami] Think about it, people expect girl groups to have a "healthy and fit" image as well. So, how could a brand selling bubble tea – often considered a high-calorie "junk food" – convince W.I.N to be its ambassador?
[player] That's right! And if they can turn the "impossible" into "possible"...
[-] With this in mind, I give Kana Fujita another call.
[Kana Fujita] You're quite clingy today, PLAYER – but I like it, hehe.
[Kana Fujita] Let me guess... you're calling again to continue our brand ambassador conversation from earlier?
[player] Are you psychic?! That's exactly why I'm calling.
[player] There's just something I still don't understand... As an idol group, why would you endorse a bubble tea brand?
[Kana Fujita] Hm... Well, first of all, because bubble tea is Kana's favorite!
[Kana Fujita] Second, the label thought that this type of nutritious bubble tea is the perfect after-school pick-me-up for busy and active high school students. Given our high school image, it aligns exactly with what the brand's customer base wants, so it was a natural fit!
[Kana Fujita] (sips)... And this bubble tea is honestly pretty good!
[Manager] Kana!! Haven't I told you that you can't drink too much of that stuff even if it is nutritious?!
[Kana Fujita] Shoot, the manager caught me! I'm in for it now... Gotta run, bye!
[-] Based on what Kana told me, I think I understand now. For a brand endorsement to really catch people's interest, both parties' images need to be compatible.
[-] And so, I decide to give Cynthia another call.
[Cynthia] I knew you'd call back. Giving up after just one try isn't your style.
[player] I didn't realize you knew me so well... Haha.
[Cynthia] Fine, I'll give you ten minutes to convince me – no charge. But if you go over that time, my hourly rate will kick in.
[player] Ten minutes is plenty. Cynthia, I've thought about it, and I believe that Bamboo Cloud's brand image has a lot in common with yours.
[Cynthia] For example?
[player] Bamboo Cloud has always focused on using high-quality, healthy ingredients with clear origins in its dishes, so the public can enjoy them with peace of mind.
[Cynthia] And you think that relates to my image how...?
[player] Like Bamboo Cloud, your brand image has always emphasized transparency and health. Your fans can trust your integrity just like they trust Bamboo Cloud's quality dishes – there's no risk of any scandal!
[Cynthia] Tch... I should have known you'd be able to draw a connection like that. But what else do you have? I don't see any real benefit from just this angle.
[player] We'd both stand to gain from partnering, of course! I've given it some thought, and now that your activities are focused abroad, your style may blend in with other supermodels. To truly stand out in the fashion world, you need to showcase your unique strengths and qualities.
[player] If you collaborate with Bamboo Cloud and integrate Champion Street's unique local style into your look, I'm certain it would only further set your image apart and make you more popular than you already are.
[Cynthia] Excuse me, are you saying my current look doesn't stand out from the crowd? Wow...
[player] No, that's not what I meant, I –
[Cynthia] Hey, you heard all that too. I think PLAYER is on to something. We've been wanting to try out some new styles anyway, so why not start with this brand endorsement?
[player] Hold on, who are you talking to?
[Cynthia] Oh, Soumu happened to be here today to observe my work. You know I have to get the OK from my boss and manager before I can agree to something like this.
[Soumu] I have no objections, let's do it.
After night falls
[Ran] Miss Cynthia, this is Bamboo Cloud's official booth.
[-] We're in a bustling food market with food tastings, prize draws, and chefs cooking up a storm... Champion Street is buzzing with activity, lit up by lanterns stretching as far as the eye can see.
[-] Only a few hours earlier, I managed to convince Cynthia to serve as Bamboo Cloud's brand ambassador for its anniversary celebration.
[-] Cynthia has arrived at the food market set up by Bamboo Cloud to take in the festive atmosphere and record some videos for future promos.
[Ran] No matter how high-end a business event is, at the end of the day, the goal is always to attract customers and increase sales. So, to spice up the anniversary celebration, we launched a limited "mystery box dish" event.
[Cynthia] And what is a "mystery box dish" event exactly?
[Ran] Random ingredients paired with random seasonings. Customers won't know the flavor until they take a bite.
[Ran] As for food safety, there's nothing to be concerned about. All ingredients and seasonings used in this event have been rigorously selected and are completely safe for consumption.
[Ran] Furthermore, to ensure everyone's peace of mind, we've also avoided any food combinations that are commonly mentioned as conflicting online.
[Cynthia] Sounds very fun.
[Ran] We're honored that you think so. Would you like to try being today's "mystery box chef"?
[Cynthia] Sure!
[Cynthia] What about you, PLAYER? Are we doing this together, or do you have work you need to do?
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