Superstars of Tomorrow - Chapter 310

Chapter 310: Fan Base

Yanbei retirement home for former officials.

A disgruntled Great-Grandfather Fang was frowning at his tablet.

He had wanted to buy the headsets Fang Zhao was endorsing. After all, it was Fang Zhao’s first time endorsing a luxury product. The first time Great-Grandfather Fang had seen the ad, he had checked his savings and done the math. He had decided to buy the basic model.

But no such luck.

“What is Fiery Bird thinking? They’re a big company, after all. Didn’t they think to cater to elderly customers who are slower to act? How are we going to compete with those kids? What year is this that we still have to place orders manually? What’s the point of smart automation? To put on a show? It’s downright insulting to the elderly that we can’t preprogram our purchases.”

Great-Grandfather Fang was grumbling non-stop.

Great-Grandmother Fang, teapot in hand, was about to water their plants on the balcony when she heard her husband’s rant. She raised her eyebrows, threw her spouse a glance, and continued with her chore. “This is called ‘hunger marketing.’ My understanding is that many luxury brands come out with limited edition products. This is quite common. It’s not just Fiery Bird. Don’t file a complaint and make much ado about nothing. You’ll give Xiao Zhao a hard time.”

“I know!” Great-Grandfather Fang was just venting. He had no intention of filing a formal complaint.

“If you really want those headsets, why don’t you ask Xiao Zhao next time he gets internet access on Wai?” Great-Grandmother said.

Great-Grandfather Fang shook his head. “I’m not going to bother Xiao Zhao over something trivial like this. What a tough shoot Xiao Zhao has. Who am I to waste his time over a pair of headsets? I heard just a few days ago that some of his fellow cast members got so immersed in character they needed to stick around for psychotherapy after they completed their scenes. It pains me to hear things like that. I had no idea that acting was so hard. Any kind of radical change requires hard work. Xiao Zhao must have paid a heavy price to deliver such a great performance. He won’t be due for a bento box for a few more seasons. Sigh, the thought of him getting his bento box pains me even more.”

One one hand, he wanted Fang Zhao to finish his shoot soon and get some rest at home. On the other, he didn’t want to see Fang Zhao’s character exit the show. Great-Grandfather Fang was quite conflicted.

Great-Grandmother Fang raised her eyebrows again and threw her husband another glance. The older this old fart gets, the more sentimental he becomes.

But soon, Great-Grandfather Fang shifted gears. Even though he was upset about failing to place an order for the headsets, he was also a bit emotional. It would have been even more embarrassing if a product Fang Zhao endorsed didn’t move, but the new headsets Fang Zhao was endorsing were selling like hotcakes. What did that say?

That meant that his great-grandson was competent, that he had influence!

That line of thinking got Great-Grandfather Fang excited again. He tidied up the outfit he was wearing and told Great-Grandmother, “There’s still some time before lunch. I’m going for a walk.” He walked out with his hands folded behind his back.

There was a flat-screen billboard within the retirement home compound. Great-Grandfather Fang chose a route that passed the billboard on purpose. The flat screen played the latest commercials every day.

After taking in the ad for the Diting Z Series headsets endorsed by Fang Zhao as if he were admiring a work of art, Great-Grandfather Fang wanted to gloat. But when he turned his head, he couldn’t see a single soul.

“Where is everyone?”

He canvassed the area. All of the folks who had been taking walks nearby were gone.

————

Maybe it was nostalgia for the Old Era, or perhaps it was the influence of “Founding Era.” Anything that had to do with the Old Era was evoking strong emotions in folks.

The retro headsets from Fiery Bird’s Diting Z Series sold out instantly on every continent, regardless of the model. It was impossible to snatch a pair unless you acted swiftly. The earplug model and stereo system from the same series also sold out quickly.

Several days later, the folks who had managed to land the first batch of headsets received their goods.

What was the first thing they did when they got their shipments?

Eight out of 10 buyers showed off their headsets on their social media accounts first.

One of the new stars of the professional gaming scene in Jinzhou posted a series of pictures on his account.

“My headsets have arrived! The same model that Zhao God uses. Come to think of it, Zhao God was the one who inspired me to become a professional gamer. Pity he has switched industries.”

Professional gamers from other continents also showed off their new Diting Z Series headsets online. Most of them mentioned Fang Zhao. Some mentioned him in passing, but others did it intentionally to boost their own exposure and brag about their wealth at the same time.

But most of the gamers who had never faced Fang Zhao and yet were lamenting the fact that he had switched industries were merely paying lip service. They sure as hell didn’t want to face off against Fang Zhao. Even though Fang Zhao’s gaming career had been brief, he had made a significant mark. Footage of his avatar in action was often reposted and dissected. The reason some gamers still called Fang Zhao “Zhao God” was because no professional e-sports team or single player had been able to match his results since his retirement.

So Fang Zhao was truly the reason why some of the current stars of professional gaming coordinated with each other when ordering headsets from the Diting Z Series.

Jinro, the current captain of Silver Wing’s professional gaming team, noticed all the posts claiming they missed Fang Zhao’s presence in the e-sports industry and wanted to face off against him. He screenshotted a few of the more representative posts and posted the pictures on his social media account with the following message: “I’ll show Zhao God these screenshots after he finishes his shoot. I hope you’re ready to face off against him then.”

The gaming department at Silver Wing had new management, and the professional gaming team also had new leadership, but the gamers still referred to Fang Zhao as “Boss” internally. In public, they went along with the “Zhao God” moniker.

Jinro’s post inspired gaming fans to follow suit.

“Captain Jinro, you’re missing a few screenshots. Here are some more. [picture] [picture]”

“Here are two from mighty Tongzhou! [picture] [picture]”

“Five from mighty Leizhou! …”

“Here’s 10 from Huangzhou, mightiest continent of them all! …”

After gaming fans from different continents and curious onlookers from outside the industry joined the screenshot frenzy, gamers kept posting pictures of their new Diting Z Series headsets, but few made any mention of wanting to face off against Fang Zhao.

The first few rising stars of the gaming world who had posted such messages now wanted to delete those posts, but deleting them now would be too obvious. They could only wait until the discussion died down. All we did was bullsh*t a little. Was it necessary to resort to screenshots?

Some gaming publications reported on the screenshots in their social media posts, which gave the phenomenon even greater exposure.

Of course, not everyone followed the latest developments in the gaming industry, so the screenshots weren’t a big deal. Overall, they didn’t cause a major ripple. No one took them seriously. After some kidding around, the controversy soon died down.

The hot topic was still the Z Series headsets. Music lovers and headset aficionados who had managed to land them were busy writing reviews. Folks who had failed to snatch a pair were either jamming Fiery Bird’s customer service department with calls about the official launch date or shifting their attention to the company’s other headset lines.

There were also folks who had bought the headsets simply to show off. Simply posting pictures of their headsets online didn’t give them their fix. They also wore their headsets in public, hanging out strategically in spots that had the most foot traffic.

At a major mall in downtown Qi’an.

Two young men were discussing headsets.

“Look, these are my new headsets. They cost some 5,000 dollars!” the first young man said gleefully. “You’ve had those headsets for some time, no? You should upgrade to a better pair.”

“Oh, I think my 50-dollar headsets suffice,” the other young man said.

“How can 50-dollar headsets compare to a pair that cost 5,000?”

The young men were feuding when they heard a third voice. “Aren’t they the same? All you hear is noise with headsets that cost less than 100,000.”

The two young men froze. Wow, now that’s being pretentious.

They looked over and examined the headsets hanging over the neck of the man who had just spoken. The logo and unique design were unmistakable—they were Fiery Bird’s Z Series retro headsets, the most popular among the three most anticipated headset models this year.

The first young man who had spoken raised his hands in surrender. “OK. Pretend I never said anything.”

Only an idiot would compare hardware with a nouveau riche tycoon.

Not everyone could afford the Z Series, but even setting aside the Z Series, there were other more reasonably priced lines.

The previous Diting lines that Fang Zhao had endorsed were quite good value for the money. They were sufficient for folks who weren’t that exacting when it came to sound quality.

The two young men rewatched the Diting ad on a neighboring flat screen. “I feel motivated to work hard again!”

Fiery Bird had adopted a blanket strategy for its ad campaign. Regardless of continent or city, you were bound to see their ads playing on a giant flat screen hanging on a tall building. The billboards in residential compounds, train stations, and plazas were dominated by the Diting Z Series print ads. Naturally, Fiery Bird knew that the folks who could afford their products were a minority. The reason the company had splurged on advertising aimed at a broader audience was to make a statement.

That’s right. The hottest headsets of the year were made by Fiery Bird. Unless other headset makers can surpass the technical sophistication of the Z Series, Fiery Bird will continue to be the industry leader.

Of course, the masses only got the basics. They knew that Fiery Bird had developed a line of kick-ass headsets and that the ad for the line featured the actor who played General Fang Zhao in “Founding Era.”

Fang Zhao wasn’t that famous in other continents, but “Founding Era” was a global hit. It would be impossible to miss him even if you weren’t a music or a gaming fan.

Audiences from different continents watched the various chapters of “Founding Era” in different orders. They mostly watched the chapter about their home continent first before moving onto other chapters. However, anyone who watched the Yanzhou chapter remembered Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao’s look in the Diting ad was different from his look in “Founding Era,” but even if a person didn’t recognize him in the ad, someone would point it out to them.

Fang Zhao’s popularity also rose with every additional season of “Founding Era” that was released. Sales of the previous Diting lines he had endorsed also spiked.

Fang Zhao was the hottest star in Yanzhou, eclipsing even the three actors who played Wu Yan in “Founding Era.”

At a small city in Yanzhou, on board the local circular train service.

An old woman took in the Diting Z Series ad that was playing inside the compartment. “Oh, that’s Fang Zhao!”

A young man sitting nearby laughed. “That’s correct. That was Fang Zhao, but that was only a fragment of the ad. You’ve got a keen eye, auntie!”

The old woman flashed a conceited smile. “Of course. I recognized him instantly. I’ve got great eyes. Everyone in our residential complex knows that.”

A young lady in the same compartment asked, “Auntie, do you still follow celebrities?”

The old woman froze briefly before responding. “No, I don’t follow celebrities. I follow TV series, ‘Founding Era’ in particular. I just retired. All I do is stay at home and watch ‘Founding Era’ every day. If you ask me, I still think the Yanzhou chapter is the best. I like the Fang Zhao character the best. Everyone in our compound likes him! After watching all the different chapters, I’ve realized that he has the strongest presence. You have to project that kind of aura as a leader. While others fill up the room, he fills up the entire building! I was a senior manager before I retired. I behave just like him!”

Fellow passengers: “…” Uhm, then you’re wound a bit too tightly for a retiree.

“Anyway, I think he’s the actor who leaves the deepest impression,” the old woman said with a laugh. “He’s my type of guy.”

Fellow passengers: “…”

“Oh, what’s the name of the actor who plays Fang Zhao?” the old woman asked.

“His name is Fang Zhao too. I thought you had just recognized him,” the young lady sitting across from her said. “The ad featured the actor who played Fang Zhao in ‘Founding Era.’ His name is Fang Zhao as well, but he appears without makeup in the ad. He looks very different, but you still recognized him. What a great eye you have!”

The old woman paused, apparently confused.

“He has the same name as his character?” she asked.

“Yes, the same.” The young lady enthusiastically pulled up a few news items from the time when Fang Zhao had first landed the role on her bracelet and showed them to the old woman. “Fang Zhao beat out many big stars from Yanzhou and other continents to get the part.”

“Wow, that’s quite something! He’s only in his 20s. So young. I never would have guessed that he’s in his 20s, judging from the look of his character.” The old woman had made up her mind to share the news stories with her bosom buddies from the same residential complex.

Folks who didn’t follow celebrities like her were more taken by TV characters rather than the actors, who they wouldn’t necessarily recognize. They used character names in daily conversation, but they rarely used the names of the actors.

The old woman rushed home after arriving at her station. She eagerly relayed to her friends, “The actor who plays Fang Zhao is also called Fang Zhao! Isn’t that easy to remember? He’s awfully, awfully young, even younger than my grandson!”

Word spread quickly in the residential compound.

Journalists in Yanzhou soon realized that among Fang Zhao’s fans who were active online, many were middle-aged and elderly women who were retired. They mostly stayed home, watched TV, and chatted with their neighbors.

This particular demographic among Fang Zhao’s fan base began growing rapidly.

A reporter at an entertainment publication who was monitoring online trends told a colleague, “The sky’s the limit for Fang Zhao. The first luxury product he endorsed is already a success. His own market value has risen leaps and bounds.”

“It’s not just him. Take a look at the other actors in ‘Founding Era.’ All the ones with substantial parts are doing well. They’ve all seen their market value rise. Even those who have already picked up their bento boxes are doing OK. It’s the ‘Founding Era’ effect. No wonder folks were angling to land roles when the director was casting. Heck, if I were an actor, I’d pay to get a role.”

“The Diting Z Series is the first luxury product Fang Zhao has endorsed. I wonder what he will endorse next.”

“Maybe it will be a fashion label. Word has it that a high-end men’s tailor-made label is negotiating with his management.”

“It might be a top-of-the-line outdoor attire brand too.”

Another reporter sharing the same office space who was sipping water started spitting his drink as he watched his computer screen. He quickly summoned the others. “I’m not sure what Fang Zhao will endorse next. All I know is that Leizhou’s top star has endorsed garlic! If there’s someone who could raise the price of garlic to the price of gold, it’s him.”