Chapter 150: Naming Rights Fee!

In a phone call with Xu Bunian, Chen Qi inquired about the progress of the film’s production. According to Xu, everything was going smoothly. Although he was a first-time producer and lacked experience in many aspects of the business, he had the director, Zhou Xiao, by his side to help, so he hadn't held anything back. Judging by his tone, their collaboration seemed to be quite harmonious. During the call, Xu Bunian heaped praise on Zhou Xiao’s capabilities, remarking that his decision to choose the once-obscure Zhou Xiao from so many candidates had been a remarkably wise one.

Chen Qi was left feeling a mix of amusement and exasperation at these thinly veiled attempts at flattery. After offering a few perfunctory responses, he hung up. He currently had little mental bandwidth to spare for the film; all his energy was focused on his new program. He intended to experiment with the directorial techniques he had recently learned from Zhou Xiao on this show—consider it a bit of practice.

After hanging up with Xu, Chen Qi organized his thoughts and dialed the number of Qian Dafu, the general manager of Kuku Mobile. He wasn't entirely sure if the advertising department fell under Qian’s direct purview, but as the general manager, he was the right person to approach.

"Hello?" The call was answered quickly, and a voice Chen Qi vaguely recognized came through.

Chen Qi hurriedly introduced himself: "Hello, Mr. Qian, this is Chen Qi." He felt a flicker of nervousness, wondering if this high-profile figure would even remember him.

"Chen Qi?" Upon hearing his name, Qian Dafu’s voice rose noticeably, and he asked with genuine surprise, "Chen Qi from Blueprint Advertising? Wait, no, I recall you already left Blueprint."

"Yes, that’s me," Chen Qi said, letting out a sigh of relief upon realizing he was remembered.

"Hello, hello." Knowing who was on the other end, Qian Dafu’s tone became slightly more courteous. Of course he remembered Chen Qi! He remembered him all too well. Setting aside the fact that the "five minutes of charging" advertisement had far exceeded their expectations, the sheer brilliance Chen Qi displayed when he first presented the concept was enough to leave a lasting impression. That moment had been truly profound for Kuku Mobile.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Chen Qi stated his purpose. "Mr. Qian, the thing is, I’m currently working on a program with Beijing Satellite TV, and the title sponsorship is still available. I was wondering if you might be interested?"

"A program? You’re making a program now?" Qian Dafu sounded quite surprised.

"That's right."

"Is this your original concept?"

"Yes."

"What is your role in this program?" Qian Dafu asked, curious. If he were merely providing an idea, it wouldn't make sense for him to be the one negotiating with advertisers.

Chen Qi smiled. "I am fully responsible for the production of this program."

Silence followed on the other end of the line, as if the statement had caught Qian off guard. The last time Qian Dafu had heard of Chen Qi was during the 4s dealership incident, which had caused quite a stir nationwide, even reaching the national news. At the time, he found it amusing that Chen Qi was bored enough to help someone defend their consumer rights, and he had looked him up online. What he found had genuinely startled him. He hadn't realized that after leaving Blueprint, Chen Qi had started his own studio and independently produced a small viral hit like *Unexpected*. And now, just over a month later, he was already collaborating with a television station? Getting involved was one thing, but the fact that he had secured full creative control was another. This growth rate was staggering.

"Alright, why don't we have dinner tonight and discuss it in person?" After a quick mental calculation, Qian Dafu agreed. Given Chen Qi’s impressive track record, he was genuinely intrigued by the project.

"Sounds good. I’ll finalize a location and send you the address," Chen Qi replied.

"See you tonight, then." Having work to attend to, Qian Dafu ended the call.

Having spent the morning juggling these matters, Chen Qi felt a sense of relief. It was nearly noon. Just then, the young woman who had escorted him into the station earlier arrived with a batch of temporary access badges for him, Su Xiaoxiao, Qi Qi, and their suppliers. Access to the station required credentials. Beyond the badges, Vice Station Manager Wang, knowing how pressed for time he was, had thoughtfully provided him with several meal cards for the station’s cafeteria, which would save them a significant amount of time during their lunch breaks.

"Thank you very much," Chen Qi said. With the badges and cards in hand, he headed to the studio.

After a quick meal in the Beijing Satellite TV cafeteria, the group hurried back to the studio to continue their work. It is worth mentioning that Chen Qi was the center of attention in the canteen. Those who didn't recognize him soon learned from their colleagues that he was the "Chen Qi" producing the music program—the one competing for the Friday night slot. Suddenly, the entire cafeteria was buzzing with talk about him, with everyone watching him with a mix of wonder and amusement. Chen Qi remained indifferent to the gossip and scrutiny, completely unfazed.

By two o'clock in the afternoon, staff members began arriving to report to him. This was the team Vice Station Manager Wang had helped assemble. Perhaps aware of Chen Qi’s lack of experience, she had provided him with a list of the necessary positions and personnel beforehand. Whether or not it was true that the more experienced staff had been poached by the other vice station manager, most of the people who arrived were relatively young. Still, they were quite polite to Chen Qi, or at least appeared to be respectful on the surface.

Along with the staff came the necessary equipment. Chen Qi did not stand on ceremony and immediately assigned them tasks within their respective areas of expertise. Some began calibrating equipment while others set up the stage. As for the detailed flow of the program and specific assignments, it wasn't yet time to disclose those.

The afternoon passed quickly. In the evening, Chen Qi met with Qian Dafu at a restaurant. After a brief pleasantry, Chen Qi went straight to the point. His negotiating style was simple and blunt: a title sponsorship fee of 80 million, with a guarantee that the program’s average viewership would exceed 1%. If that target wasn't met, the sponsorship fee would be refunded in full.

He had previously discussed market rates for title sponsorships with Vice Station Manager Wang. Because Beijing Satellite TV had relatively weaker overall influence, its program advertising rates were generally lower, typically ranging between 30 million and 50 million. While 80 million was significantly lower than the nine-figure deals commanded by the top three satellite networks, it was a high price for their station. Thus, his demand for 80 million was, in relative terms, quite bold.