Mei Bang Marketing Innovation Road: Marriage With Film

In March 8th, Metersbonwe announced the signing of a 3 year strategic agreement with DreamWorks Animation Studios, the first Chinese enterprise to collaborate with Hollywood in brand marketing cooperation.

After finally achieving the goal of "Transformers 2" project, "investing 1 yuan, earning 1 yuan", this time, the United States no longer satisfies only one film, but obtains exclusive cooperation of all the films of DreamWorks, and it will produce more interaction and resources cooperation with the film company.

Signing strategic cooperation with DreamWorks is only the first step in the United States.

According to reports, the company also signed a 5 year strategic cooperation agreement with the Shanghai art film studio and obtained the authorization of the Japanese Sanrio Co "HelloKitty" for a period of 3 years.

"We hope to inject more cultural connotations and highlights into the brand, differentiated marketing."

One day in mid November last year, Shanghai was chill.

Joe, President of the American dream factory animated film company, has first arrived in China. This is the first time that DreamWorks pictures has sent to China.

Joe the purpose of this trip is to talk about strategic cooperation with Metersbonwe.

Before the dream factory movie Kung Fu Panda was released, the Joe, "never heard of" Chinese enterprise, offered to discuss copyright cooperation. However, it was only 3 months after the opening of the movie, and it was impossible to complete the follow-up development and promotion.

Later, the United States was awarded the copyright holder of Transformers 2, the brand implantation of American Paramount Pictures and Hasbro Inc, and the development and operation of Chinese copyright.

DreamWorks examines the whole process and effect of the cooperation between the US and paramount. The executive power and brand influence of the Chinese company provide the basis for the cooperation between the two sides.

"After the Transformers case, we talked much easier with DreamWorks, and based on the Chinese elements of Kung Fu Panda, the cooperation process appeared to be very successful," said Zhou Long, senior manager of the brand marketing center.

Therefore, the negotiation with DreamWorks does not need to introduce itself for half a year, as it did last time. It also no longer involves "cross licensing". Even when signing initial cooperation intentions, neither side has met. It is entirely about mail, about 1 months before and after.

Mei Bang is only the first stop of DreamWorks.

DreamWorks tried to expand its film's spread in China by developing its business in China.

Meanwhile, DreamWorks is also developing contacts with China's banking and dairy industry.

Joe inspected the size of the mebang company, the super flagship store on the Nanjing road in Shanghai, and the "China clothing Museum" created by the United States, which greatly changed the previous recognition of Chinese brands.

More than half a month later, SheilaClarke, director of global operations of DreamWorks, further discussed the details of cooperation with Smith Barney in Hongkong.

Unlike the authorization to win Transformers 2, this time, the United States no longer meets the cooperation of a film. It hopes to make strategic cooperation with DreamWorks.

DreamWorks has many popular cartoons, such as monster Shrek, Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda.

"In the past, authorized signatures were signed annually, and we volunteered to sign" 3 years for 4 years ", Zhou Long said. That is to say, within 3 years, DreamWorks is expected to produce 8-10 animated films, which we can all use for 4 years.

The advantage is that the business value of the following years is still there after the company's first series.

Moreover, cooperation between the two sides is exclusive.

However, negotiations still have difficulties.

DreamWorks is strict with the role image and is not allowed to change at will.

Before Nike, BMW, Pepsi Cola and other companies cooperate with Hollywood, only directly printed on the product image.

"We are a garment enterprise. If we simply print the character image and have limited creativity, the sale of clothing will be reduced."

Zhou Long said, the significance of strategic cooperation is that we can change their image, and will add and subtract the image in the film according to the demand of clothing design, showing interesting and interesting ideas.

Of course, except racial discrimination, reactionary violence and bloody violence.

In addition, the United States will try its best to assist DreamWorks films in the promotion of the country, and DreamWorks can also send designers to make costume designs for the United States.

There are no commercials in American cartoons, but the United States will still surprise you in the movie.

"The content can not be disclosed, which is the first attempt of DreamWorks since its establishment."

JeffreyKatzenberg, founder and chief executive of DreamWorks, said: "we are impressed by Metersbonwe's motto" no ordinary way ", because this motto applies to our company as well.

What's interesting is that since the beginning of this year, our two companies have run 15th anniversary, and we are all proud of the achievements achieved in this short 15th anniversary. "

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In the interview, SheilaClarke said: "the image created by DreamWorks encourages people not to follow the crowd, to publicize their individuality and to go their own way, which fits Metersbonwe's corporate slogan and makes our cooperation seamless.

Moreover, Metersbonwe's full of interesting and imaginative live show, through the carrier of clothing, has injected life into cartoon characters. We are very excited.

If Mei bang and Transformers 2 cooperate only to test water, then the strategic agreement with DreamWorks opens a window to the way of brand marketing.

Wang Quangeng, general manager of the company, said that "Transformers" is a small test knife. In the nearly 3000 stores in the United States, only 178 stores sell the product, but they sell about 2000000 products, and the sales volume of the whole series exceeds 100 million yuan.

At the same time, through the network and other forms, get about 30000000 people's attention.

"This data is amazing. The amount we have done in two years is completed in a quarter."

Zhou Long was very excited about the result. According to the calculation of the company, during this period, the sales volume of a shop in Guangzhou accounted for more than 35% of the total sales volume; the shop of Nanjing East Road in Shanghai sold a Transformers T-shirt every 2-3 minutes on the day of the film.

According to the company's original plan, the best return for this project is "every 1 yuan investment can bring 1 yuan profit."

According to the US state source, "the cost of the whole project, namely the license fees and advertising fees, will add up to 8 figures".

If the profit margin of each garment is calculated at 40-50%, the sales of the Transformers will meet expectations.

Transformers 2 has brought many praise to the company. The whole process has been included in the curriculum case of CEIBS.

At the end of last year, Zhou long came to power as the only Chinese company to win the award at the authorized business conference hosted by the Asian Licensing Association and the Hongkong Foreign Trade Bureau.

"When everyone was speaking English, a voice from China suddenly appeared, which made the Chinese media and enterprises on the stage very excited."

Zhou Long said that the reason for winning the award is that the other authorized Chinese enterprises are mostly productive enterprises. They only pay attention to the market channel, simply make the authorized image into products, and have no further development and change.

The United States as a light asset company, focusing on the network and offline brand marketing, from the initial product development to terminal sales, attaches importance to the whole brand operation process.

For DreamWorks's strategic cooperation expectations, Zhou Long said, as last time, we hope that all the money invested in this project will come back.

"DreamWorks authorization is cheaper than Transformers."

He introduced that the amount of investment included empowerment, advertising and promotion.

Regarding risk control, Zhou Long believes that the only consideration is that product development is too biased and consumers can not accept it.

Besides, the popularity of films and the decline of box office are not risks. As for the early stage of the project, they will do related research, but they will not rely entirely on numbers to make decisions. After all, brands contain a lot of sensations.

"Hollywood's film industry chain is very mature to ensure that things are made to a certain standard. Historically, DreamWorks's movie box office is mostly good."

The company expects that the sales of products driven by DreamWorks will reach 200 million yuan, and will be popularized in more than 2000 shops.

As an empowerment, DreamWorks hopes to reach the platform of the United States in the country, so that the famous characters like kung fu panda 2, which will be released next summer, will enter thousands of households from the big screen.

While negotiating strategic cooperation with DreamWorks, Smith Barney also started contacts with Shanghai art film studios, hoping to inject Chinese elements into clothing, such as Na Zha's sea, black cat sheriff, and the havoc of heaven.

It has been revealed that in recent years, the United States and the Shanghai Film Studio signed a strategic cooperation agreement for 5 years, which is also the first time for the Shanghai Film Studio.

The Shanghai Film Studio is also looking forward to this cooperation and hopes that the brand image will be younger after integration.

"We fully feel that as long as the situation is opened, China's strength can be exerted."

For example, the United States has invited Yan Ding Xian as a spokesman for its MTEE products.

Yan Ding Xian, more than 70 years old, is the original painter of the havoc of heaven. He can draw Sun Wukong in one stroke. He is also the director of many famous cartoons such as Na Zha's sea.

In addition, the company has obtained the authorization from Japan's Sanrio Co for three years, and has been operating the brand cooperation of HelloKitty to increase the development of women's market in clothing.

"From the price of products, the clothing sold from the United States is definitely cheaper than the HelloKitty store."

Zhou Long introduced.

Meanwhile, Smith Barney is still discussing the cooperation with Transformers next year.

Years ago, Paramount Pictures had just decided to make Transformers 3, and it would also be a 3D version.

"In the future, we will also inject environmental protection concepts into the MTEE series."

Zhou Long said, in the future, the company has three main directions in brand marketing: first, the image of the United States; after all, the culture of Hollywood is still the most popular force in the world; the second is the image of Japan; the Japanese animation is the best in the world; it also has the strongest impact on young people; the third is the image of China, and the United States hopes to dig deep into the connotation of national brand.

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Wang Quangeng introduced that in order to better display the products of strategic partners, Smith Barney launched MTEE series, nearly 10000 products, defined as the company's most creative series, as a platform, in the series of costumes, show animation, trend events, environmental protection, illustrations and other themes.

"We hope to make differentiation with other brands of the same kind, and introduce the elements and culture of the international trend by the United States of America. In addition, we hope to display the Chinese clothing brand abroad and lay the foundation for the future going out."

Wang Quangeng said.

The products of MTEE will be launched in stages, such as "animation season", "fashion season" and "environmental protection season". The company's idea is to make it the first brand of printed apparel in China, and gather more people with dreams and sense of innovation on the MTEE platform.

It is revealed that the company is moving towards

Mei Bang emphasizes that MTEE is not an independent brand. It is only a series of companies. In the future, other products will be developed. "Metersbonwe has more than 3000 square meters of large shops, which can accommodate 5-8 times the volume of general stores".

In 2009, Metersbonwe ran around the country and bought a store.

Last year's capital expenditure was mainly used for shops rent and decoration costs, about 900 million yuan, according to the US state.

In addition to constantly adding new cultural connotations to Metersbonwe brand, another brand ME&CITY is also moving towards ZARA and H&M, from the fashion design concept and the shelf time.

"Clothing industry to sell

The executives said that in 2009, the company expected revenue of 5 billion 234 million and net profit of 603 million.

The company's asset liability ratio is about 45%.

"We have just issued 500 million short-term financing vouchers, and will start the next 500 million short-term financing coupons in 3 and April. The interest cost is lower than that of banks. In addition, there are still billions of dollars in bank credit." the company said that the company had prepared ample cash flow for capital expenditure this year. Before December last year, the company had a cash flow of more than ten billion.

For the brand promotion in 2010, the company disclosed that the budget is about 2-3% of the total sales. "Normal, Metersbonwe's brand promotion fee this year will probably be between 2-4 billion."