Gu Jiahui began to work on it, instructing the company’s PR department to allocate a team of eight people specifically to secure three Blue Orchid Award nominations for Sheng Tang’s "The Road to Ascend."
"Nominations are the foundation; even if the campaigns for ’Best Drama’ and ’Best Director’ are unsuccessful, we must guarantee the nomination for ’Best Supporting Actress,’" Gu Jiahui said.
Nominations can be manipulated through PR, but winning the award is not something easily controlled.
If the actual awards could be manipulated, the Blue Orchid Awards would have long lost their reputation. How could they still have the prestige they do today?
"A PR budget of thirty million should be ample," Gu Jiahui added.
The person in charge gasped.
It wasn’t the thirty-million budget that surprised him. To be honest, campaigning for the Blue Orchid Awards, thirty million is not much. He was amazed at how daring President Gu was.
His girlfriend had officially entered the industry less than a year ago, and yet he wanted to secure a "Best Supporting Actress" Blue Orchid Award for her.
This was simply unimaginable.
If President Gu lived in ancient times, he would definitely be the type to stage dramatic gestures for his love.
The head of the PR department thought that giving luxury watches, cars, and even mansions was nothing compared to giving a major award that would advance his girlfriend’s career, support her, and help her realize her self-worth. This was the highest level of romance.
The person in charge told Gu Jiahui, "I have a friend who worked PR for his company’s movie two years ago, and secured seven Blue Orchid Award nominations, including Best Supporting Actress, Best Leading Actress, Best Drama—very weighty nominations.
I have a good relationship with him and have helped him before. He owes me a favor. I’ll ask him for the details and then come back to inform you if the budget is sufficient and whether we have enough time."
Gu Jiahui nodded.
As soon as preparations began quietly within the company, word quickly spread.
Many people were red-eyed with jealousy.
President Gu is indeed a model lover.
Sheng Tang’s current agent, Ke Fei, was in Japan negotiating an advertising contract for her and hadn’t yet heard about this.
However, Sheng Tang’s former agent, Ye Yongying, heard about it first.
"President Gu is truly bewitched," Ye Yongying complained to a friend, "His girlfriend is better off being just a trophy; spending so much on PR for a nomination is absurd. He should just give her a house instead. Men are so foolish."
Her friend laughed, joining her in cursing the boss and his girlfriend.
"It definitely won’t succeed," Ye Yongying asserted, "A newbie with her first movie hoping for a Blue Orchid Award?"
"She’s probably just aiming for a nomination," her friend said, "A Blue Orchid nomination is still a significant publicity tool. Many companies prioritize getting nominations. PR can get you there as long as you’re willing to spend."
Ye Yongying snorted.
Her friend asked, "How much is your boss planning to spend on PR?"
"I heard thirty million."
Her friend gasped as well, "That’s a lot! Maybe she really will get a nomination; thirty million for PR is no small amount.
Of course, winning the award is impossible. That woman probably never thought she’d actually win. She just wants the nomination for self-aggrandizement."
Ye Yongying sneered.
She knew very well that getting the nomination equated to half of the glory, enough to boast, so she hoped Sheng Tang wouldn’t even get the nomination, letting President Gu’s thirty million go to waste.
"Our company is an artist management firm, and our PR team has never handled Blue Orchid Award campaigns before. No matter how much money is spent, it will be futile," Ye Yongying’s voice was filled with malice, "It’s an empty-handed endeavor. President Gu’s father is the real issue; his son is spending so much to chase after women, yet he doesn’t intervene?"
"I’ve heard Gu You is worth over a billion; thirty million to their family might be equivalent to thirty bucks in our pockets," her friend began to feel a bit sour as well.