[202] A Step Forward: The Big 4
“Hurray! World Big 4”
The advertisement predicting a spot in the semifinals and the promise of 1,000 cars as gifts, with the new car model clearly revealed.
Once the ad aired, half the talk was about reaching the semifinals, and the other half was about the new car.
When it was revealed to be a 900cc compact car, many were disappointed, but the general public was thrilled by the affordable price within their reach.
On the evening of the 22nd, the entire nation of South Korea was abuzz with the unbelievable news of the national team’s advancement to the semifinals.
Being a Saturday night, young people, forgetting the night, roamed the streets celebrating the victory until dawn.
At that time.
Everyone gathered to discuss the strategy for the semifinals, which would take place in three days.
President Cho Dae-ho, along with the PR team, marketing team, and strategy executives, were all excited, brainstorming to come up with the best plan.
If a miracle happened and they reached the finals, they debated what kind of event would capture everyone’s attention.
This is the power of momentum.
With the winning streak continuing, some even forgot that the semifinal opponent was the traditional powerhouse, Germany, and were confident of victory.
After all, defeating Spain, Italy, and Portugal was already a miracle. When three miracles happen in a row, isn’t it human nature to expect a fourth?
“What do you think, Do-jun? Should we go big?”
President Cho asked for my opinion, maintaining his composure. There was no doubt that the tremendous success so far was largely due to me.
“Let’s stop here.”
“What?”
“We’ve already achieved hundreds of times the return on investment from this World Cup. Anything more would be neither fun nor moving. The focus is now on whether we win the semifinals and, if we do, who we’ll face in the finals. Even if we make another prophetic ad, the risk is too high.”
“Risk?”
A dozen puzzled eyes turned to me.
“You’re all talking as if winning is a given, right? Probably every South Korean thinks so. If our ad predicts victory, it won’t have much impact. But we can’t predict a loss, can we? If we lose in the semifinals, the responsibility falls not on the team but on us, HW Motors.”
We’ve never predicted a loss before.
The only regret was a draw in the group stage, but since we advanced to the knockout stage, we avoided criticism.
“Let me remind you, we’re not prophets. If we predict a loss and it comes true, is that a good marketing strategy? It’s a bad omen, isn’t it? Think carefully.”
Everyone fell silent.
It seemed they all realized that now was the time to be most cautious. We must never forget that while the entire nation is intoxicated with the joy of victory, we are here to do business with those very people.
“So, you think we won’t make it to the finals?”
Oh Se-hyun, who always took me lightly, asked with a smile, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere.
“Getting this far is already a miracle. If we beat Germany, it would be a miracle, so there’s no need for talk of rewriting history. I’m betting on a loss.”
“Then we should plan assuming a loss.”
President Cho Dae-ho spoke cautiously.
“To attract attention, perhaps doing nothing is the best strategy?”
The meeting room fell silent again.
The PR and marketing teams seemed to think it wise to speak only after careful consideration.
“Perhaps it’s a good strategy to pique curiosity and get people talking.”
“When something familiar disappears, curiosity peaks. If our ad, which appeared in every match, is absent, that alone will be a topic of discussion. People will wonder about the outcome of the semifinals.”
Many more opinions followed.
It was time for experts like them to take over. I gave my final opinion and stood up.
“Regardless of the semifinal result, we have two matches left: the final if we win, or the third-place match if we lose. We’ve completed the application to use Seoul City Hall Plaza on the 29th.”
“Wait, isn’t that the day of the third-place match? You really think we’ll lose!”
Oh Se-hyun checked the match schedule and exclaimed.
“The final is against Japan anyway. If we make it to the finals, I thought of it as a pre-celebration.”
I feigned ignorance.
“It doesn’t matter about the ranking anymore. The team that got this far will receive praise and support, won’t they?”
“Well, the two most popular stars are already under contract with us. Haha.”
President Cho Dae-ho, who had secured advertising contracts with Coach Hiddink and player Park Ji-sung early on, laughed heartily.
“Let’s express our gratitude to the rest of the staff, excluding the players. It might seem lacking to gift them the new car, since it’s a compact. How about gifting them HW’s mid-sized sedan instead?”
“The staff…?”
“The coaching staff, technical coordinators, physiotherapists, fitness trainers, video analysts, equipment managers, interpreters, media officers, and so on. There are quite a few. They worked quietly behind the scenes. How about we express our gratitude when no one else is paying attention?”
“That’s a good idea. It’s thoughtful and heartwarming, isn’t it?”
“That’s all from me. Now, I leave it to the experts in the respective departments to handle it well.”
On the morning of the 25th, when our ad was nowhere to be seen, there was much speculation, but the most common sentiment was that it felt like a newspaper missing the daily horoscope.
And that evening, the semifinal match ended with Germany’s victory.
Comments suggesting they had suspected as much when HW Motors’ ad was absent were not uncommon, but the majority of opinions were filled with praise and gratitude for the national team that created the semifinal miracle.
Watching how our staff handled it, I could see the results the very next day, on the 26th.
“To the national team that wrote the World Cup semifinal miracle, we express our gratitude. From Coach Guus Hiddink to the chef who took care of the team’s meals, HW Motors has prepared a small gift.”
Below the ad copy was a large photo of a mid-sized sedan.
And whoever came up with the idea, that evening’s news began with a procession of over a hundred cars.
The destination of this car procession was the Paju NFC.
Although the coach and players didn’t appear on the news, the coaching staff and even the security guard at Paju NFC showed up to receive car keys, a scene that lasted several minutes.
Thankfully, a few of the cafeteria ladies at the Paju center even shed tears, and the news cameraman didn’t miss capturing this moment.
This was a successful pre-marketing campaign.
It showcased the concept car to Korea and abroad at a much lower cost than exhibiting it at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
I’ve heard that interest from overseas dealers has exploded, with requests to advance the official launch date pouring in.
Now, if the event showcasing the “Isquillo” at Seoul Plaza on the evening of the third-place match is successful, the month-long promotion will be complete.
It would be great if we could win against Turkey, but it’s a shame.
On Saturday, the 29th, starting at 8 PM, people began gathering to watch the match at Daegu Stadium on a giant screen.
The first thing people noticed when they got off at City Hall Station was the dozen small coupes, the “Isquillo,” surrounding City Hall Plaza.
“Feel free to take a look. Check out the interior and sit in the seats.”
A dozen helpers guided the onlookers or handed out pamphlets.
Our very own motor show was underway.
With performances by popular singers, the excitement at City Hall Plaza grew more intense. Before the match began, the crowd was so massive that it was difficult to remove the display cars.
With the help of the police managing the City Hall Plaza, the HW Motors PR and marketing team staff finally managed to withdraw the cars and headed home for the first time in a long while, relieved.
Feeling proud that the month-long promotion alongside the World Cup had ended successfully.
The 2002 World Cup, which ended with Brazil’s victory, was an international event that left a lasting impact.
A politician who was a FIFA committee member rapidly rose to the level of a presidential candidate, and in Korea, a rock band that was previously considered fringe became a national sensation.
The foreign soccer coach became a national hero, with jokes circulating that he could win the presidency if he ran for office immediately, and several young players who were virtually unknown before the World Cup became stars receiving offers from overseas clubs.
For every person whose value increased, there was someone whose value plummeted.
“Sponsorship costs alone were 100 million dollars, and domestic event costs were 40 billion won, is that right?”
Chairman Joo Tae-sik of Daehyun Motors filled the meeting room with his voice, which was hard to distinguish as a question or a rebuke.
“What? Why isn’t anyone answering?”
“Y-yes, that’s correct.”
“But? We spent all that money, and yet why is HW, a gathering of nobodies like Ajin and Sunyang, getting all the attention? Did they pour in billions or trillions?”
“Well, it’s because of the advertising…”
“Advertising? What advertising?”
He wasn’t repeating himself out of ignorance. Everyone knew about HW Motors’ ads that predicted match results like a possessed fortune teller.
“Oh, the ad that even Nostradamus would envy?”
When the executives remained silent like mute fish, Chairman Joo Tae-sik answered his own question.
“Even though I didn’t study much and just fooled around, I can tell that ad was the result of some serious brainwork, not prophecy. Didn’t you see Cho Dae-ho’s interview?”
“Chairman, it sounded plausible, but without a real fortune teller, you can’t make ads like that. It’s the World Cup, isn’t it? Predicting the match results every morning, how can you beat that?”
Thanks to the guy who dared to talk back to Chairman Joo Tae-sik, the executives felt a sense of relief. He wasn’t wrong, and it was what everyone wanted to say.
And the reason that guy could act so cheekily was that he was Chairman Joo Tae-sik’s most cherished eldest son.
“So? Should we bring in a fortune teller too? Should we head to Mia-ri?”
“No, not Mia-ri. We should head to HW Motors.”
“What?”
“The guy who came up with this ad campaign, we need to bring him in. The one who crafted that slogan that perfectly balanced prophecy and the public’s sentiment, just like the chairman wanted. We have to get him.”
Joo Tae-sik’s eldest son wore a smug expression, as if he was convinced it was a brilliant idea.
“Alright. So, you think you can bring in the guy who created that ad?”
“Leave it to me. And make sure I have a generous budget. I’ll shove money down his throat if that’s what it takes to get him here.”
As his son spoke with a confidence that suggested he might pound his chest at any moment, a peculiar smile played on Chairman Joo Tae-sik’s lips.
The executives sensed something was off. They knew from experience that behind that smile lay a man who would throw anything within reach.
But contrary to their expectations, nothing was thrown. Was he going easy on his son?
“Money down his throat? Do you really think that will work? He won’t be easy to sway.”
“What?”
“He’s said to be the richest person under thirty in the country. His known personal wealth exceeds a hundred billion won, and he’s set to inherit several of the nation’s top financial firms. How much money do you think you’d need to shove down his throat to bring him in? A trillion won? Two trillion?”
“Wait, you mean that guy…?”
Joo’s eldest son was so taken aback that his mouth hung open in shock.