[Chapter 274: The Manipulators and the Fans]
Mira called from Los Angeles to report on the public opinion situation.
After a day of brewing, the news that Linton was vacationing on his farm with Hollywood stars Jennifer, Winona, and Catherine had become a massive sensation, rivaling even the Oscar gala in buzz.
Every entertainment newspaper tonight had this story on their front page.
There were all kinds of analyses and opinions.
The most ridiculous theory was that Linton was about to have a secret polygamous wedding with the three actresses, described with uncanny detail that made people laugh.
Of course, the mainstream view was that Linton and Jennifer, Winona, and Catherine were just close friends. He invited them to his farm for a vacation. However, the reports inevitably mentioned that he might be dating one of them or using the trip to find a real girlfriend.
Others hyped up an abnormal romantic relationship between the four, criticizing Linton as a shameless playboy and the actresses for lacking self-respect.
Not bad, it seemed the PR strategy was quite effective.
"Do you know who's behind the scenes trying to sabotage us?" Linton asked.
"So far, we found CAA mainly targeting you. Julia Roberts, Meg Ryan, Salma Hayek, Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, and some lesser-known actresses are targeting Jennifer, Winona, and Catherine."
"Make a note of all of them. Any future movies our company invests in, blacklist them."
"Got it."
"How about the fans? Any changes?" After the situation report, Linton shifted to the topic of fans.
"It's a bit strange. Your fans' attitude is quite different from the other three actresses' fans. I can't quite figure it out."
"Tell me, be specific."
"Today, Bella organized the leaders of over 60 of your fan clubs nationwide to conduct a survey. They found your fan loyalty has actually become stronger, specifically:
Male fans are proud of you, saying you're a role model. They want to learn from you and hope to date more beautiful women in the future.
Female fans envy Jennifer, Winona, and Catherine and wish they could replace them.
Even more surprisingly, your fan clubs have grown considerably today."
"No way, are you sure?" Linton was baffled. This completely defied his understanding. How could a moral and media crisis turn into a source of pride among fans? Was there anything more surreal?
"Absolutely. At first, I couldn't believe it either, but it's true."
"Have there been any fans lost or gained as haters?"
"No reports of that, if any, it's very minor and negligible."
"What about Jennifer, Winona, and Catherine's fans?"
"Since they didn't have structured fan clubs like yours, surveying them was harder, and the results less reliable. But from preliminary results, their fans fall into three groups."
"Go on."
"The first and largest group, about 80%, believe the four of you have purely platonic friendships.
The second group, around ten-something percent, like to see their idols linked romantically with you and want the other two women out.
The last small group, about 5%, believe the relationship is abnormal, a forbidden foursome, cannot accept their idols being involved, and have abandoned their fandom, some even turning into haters."
"Are the fan situations for all three similar?"
"Yes, roughly the same."
"Looks serious, losing 5% of fans in just a day."
"Yes. I don't quite understand why their fans differ so much from yours."
"It's simple: their fans lack management and guidance, no organized activities, so less cohesion. In a media crisis, splits happen. Seems like it's time to help them form their fan clubs individually.
Alright, I'll discuss the fan situation with the three of them. Meanwhile, please keep a close eye on the media here."
"Understood."
"What about our brand endorsements? Any reactions?"
"Among all your brand sponsors, Armani and Pepsi publicly voiced support. Other sponsors are silent, likely watching. But Jennifer, Winona, and Catherine's sponsors have contacted their agents, expressing concern about the storm and urging quick resolution."
"That's good. Not a big problem. Note all brand sponsors' attitudes for future cooperation."
"Will do."
...
"Sweethearts, you heard the call just now, right?"
"Yes, dear, you're amazing! How did you do it? Teach us!" Jennifer clung to Linton's arm, purring.
"Yeah, teach us," Winona and Catherine chimed eagerly.
"Did you know I formed fan clubs a long time ago?"
"I vaguely heard but never cared much. Do these clubs really help? I haven't heard anyone else in Hollywood having them except you."
"They help a lot. Done right, they expand your fan base, increase your fame, and strengthen fan loyalty. Even in crises, fans won't easily abandon you."
"Sounds great! I want to start one too! How? Teach us."
"After we leave here, I'll have Bella, our fan club leader, give you a class. Then, recruit someone skilled in media to build and manage your clubs. Once you find the right person, Bella can train them specially -- maybe even have them intern with her for a while."
With Linton's fan club growing, Bella was no longer alone and managed a small team of four, with a dedicated office at the film company.
Fan club business was booming, with many merchandising ventures.
Though Linton insisted on not overcharging fans -- merch prices remained low with tiny profits -- the large fan base and strong purchasing power still brought in significant revenue; last year's profit exceeded $3 million.
However, Linton didn't care for the profits, giving all proceeds back to fans through events. Local fan clubs thrived with ample funding, creating a positive cycle that strengthened fan cohesion.
"Why hire separate staff and not give this to agents?"
"Better not. Agents might not always have your best interest. Stars change agents or agencies often, but fan clubs follow you forever."
"I get it. Even if later we have disputes with agents, fan clubs will keep running smoothly."
"Exactly."
"Honey, you're so knowledgeable!" Jennifer hugged Linton's arm admiringly; Winona and Catherine looked at him with the same respect.
"Alright, serious talk's done, let's go upstairs and play some games."
"Let's go! Upstairs for games!"
...
This time, Linton felt his and the three actresses' popularity rising significantly, and his Starlight Spark cultivation progressed rapidly.
As Mira said, the four had indeed become the hottest topic for discussion.
*****
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