"So that's how it is!" Laila felt like she had learned quite a bit.
Currently, the films she was making were "remakes" of some future films, and she didn't need to design the appearance or anything herself. However, she couldn't always rely on recreating others' works. One day, she would conquer the world with movies of her creation. When that time came, the teachings from Lucas would prove invaluable!
For the next while, the two of them had a very enjoyable conversation. One listened attentively while the other taught earnestly. In the eyes of others, it was a harmonious scene.
It wasn't until the formal start of the banquet that Laila reluctantly said goodbye to him for the moment and walked to the center of the banquet hall, standing with her mother and grandfather.
After the banquet officially began, some executives from American Express came out to chat with the guests. Following that, a few guests were invited to give speeches. Finally, after all the formalities, they revealed the theme of this gathering - the Centurion Black Gold Card!
Only now did Laila seriously listen to the speakers on the stage.
As mentioned before, the Centurion Black Gold Card was the king of limitless credit cards. In other words, you could swipe this card for several hundred million dollars, and it wouldn't reach its limit. Of course, American Express wasn't naive. Once the spending crossed a certain threshold, they would verify with the cardholder to prevent unauthorized usage or potential losses.
In high society, the Centurion Black Gold Card was a symbol of status. If you didn't have a fortune of at least several hundred million, no one would bother with you. And it wasn't just about having money; various factors were taken into consideration. Only when they were convinced you were truly qualified would they issue you the card.
In this gathering, the top executives of American Express were promoting this card that was going to be launched next year to the elite guests in attendance. All those invited were verified high-quality customers; there wouldn't be any cases of unpaid card fees. Hence, they had gone to great lengths to gather these prominent figures.
"Not bad," Oswald muttered to himself.
Janet didn't hear it, but Laila heard clearly. She looked at her grandfather and noticed that his expression wasn't one of approval towards the card being described as "not bad." Instead, it was...
"Grandfather, do you think the marketing strategy for this card is good?"
"Oh? You figured it out?" Oswald lowered his voice, testing her intentionally, "Then tell me, how do you see it?"
Laila knew the trends of the future, so she naturally held this card in high regard. "The card's concept is great, and most importantly, it has attracted many top-tier clients." People like those in attendance wouldn't be appeased by just spending a few thousand dollars.
Just think, you spend several hundred million to purchase equipment, and then you pull out your card and pay. How clean and efficient is that? Of course, this is just an example; buying equipment for several hundred million wouldn't be so simple.
"You're right, but you haven't seen the most important part." Oswald's expression became enigmatic and profound. "Let me ask you if everyone around you, of similar or even higher status, is using this card and everyone believes that only the most prestigious people can have it, would you apply for this card?"
Laila didn't need to think to know the answer. She responded resolutely, "Yes."
She might not care about these things, but often, her status left her with no choice. As the sole heir of the Moran family, a prominent Hollywood director, yet she didn't even have a Centurion Black Gold Card that represented status. Did it mean her power wasn't as high as it seemed? That she couldn't even obtain this card?
If something like that happened, it wouldn't be her being questioned, but everything she represented behind her.
It wasn't just Laila; everyone else who qualified would face the same situation. Having the card meant having status; not having it meant being considered inferior. Who wouldn't want to possess such a card?
Oswald continued, "When everyone who can get the card has it, American Express will have the most powerful customer base. No matter who conceived this plan, it's an undeniable testament to their strategic ability."
At this point, he even complimented himself, leaving Laila speechless. Nevertheless, she understood what he meant. American Express was poised for a bright future.
She understood this well; even in her original era, American Express remained the world's largest service company, and the Centurion Black Gold Card was still a symbol of status. Understanding this much, the future development of American Express was self-evident.
The role of the new card was not as simple as just limitless credit. It came with various privileges and countless benefits that even some of the attendees were intrigued by.
After the introduction, some attendees immediately expressed their interest.
Following this, some invited singers took the stage one after another, infusing the banquet with a livelier atmosphere.
Laila wanted to have another chat with Director Lucas, but after circling around, she didn't see him anywhere. She decided to take a detour to the restroom. Unexpectedly, as she was leaving the restroom, she suddenly heard her name being mentioned in a conversation not far away.
Surely, anyone hearing others discuss them would be curious about what was being said. Laila was no exception. It wasn't just her name that caught her attention; it was the distinctive exotic flavor in the voice that mentioned her name. Once heard, it was unforgettable.
Taking advantage of the shadows cast by trees and shrubs, she quietly approached the source of the voices. What made her chuckle was that there was already a familiar figure standing there, just as intently eavesdropping.
Perhaps her footsteps weren't light enough, for Roy turned around and saw her coming towards him.
"Shh!" He was the first to make a hushing gesture.
"What are you doing here?" Laila also lowered her voice.
Roy didn't say anything, just pointed upward.
Above him was a terrace protruding from the second floor. And the voices of the conversation were coming from there.
"Are you kidding me? At 18, with no education, you used a few thousand to make several hundred million dollars from a movie? Do you think you're writing a novel? Movies can't depict such exaggerated plots, okay?"
"Miss Faiza, this is indeed a fact. If you don't believe it, you can log on to any relevant website, and you'll find the corresponding information."
Laila raised an eyebrow. As she suspected, it was Miss Faiza and the butler of Prince Al Nadeem. The two of them were praising her; shouldn't she be more modest and reserved?