[Chapter 582: Ads and More Ads]
Who says the U.S. can't manipulate public opinion? You step up, I guarantee I won't hit you.
Aren't they supposed to have weapons of mass destruction? What happened?
They dug three feet down and didn't find anything. The supposed weapons are just hanging there, and it's quite frustrating. If they really had them, how could the U.S. act so recklessly?
After being blocked off for so many years, they can't even produce Scud missiles. Why should we expect them to make any real weapons?
Nobody believes it, except the American media. They really spun some tall tales, making it sound so convincing.
"Fuck, the soldiers now are so loaded, it's all Bentleys everywhere. Look at those Humvees -- they look ridiculous."
"Wait a minute, I didn't hear anything about a large-scale equipment overhaul! The uniforms look kinda off too."
"C'mon, turns out it's Kuwait's troops. But why do they look so much like Americans?"
As for this point, William White had done all he could. Easier-to-film tasks were left to the Kuwaitis. We're here to make money, not to show off.
As for why so many Bentleys were out there, the reason is simple -- these officers drove nothing but the best, thanks to their desert oil-rich benefactors. If you're stuck eating sand in a place hot enough to melt your brain, who wouldn't want a cool, air-conditioned SUV instead of squishing into a Humvee with a bunch of soldiers?
Advertising on the battlefield isn't that surprising. While American production might be lacking, the sales game is still strong. The worst coffee in the world might just be that mermaid -- it's more like dishwater -- but the best-selling coffee companies are still American.
Who says you can't advertise on the battlefield? All those military contractors get visibly excited. Apache helicopters, Patriots, F-16s -- these weapons seem to shine bright, while orders pour in like snowflakes. It's enough to make anyone ecstatic.
That completely unreliable missile defense system dares to call itself "Aegis"? Ha, if that Aegis found out, he'd probably faint from embarrassment.
Isn't it already bad enough to offend a deity? To pretend to be a god is even worse. So much for Star Wars, if you're even lucky enough to take down terrorists with that!
The best way to destroy missiles is on the ground. Once they get airborne, it's all up to fate.
...
"William, AM General filed a complaint. Haha, they have thousands of Humvees out there, and you're ignoring them?"
"Whatever, they want advertising money; if they pay, I'll definitely pay attention. George, we tossed thirty million bucks worth of ads at NBC -- what's wrong with giving them a little showcase? Plus, all the vehicles for war correspondents are Bentleys. Those were all free."
"Dude, you can't be serious."
"Not just NBC, close to fifty million bucks in ad money -- plus those borrowed cars. Good lord, I might go bankrupt."
"Alright, I get it. Nothing more to say. It makes sense for NBC to act like that; ABC is doing the same thing. Damn, I see now it's all about advertising."
Little did Bush know, every military contractor has invested a considerable amount. In fact, AM General also chipped in; otherwise, no one would even notice their Humvees.
But when it comes to throwing cash around, they can't compete with Bentley. Your primary clients are the military, while Bentley's targeting high-end consumers -- it's a totally different ballgame.
If there was a bidding war, Bentley would definitely lose badly. They're pricey and tricky to maintain, and they're nowhere near as rugged as a Humvee. On the battlefield, it should completely belong to the Humvee.
But that's not the case right now. This isn't a tense battlefield situation. The U.S.'s tough approach leaves those guys with no chance to fight back.
What little chance they got to throw up a couple of missiles got smacked down hard. This isn't sustainable.
Nothing beats a glaring advertisement; these subtle ads don't pack the same punch, especially when the desert kings are watching TV. Looking at a row of Bentleys in their driveway gives them quite a boost of confidence, especially when running for their lives.
Speaking of advertising, the most absurd thing is the Tomahawk cruise missiles. Viewers at home are utterly confused -- when did war become this? If our opponents also figured out this tech, great, nobody would be safe anymore.
Luckily, the Soviets are out of the game. If that guy doesn't get taken out this time, we're all going to be in for tough times.
The logic is straightforward. If you have the tech, why can't others? Sure, there's a gap between Soviet and American weapons, that much is understandable. But to say the gap is huge is simply nonsense.
Wow, this missile defense system seems quite necessary.
What started as a way to dupe the Soviets with a Star Wars plan surprisingly took a significant step forward. No need to explain how excited this group of military contractors is.
Keep in mind, this stuff isn't sold solo. If you want to receive protection, too bad, money's needed from here on out.
...
"Tom, how are game sales going?"
"Sir, doing pretty well. Compaq and Dell both launched new PCs. Our 3D accelerator card has kept customers quite satisfied."
"Those guys, I should be billing them for ads. Uh, where's Big Blue and Commodore?"
Tom grimaced, shaking his head; it wasn't just those two, Apple hadn't even responded.
"Sir, they've positioned themselves as commercial computers and even refuse to install sound cards and optical drives. They think that cup holder is not worth having."
"Heh, good point. Nobody uses floppy disks these days. But don't they realize that hard drive capacities are increasing, memory sizes are growing, and software demands are bigger? Sooner or later, they'll have to adjust."
"Yeah, Windows 3.1 now requires almost twenty floppy disks. Using CDs not only speeds things up but also cuts costs. Our game is entirely floppy-free, and I believe it won't take long before many companies follow suit."
"Anyway, let's drop that. Have there been any complaints about the game?"
"Sir, just some grumbles about the ads. On the bulletin boards, folks say that armored vehicle is a bit ridiculous."
"Ha, no worries -- it's just a game. Am I supposed to get approval to change vehicles? Let them vent; the more they complain, the more popular it gets. You can bet many want to check out a game that everyone is grumbling about."
Faced with his boss's shamelessness, Tom could only bow in defeat. Seriously, people want a good reputation, while this guy only cares about exposure -- with everything else moot.
...
Advertising is, by definition, about spreading the word. The U.S. has tons of talent in this field, knowing how to catch eyes and fool consumers has become basic training.
Of course, the concept of "eyeball economy" was still new at this point. Someone like William White, who was obsessed with product placement, was an anomaly.
That doesn't mean it's nonexistent. Adding personal touches in films and TV shows has happened, but the results are often underwhelming. There's a consensus in advertising circles: whether on TV or in movies, product placement is doable, but it must align with the storyline.
This makes product placement challenging. Wine is easy to show off. You could casually say, "Give me a bottle of '82 Chateau White."
Alright, that's somewhat shameless. At least, that's how the French see it. What do you mean "'82 Chateau White"? Our casks and Lafite are way better than yours!
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