Black Label [EN]: Chapter 279

Black Label Extra Story 30

The plan was set.

“I like it….”

The strategy of solidifying the brand’s image with a documentary had clear advantages and disadvantages.

The advantage was being able to explain the brand’s identity before the launch.

It allowed them to instill familiarity with the brand’s name in the public and strongly imprint the image they wanted to project.

However, the disadvantage was….

There was a possibility that it could be conveyed differently than intended, so more effort than expected had to be put into production and editing.

“First….”

It was time to dive in.

* * *

As soon as he conceived the idea of capturing the entire launching process of “Cardo” in a documentary, Jaeseung immediately summoned the entire marketing team.

“What do you all think?”

At Jaeseung’s question, the marketing team employees, as if on cue, kept their mouths shut and began to contemplate with serious faces….

“It sounds like a good idea, but….”

A team leader-level employee pointed out the problem.

“Are you planning to proceed with documentary filming through collaboration with a major broadcasting station?”

“Nothing has been decided yet.”

“Then, I think it would be better to proceed with documentary filming independently.”

He continued.

“If the copyright of the documentary belongs to the broadcasting station, it may be difficult to edit it in a favorable direction….”

He trailed off vaguely and continued, tapping the table with his finger.

“I’m concerned that if we’re not careful, the image of ‘Cardo’ may be tarnished even before it’s launched.”

Jaeseung nodded at those words.

‘Indeed….’

It was quite a reasonable point.

‘Since the launching process is highly likely to have its challenges, if they exaggerate these and other problems and edit them poorly, the image could be damaged even before the launch.’

The solution was clear.

“It would be simpler to form our own filming team to proceed with documentary filming and then approach a broadcasting station to air the completed product.”

Of course, there was also a way to insert several favorable clauses in the process of writing a contract with the broadcasting station for documentary filming, but….

‘It’ll only get complicated.’

The possibility that the process would not be smooth was much higher.

If we demanded one clause, the other party would demand one as well….

It was clear that we would have to waste strength and time on a meaningless tug-of-war.

‘In that case….’

Even if it meant increasing spending a little more, it would be much more efficient to scout already experienced filming personnel and produce the documentary ourselves.

“Okay, let’s proceed that way.”

The basic plan was set….

“Then, now all that’s left is to unleash our collective intelligence and select those who will film a documentary that will go down in history.”

At Jaeseung’s words, which he delivered casually, the marketing team employees who had been suddenly summoned all stared at Jaeseung with puzzled faces….

“Please distribute these.”

Jaeseung’s personal secretary, who was standing at the front of the conference room with a thick stack of documents, handed out A4 sheets to each of the employees.

“This is….”

It was none other than a ‘review form.’

It was a document made to score various items.

It was possible to score several items, including artistry, aesthetics, and box office potential….

“From now on, after watching the documentaries, please select the company that produced the highest quality video.”

At those words, the marketing team employees were surprised and asked back.

“Us?”

Jaeseung shook his head….

Thud-.

He sat down in the seat of honor and added.

“We will.”

Jaeseung was also going to watch with them.

* * *

The documentary viewing continued until late at night.

“Ugh, this is boring….”

One of the female employees collapsed on the conference room table….

The team leader, who had a full beard on his face, replied.

“Amazon, the Arctic, Somalia….”

He shuddered as if he was disgusted just thinking about it, and muttered again.

“I never thought I’d be able to travel the world from my seat thanks to documentaries….”

It was then.

“Could you please concentrate?”

At Jaeseung’s words, who was sitting in the seat of honor and watching with them, the employees straightened their posture all at once, as if they had made a promise….

“He’s amazing….”

The employees began to talk about Jaeseung in low voices.

“It seems like he’s been watching for at least twelve hours straight, but his posture hasn’t faltered even once….”

“I guess you have to have that much patience to enjoy that much success….”

Then, when the ‘astrophysics’ documentary that was being shown ended, the employees filled out the items on the review form they had received earlier.

“The aesthetics were good, but it feels like it would have been a complete failure at the box office.”

“Overall, the visuals were okay, but the composition was definitely a bit rough….”

That’s how some employees were exchanging opinions with each other.

“Huh?”

Jaeseung narrowed his brows.

“The next documentary will be quite fun to watch.”

On the bright light emanating from the beam projector, ‘Next Documentary’ was about to be broadcast.

The next documentary was….

It was a documentary about the fashion show competition that Parsons School [a prestigious art and design school in New York City] and FIT [Fashion Institute of Technology, another renowned design school in New York City] in the United States hold every year.

“Oh no….”

In short, it was a documentary that contained Jaeseung’s undergraduate days, before he entered the mainstream market of the world fashion industry.

“It’s a dark history….”

Unlike Jaeseung, who was restless with anxiety, the employees just seemed happy.

And so, with everyone’s anticipation, the documentary about Jaeseung’s college days was immediately played.

“Wow, you look young now, but you look really young back then….”

The process of Jaeseung preparing for the show as a representative student from Parsons School was broadcast.

“You look strong-willed even back then?”

Soon after, a scene began to appear in which he had a disagreement with Marc Jacobs, a renowned designer who already had a global presence.

“How many college students can express their opinions so strongly against Marc Jacobs?”

“Looking at it, you were extraordinary from your days at Parsons. I can’t believe you told him to leave just because your opinions differed a little….”

A scene in which the conflict escalated as Marc Jacobs expressed his opposition to Jaeseung’s opinion to present haute couture [high fashion].

At the time, Jaeseung….

Surprisingly, he told Marc Jacobs, who was already a world-renowned designer and a senior in the department, to leave.

“Get out of my show.”

“What?”

“Shall I say it again-?”

The employees then asked Jaeseung.

“If there were so many problems from the preparation process, it seems highly likely that the show would have been a complete failure?”

“Is that so?”

“Could you tell us which school, Parsons School or FIT, won at the time?”

Jaeseung then asked again.

“Which one do you think won?”

At those words, the employees whispered.

“Well, the two schools are practically neck and neck every year….”

“If Parsons wins one year, FIT wins the next, right?”

Jaeseung nodded and continued.

“You’ll see the results if you watch.”

At those words, the employees nodded as if they were disappointed and looked back at the screen.

“Lee is preparing something amazing.”

Marc Jacobs’ attitude, which was quite different, began to be broadcast.

‘Wow, this brings back memories….’

Looking back, it felt like it was just a few days ago, but the fact that it was already several years ago didn’t feel real at all.

Like that….

The documentary was heading towards its climax, and the shows of the Parsons School students and the FIT student representatives began.

“Wow, even though it’s the work of current designers, it’s so high quality that it’s hard to believe it’s a student show….”

As the show was more high-quality than expected, the employees who were watching the documentary all expressed their admiration.

Indeed….

In the first place, the competition between the two schools was a large-scale event that could be seen as a gateway for students about to graduate.

‘In fact, students who stood out in the competition received investment from companies and launched their own brands in a fairly generous environment….’

Or, they often got the opportunity to be recruited as guest designers in charge of a season for famous brands.

How long has it been?

The ‘Haute Couture Show’ prepared by Jaeseung began….

“Wow, it’s Lee’s turn.”

All the employees held their breath and watched the show that Jaeseung had presented at the time with great concentration.

In fact, most of the employees had already watched the documentary, which had recorded quite high viewership at the time.

Nevertheless, everyone was engrossed in watching the show that Jaeseung presented at the time….

“He was just on a different level from then on.”

One employee commented….

“I know, it’s not a student level.”

“He didn’t even have help from established players, did he?”

“He was scouted by Diom after that, right?”

“Even if I were Diom, I would call him.”

With everyone’s praise, the documentary about the ‘competition’ between Parsons School and FIT students came to an end.

“I think the team that produced this documentary would be perfect.”

“Since they have a history of producing documentaries on fashion….”

“Even the composition was good and the visuals were excellent.”

“It was great even if you didn’t take into account that it was a work from several years ago.”

“They also released a Diom documentary as a sequel, right?”

It seemed as if the production company for the documentary that would capture the overall launching process of the new brand Cardo had been decided.

“Yes, definitely….”

Jaeseung also fully agreed with the employees’ words.

It was the highest quality of all the documentaries he had watched all day….

“I think it would be much more stable to proceed with collaboration with those who have worked together once.”

Anyway….

“I think it would be good to contact those who had a relationship in the past again.”

* * *

Tommy, the CEO of the documentary production company ‘Power Film,’ yawned and opened his inbox.

“Let’s see….”

He had originally worked as a reporter for a broadcasting station, and he had solidified his position by creating several hit works.

As a result.

In just a few years, he left the company with all of his team members and founded a professional video production company.

However, the reality was harsh.

“I didn’t know there would be so little work….”

When he couldn’t use the broadcasting station’s infrastructure, the work dried up.

He had solidified his reputation in the fashion documentary field before….

These days, he was struggling with worrying about his employees’ monthly salaries.

“Those were the good old days….”

It was then.

“Huh?”

He widened his eyes as he checked the newly arrived email.

It was an email from a large brand, Wallflower.

No….

To be exact, it was an email from Lee, the designer who had brought him success.

He was the talk of the town, having risen to become the new emperor of the fashion world.

“What’s Lee doing….”

As soon as he opened the email and checked the contents, he suddenly shouted out loud.

“It’s done!”

As he suddenly shouted, the employees looked at him….

“I said it’s done!”

He shouted again and continued.

“Get ready to go to France right away!”

Finally, a big job came in.