Chapter 15: Flag
"no problem!"
Song Yang readily agreed to Jim Clark's requirements, including making Netscape the center of the plan, that is, the focus of publicity, and that the first advertiser must be a top-tier company.
Song Yang doesn't need "fame". He can give Netscape the title of the first company to introduce digital advertising, and give Wired magazine the credit for proposing this idea. As long as DoubleClick Advertising Company can take advantage of Netscape's momentum, it will have hope of survival.
"Director Jim, I hope we have a chance to meet again!"
Seeing that the deal had been made and more and more people came into the office to see Jim and Anderson, Song Yang got up and left.
After Song Yang left, Anderson asked his partner and life mentor Jim, "Do you really think highly of this guy? Do you believe what he said? Will the free browser plus advertising revenue replace the paid browser?!"
"The concept of Internet digital advertising may be of some use to Netscape's IPO, but it will not affect Netscape!"
Jim laughed and said, then turned around and called an assistant over, "Go and find out about this DoubleClick Advertising Company and Bruno Song's background!"
Jim Clark did have some interest in Song Yang, but for now it was just some interest. Mark Anderson was the one that Jim had high hopes for.
When Song Yang left Netscape, he looked back at Netscape. Song Yang didn't know if he would have the chance to come to Netscape next time, when he would come, and what Netscape's attitude towards him would be by that time.
However, with the endorsement of Netscape and the resources of Wired magazine, Song Yang finally had some confidence when he started to cheat, no, he was looking for partners.
Under the banner of Netscape and Wired magazine, Song Yang met a number of Internet companies in Silicon Valley. In fact, there were not that many of them. There were only dozens of famous websites in the entire Silicon Valley.
The meeting with Yahoo was the most successful part of Song Yang's trip. Although he did not meet the two Yahoo bosses who were flying all over America looking for investment, he had a very pleasant conversation with Brady, the first employee of Yahoo and the person in charge of Yahoo products. At least the treatment was much better than that at Netscape.
Yahoo is now looking for funding. This year, it cooperated with Netscape and became Netscape's online search provider, which made Yahoo famous. A large number of giants are eyeing Yahoo and want to swallow it up. Reuters, AOL, Microsoft and others are all interested in swallowing Yahoo. At this time, they all think that Yahoo may be the second Netscape...
Yang Zhiyuan and Filo, who were busy looking for funds to deal with the giants, were not at Yahoo headquarters, but Brady welcomed Song Yang's arrival. Yahoo is now undergoing transformation and has gradually begun to reposition itself as an Internet media, or a portal website.
But Yahoo still doesn't have a stable income. It is not as powerful as Netscape that can make money directly by charging fees. It has been losing money since its establishment. This is why Yahoo is in a hurry to find investors.
The arrival of Song Yang and DoubleClick Advertising Company naturally made Brady very happy. Regardless of whether it was true or false, Brady signed a cooperation agreement with DoubleClick Advertising Company on behalf of Yahoo.
Song Yang and Brady were discussing the agreement in Yahoo's small office. Yahoo's office was not much better than the shabby garage of DoubleClick Advertising Company.
The pizza boxes were piled up into a small mountain, the dirty clothes were thrown in the corner, and the heat from the server made the office feel like a steamer. The whole office was dark, and it took Brady a long time to find the chair under Song Yang's butt.
However, this environment did not affect Song Yang and Brady. Brady looked at the formulated cooperation agreement and said to Song Yang.
"That means that by next year, DoubleClick Advertising will provide Yahoo with more than 500,000 US dollars in advertising revenue, and will provide no less than 2 million dollars in advertising revenue every year for the next three years ?!"
Looking at it now, this agreement is indeed full of sincerity, even a little intimidating. After all, Yahoo has no stable income at all now, and the agreement offered by DoubleClick Advertising Company is already quite generous.
"Of course, if no agreement can be reached, Yahoo can unilaterally tear up the agreement, and soon Yahoo will usher in a new round of advertising from DoubleClick!" Song Yang said seriously, as if he was not trying to cheat Yahoo at all.
This strategic agreement means that DoubleClick has become Yahoo's general agent for Internet advertisers. Of course, Yahoo can also seek cooperation with other advertising agencies, but as long as DoubleClick meets the above requirements, it will have the priority right to place advertisements on Yahoo.
Moreover, if all the requirements of the agreement are met within three years, DoubleClick Advertising will have the priority right to renew its contract with Yahoo.
Of course, whether it is a scam or not will only be known in the future. Who could have imagined that Yahoo would be able to go public within two or three years of its establishment and even surpass Netscape? At this time, Brady, who was sitting opposite Song Yang, probably wouldn't dare to think so even in his dreams.
Therefore, signing this cooperation agreement at this time is not a bad thing for Yahoo. After releasing the news, it may be possible to take the opportunity to increase Yahoo's valuation.
When Song Yang left Silicon Valley and arrived at the New York Telephone and Telegraph headquarters, Yang Zhiyuan and Filo finally rushed back to Silicon Valley exhausted.
"How did the talks go?" Brady and Yang Zhiyuan are old classmates, and Brady is Yahoo's number one employee. Yahoo's current fundraising plan was formulated by Brady, so he and Yang Zhiyuan naturally have a close relationship.
Yang Zhiyuan, who was less than 27 years old at the time, was much younger than the faces he would appear in the media in later generations. He ate pizza with big mouthfuls and said, "We have talked to WorldCom, AOL, and Microsoft, but the offers were not ideal, and they wanted to acquire Yahoo directly!"
"But we have met Moritz from Sequoia Capital, and he will conduct an investigation on Yahoo on behalf of Sequoia!"
Yahoo is different from Netscape. Regardless of whether Netscape loses money or not, at least it can still make money by charging for its browser. But Yahoo is free. Even if it has the idea of introducing advertisements, how much profit it can make is still a question. This is the biggest concern of those investors about Yahoo.
"By the way, on behalf of Yahoo, I signed an agreement with DoubleClick Advertising Company. Its founder, like you, Yang, is of Chinese descent!" Brady handed the agreement to Yang Zhiyuan.
Yang Zhiyuan listened to Brady's words, especially when he heard about Song Yang's age, with a strange look on his face. He had never heard of Song Yang and the Double Click Advertising Company. If it was really famous, he would have heard of it a long time ago. The Internet circle is so small now.
"Is there a problem with this agreement?" Brady asked immediately when he saw Yang Zhiyuan's expression.
Yang Zhiyuan shook his head and put the agreement aside. "I don't see any problem, but don't you think the terms are a bit too good? If that Double Click Advertising Company is really that powerful, why have we never heard of it?"
Brady was stunned, feeling vaguely as if he had been fooled. He also felt that he seemed to be too impatient.
"Don't worry about it. The most important thing now is the meeting with Sequoia Moritz. As for DoubleClick Advertising Company, isn't it going to merge with Netscape? We will know in a few days!" Yang Zhiyuan did not feel how much influence DoubleClick Advertising Company would have on Yahoo, and did not take it too seriously.
In New York, Song Yang met a senior manager of AT&T under the banner of Netscape and Wired magazine. However, the senior manager was not particularly welcoming to Song Yang. To put it bluntly, the Internet is still just a niche thing and has not affected mainstream society.
"Digital online... advertising?!" Bartley, the senior sales manager of AT&T, was somewhat interested but also somewhat confused after hearing what Song Yang said, "Put the advertisement on the computer?"
"Double Click Advertising Company has the most advanced advertising delivery and management system in the world. As long as it uses the DART system, it can automatically deliver advertisements to web pages, and users can see them when they open the web pages on their computers. Unlike advertisements on TV and newspapers, online digital advertisements can see the click rate of users on the advertisements!" Song Yang touted the advantages of digital advertising to Bartley.
Bartley showed an interested look, but finally shook his head and said helplessly, "I really want to try, but you have to know that the advertising funds for the second half of this year of the Telephone and Telegraph Company have all been signed!"
"Manager Bartley, this is the world's first digital Internet advertisement. It will be remembered by the world. Do you want AT&T to miss it?"
Seeing that Bartley seemed to be moved, Song Yang continued to add fuel to the fire, "AT&T will be the first digital advertisement. It will let everyone know that AT&T is the best telecommunications company in the world. Through AT&T, we can get in touch with the future!"
Bartley really fell into deep thought this time, tapping his fingers unconsciously on the table, and finally raised his head, "The advertising expenses for Telephone and Telegraph have indeed been paid in full."
"However," just when Song Yang felt that there was no hope this time, he heard Bartley's words again, "I am willing to pay a sum of advertising fees to Double Click Advertising Company, but the amount will not be too large, 30,000 US dollars for advertising!"
Even if he loses the US$30,000 advertising fee, it will not have any impact on Bartley.
"I think the president of AT&T will definitely see the vision of Manager Bartley. Manager Bartley must be the most visionary person in AT&T!" Song Yang flattered Bartley a little. In the future, AT&T might become the largest client of DoubleClick Advertising Company. Song Yang needed the support of this big dog customer.
Bartley couldn't help but smile and said, "I hope to see the advertisements that AT&T will place on DoubleClick as soon as possible. Of course, I also hope to sign an advertising contract with DoubleClick!"
After receiving US$30,000 in advertising fees from Bartley, Song Yang visited a number of large companies in succession, including IBM, Compaq, Intel, Volvo, etc. Some welcomed him, but most of them ignored him. Those who were willing to cooperate were mostly like the Telephone and Telegraph Company, who invested some money to test the waters.
When Song Yang finished dealing with all these and returned to Houston, it was already half a month later. After getting off the plane, Song Yang went straight to the small garage without any time to rest.
As soon as I reached the garage door, I heard a quarrel.
