Volume 3: Taking Roots 2016 Chapter 784: Tit for Tat
The hot search term "Uncle Tongdao sells himself for 200 million" quickly became the number one hot search and remained there, sparking widespread discussion.
This sudden wave of popularity, in addition to the push from Meisheng Holdings, the instigator behind the scene, has another major reason: this news hits a pain point that concerns the public.
Ever since Papi Jiang pioneered the industry by selling her first advertisement for a whopping 22 million yuan, she has attracted countless attention for her identity label of "Internet celebrity".
It is this wave of successful marketing that has made consumers and investors begin to pay attention to this new internet celebrity track.
At the same time, Papi Jiang's groundbreaking advertising monetization textbook case has directly become a reference model for the entire Internet celebrity industry.
In any industry, the breakthrough from 0 to 1 is always the most difficult, but once the breakthrough is achieved, everything will naturally fall into place.
It is precisely because Papi Jiang became the first person to try something new that she gradually gained the title of "the first person in the industry", especially after a year of experience.
Whether it is the bonus brought by the "Weibo Celebrity Day" or the fact that Papi Jiang really kept her word and donated 22 million to her alma mater, his title of "No. 1 in the industry" has been recognized by more and more people.
For the general public, the biggest feeling is naturally: it turns out that internet celebrities really make so much money that an advertisement can be sold for tens of millions!
They are almost catching up with the glamorous stars !
After all, for the general public, whether it is an internet celebrity or a star, income is the difference they can feel most intuitively.
Compared with difficult-to-quantify abilities and more subjective aesthetic tendencies, simple and crude numbers always have the most obvious impact on the public.
Directly using income level to measure one's status in the circle has gradually become a popular criterion among the public.
This may also be one of the main reasons why major wealth lists can remain popular, because they grasp the pain point of the public's sensitivity to wealth figures.
To put it bluntly, the "dream of becoming a star" that the general public once talked about with great relish is actually the "dream of wealth". The reason why people want to become stars is almost entirely for the high income that this status represents.
It’s just that we Chinese always like to compromise. If we directly reveal our “greed for money and lustful” nature, it would be too naked and also indecent.
But if you put it another way and say that you want to be a star, people might give you a thumbs up and praise you for your artistic pursuits.
In the past year, both internet celebrities and anchors have demonstrated their strong ability to make money, which has refreshed the general public's stereotype of them being "unemployed".
Whether the cat is black or white, the one that can make money is a good cat!
Especially compared with the increasingly high threshold of the "star dream", the general public already feels it is out of reach, and even dares not to even think about "dreaming".
But whether it is "Internet celebrity" or "anchor", they are obviously far more comprehensive and down-to-earth than stars.
The most important thing is that the threshold seems to be much lower than that of celebrities, and there is no rigid requirement for appearance. As long as you have a skill and are interesting enough, you have a chance to stand out...
Compared to the "star dream" that is out of reach and can only be fantasized about, the "Internet celebrity dream" and the "anchor dream" no longer seem to be just dreaming, but have a greater chance of turning them into reality.
Whether it is the high-paying news of anchors signed by live broadcast platforms, or Papi Jiang selling 22 million yuan for one advertisement, or Zhang Dayi selling 30 million yuan for one live broadcast...
Both continue to stimulate the tense strings of the general public, prompting a large amount of fresh blood to flow into these two emerging industries, and there are indeed some seedlings that can make a living from this.
As people come and go, the objective laws of history prove a truth, which is "Everyone has a glorious moment, but don't take it forever!"
Well, so seizing the window period of the industry and oneself and taking advantage of this fleeting opportunity to monetize is undoubtedly a problem that creators must face.
There is no doubt that the author of Tongdao Dashu undoubtedly seized this fleeting opportunity, took advantage of the major favorable opportunity, and successfully completed an unprecedented wave of cash-out operations.
He successfully cashed out nearly 200 million yuan in cash in one fell swoop, and directly achieved a class leap, jumping from an "Internet celebrity" to the ranks of "billionaires".
There is no doubt that this earth-shaking change in identity has once again brought great shock to the general public, and has refreshed the upper limit of their understanding of "Internet celebrities".
I originally thought that "the number one in the industry" like [Papi Jiang] was already the limit of the industry, but I didn't expect that a Cheng Yaojin would suddenly appear halfway and quietly complete a Jedi counterattack!
After all, it is well known that in the capital market, valuation is always just valuation, and only the real money in your pocket is the real profit.
The move by "Tongdao Dashu" to package and sell his entire IP for 200 million yuan has undoubtedly once again opened up a new path for monetization in the industry.
From Papi Jiang’s advertising monetization to fashion influencers such as Zhang Dayi monetizing through selling goods and opening stores, now they are clearly marked with prices, trading the entire IP as an asset...
The change in trading patterns not only represents the market’s recognition of internet celebrities, but also the vote of real money, which also represents investors’ optimism about the future prospects of the industry.
This is undoubtedly a major positive news released by the market. As this incident caused an uproar across the entire network, it became the last straw that broke the camel's back in the hearts of many people.
I don’t know how many “retail investors” among the general public have begun to flock into this internet celebrity track. Everyone relies on their own abilities, and the industry is also a thriving scene with a hundred flowers blooming and a hundred schools of thought contending.
Among them, the first beneficiaries are naturally the major platforms. Such a huge wave of traffic, even if it is distributed among the major platforms, is enough for the platforms to digest it.
In this wave of traffic, compared with the old platforms whose platform ecology is gradually becoming solidified, Douyin short video, which has emerged in the past year, has undoubtedly become a better choice.
Especially the short video creators that have emerged on the platform, whether it is [Papi Jiang], [Mu Ziqi], [Big Stomach Prince Mi], or the platforms of a group of game anchors.
With the help of the unique phenomenal short video [Zhou Dongsheng's Boring Life], with so much high-quality content attracting traffic, Douyin short videos naturally become the first choice for many users.
They flocked to Douyin one after another, started creating their first account, and thought about posting their first short video.
In terms of the threshold for creation, the Douyin platform also has a variety of simple and crude challenge content for users to follow, whether it is a simple and easy-to-understand, easy-to-use cross-dressing challenge, or a simple "recording of a beautiful life"...
All of these allow users to find their own entry points and create their own account content.
Obviously, after a year of precipitation and development, Douyin short video has already formed its own moat, and can naturally easily withstand the impact of this wave of traffic.
In contrast, although Toutiao has been continuously attracting traffic to its short video platform with its flagship product "Toutiao", it has also launched a "1 billion short video creation subsidy" plan to encourage creation.
Although money is attractive, it also attracts a group of users who are eager for quick success and instant benefits. They are here to make the most of it. You get the traffic and I get the money. Both parties get what they need, so it's natural that we hit it off.
However, if you think that you can create high-quality content simply by spending money, then you are being too arrogant and conceited.
In particular, the development of a platform ecosystem is not something that can be achieved overnight, and the birth of a top IP cannot be achieved simply by spending money. It also requires the support of the three elements of "time, place and people".
Putting aside the unpredictable "time" and the variable of "people", the only thing the platform can do is undoubtedly to create "geographical advantage".
There is no doubt that this is also one of the main reasons why Toutiao spent a huge amount of money to launch the "1 billion subsidy plan", which is to attempt to directly improve the competitiveness of its own platform through the simple and crude means of real money.
However, there was , that is... the name.
Although the UI and functions are completely copied, just like a fake, the ambiguous name "A.me" and the vague platform positioning make it difficult for users to grasp the key points through the first impression.
In comparison, Douyin, which claims to "record a beautiful life", is more likely to form preconceived notions in the minds of users.
It's a bit like "some people imitate my face, and some people imitate my appearance". At this point, it is obvious who is the fake and who is the real one.
What's more, knowing full well that the legal procedure for determining plagiarism is quite troublesome, Yang Luyu still initiated legal proceedings. Even if it was just to allow himself to occupy a moral high ground, it was enough to be an advantage for him.
Obviously, there is no reason for Yang Luyu to give up such an advantage that is right at his doorstep.
On the other hand, the ambitious Toutiao Group naturally cannot retreat in the face of difficulties. The top priority facing them at this moment is not to deal with such a trivial matter as the lawsuit...
Anyway, you just need to hire a lawyer and argue with the other party. After all, the development history of the Internet is itself a history of "plagiarism".
And to determine the fact of plagiarism from a technical perspective is even more difficult than climbing to the sky. Otherwise, there would not be so many verbal battles about plagiarism since the birth of the Internet.
Facts speak louder than words. There are very few people who are actually convicted of plagiarism, but there are countless people who profit from it.
Therefore, Toutiao is not worried about this problem. The worst that can happen is just a war of public opinion. Especially since Toutiao made its fortune with “Toutiao Today”, it is an expert in this field.
The advantage of having its own high ground of public opinion is enough to make it not panic at all.
The real problem that troubles Toutiao is the name change, which has even risen to a top strategic priority within the company.
Especially when facing the established competitor Tik Tok, although it copied the other party's functions, the clumsy name Ame always makes Toutiao feel like it is in someone else's shadow (funny).
Under the influence of preconceived ideas, the more I studied, the more I felt that the word "TikTok" was really ingenious, and I wanted to use this name for myself...
However, speed is of the essence in war. Since we can't think of a more ingenious name, the best way is to play to our strengths and avoid our weaknesses!
Therefore, the name "Toutiao Short Video" came into being, giving full play to the advantages of its core business and deepening the user's impression.
At the same time, it is targeting Douyin and launched the promotional slogan "Let your life make the headlines". This simple and crude slogan undoubtedly hits the soft spot of many users.
The three words "making the headlines" are almost directly equated with becoming famous, and no matter whether it is a star or an internet celebrity, they must first become famous before the money will follow.
The words fame and fortune are undoubtedly fully reflected in both of them. Therefore, for the general public who want to realize their dreams, isn’t “making the headlines” exactly what they dream of?
Therefore, the short video headline with this slogan undoubtedly hit the mark among users, found its own platform positioning, and then began to invest heavily in resources and prepare to start making efforts.
While elevating Toutiao Short Video to the company's strategic level, it also introduced promotional resources such as popular stars into Toutiao Short Video.
There are undercurrents in private, and people are starting to compete for various talent resources, accepting everyone, whether it is a host or an internet celebrity.
There is no doubt that Toutiao, which has been sharpening its knives, has officially made it ready to compete with Douyin. Its series of measures are directly aimed at Douyin. It can be said that Sima Zhao's intention is known to everyone.
However, even though Toutiao is coming in with great momentum, its time advantage will not be easily wiped out. If it wants to accomplish the feat of coming from behind, it depends on whether Douyin agrees.
And they, of course, cannot sit idly by. As time goes by, the Golden Second Award, the unique annual awards ceremony representing the short video field, is getting closer and closer.
Under Zhou Dongsheng's efforts to invite many celebrities, some celebrities have begun to officially announce that they will attend the Golden Second Awards, and a short video judging team composed of a group of directors has joined to escort the award evaluation...
Although Toutiao is wealthy and has US$1 billion in financing, it is impossible for it to spend all its money on the short video business.
On the other hand, Douyin has just completed a financing of 360 million US dollars. It does not have the concerns of Toutiao and can spend this money wisely and use it all for the development of its short video business!
Therefore, in the competition at the capital level, both sides are evenly matched and can only find ways to play to their own strengths.
In order to keep the Golden Second Award, Yang Luyu naturally spent a lot of money.
After all, he has almost broken the thigh of Zhou Dongsheng, the strategic investor, so it’s finally his turn to make a move, right?
The two sides exchanged opinions, verbal battles, and scrambled for resources, and the situation gradually began to heat up.
As for Zhou Dongsheng, he was calm and composed, sitting on the Diaoyutai. Even after learning the slogan put up by "Toutiao Short Video", he still had the leisure to sigh.
"As expected, a talented person is a talented person. I have a plan, but the other party also has a way out. The power of this combination of punches is in no way inferior to the name Douyin!"
Although he was never naive enough to think that he could easily strangle Toutiao, the future giant, in its cradle with just a name and some means.
However, the clever response of Toutiao still made him applaud, and he couldn't help but feel excited to compete with the heroes of the world.
Let the storm come even harder!
