"The ultimate first place in this design competition: Flashchi Technology! At the same time, Flashchi Technology automatically becomes the designated electric vehicle supplier for the 2008 Olympic Games. Let's congratulate Flashchi Technology!"
Beauty is justice.
The Guanneng series integrates its unique aesthetic philosophy, from color to appearance to the overall texture of the vehicle, following a low-key luxury route, showcasing inherent aesthetic power.
Leaving aside other factors, purely from the appearance, the Guanneng series designed by Flashchi Technology is definitely the most eye-catching.
When all the vehicles are displayed together, its looks are always the first to be noticed.
As the judges' words fell, a round of applause erupted in the venue; whether willing or not, everyone had to congratulate the other party at this moment.
Tan Jincheng, sitting in the second row, quickly stood up, clasped his hands, and bowed to the judges on the stage and to those around him to express his gratitude.
Zhang Congxun, sitting in the same row as him, wore a smile, but his heart could not hide his disappointment.
After preparing for so long, spending countless human and financial resources, and inviting a superstar to endorse, he was ultimately snatched at the last minute, half a month before the announcement.
But there was nothing he could do; that's how business works.
Although the other party played the trick of a sneak attack, they won fairly and squarely.
In terms of design, the opponent was not inferior to him, and the endorser they hired also had significant influence.
Even the government's support was stronger than his own.
Everything was fair and just, and all operations were traceable, so even if he lost, it was not unjust.
Zhang Congxun had also seen his share of big storms and knew that a loss was a loss.
He chuckled,
"This youngster plays dirty, ambushing an old man like me!"
But the real reason for this failure was that he and his company had become complacent!
Last year, they took the lead in the industry, and the entire company, including himself, got a bit carried away.
They accepted the invitation from Xishan District to move the company headquarters from the Imperial Capital to Wuxi.
Although from a long-term perspective, it was beneficial for the company's development.
However, it also completely lost the support from the Imperial Capital.
Looking back now, it was a bit too hasty.
At the time, they thought there were no rivals in the high-end market, and with the support from Xishan District, Yadi, which focused on the mid-range market, would not pose much of a threat.
Who knew a wild card would emerge halfway through.
Xinri had actually paid attention to Flashchi Technology, and it could even be said that they were the first domestic company to notice Flashchi Technology.
Xinri's marketing department had already given sufficient attention to Flashchi Technology.
However, it now seems that the attention was still insufficient.
This company, which had always focused on the low-end market, after rapid expansion, followed up its low-end brands with the new Fengchi series, breaking into the mid-range market, and then unexpectedly entered the high-end market once again.
And it did so by stepping on Xinri to rise.
Although their high-end brand, the Guanneng series, has not yet appeared in the market, it has undoubtedly attracted great attention, with dealers booking their products during the exhibition.
After this press conference, Flashchi Technology, which can sell under the title of "exclusive Olympic supplier," will be even harder to deal with.
After returning, he had to thoroughly summarize this failure.
Having missed the exclusive Olympic vehicle, they would have to compete in the real market.
Even without the endorsement of Olympic brand influence, Xinri could not give up the high-end market and had to adjust its marketing strategy as quickly as possible.
Although the exclusive Olympic supplier is a Tier 4 supplier, since it is exclusive, its status will not be too low.
After the winners were announced, the signing ceremony would take place in the afternoon.
The morning press conference and the afternoon signing ceremony were covered live by reporters, including CCTV, and would be broadcast separately on CCTV-1 and CCTV-5.
Tan Jincheng also had to accept an interview with a CCTV reporter; this was mandatory!
That's how the process was.
Now, Tan Jincheng couldn't keep a low profile even if he wanted to!
"Perform well on stage. Don't embarrass our peers, and don't be afraid. You're young, and you haven't done anything wrong, so speaking a bit boldly is fine,"
Dong Jinggui patted his young compatriot's shoulder and said softly, sensing Tan Jincheng's nervousness.
"Okay, thank you, President Dong, I understand,"
Tan Jincheng took a deep breath and replied.
To be honest, he was indeed a bit nervous.
He had never experienced such a grand occasion.
In the past, on one hand, he genuinely wanted to keep a low profile, and on the other hand, he was a little scared.
After all, in his previous life, he was just an ordinary businessman and had never been interviewed.
Let alone at the CCTV level.
"Although I call you a little scoundrel behind your back, I have to admit that you won by strength, so congratulations. But I won't admit defeat just yet; we'll see each other in the retail market,"
Zhang Congxun also said with a smile.
Seeing Tan Jincheng about to speak, Zhang Congxun quickly waved his hand:
"I'm not finished yet. Old Dong is right, you represent Flashchi, and you also represent our industry. This is the first time electric vehicles have appeared at the Olympic Games, which is good for you and for the entire industry. Don't embarrass us when you speak on stage."
Other peers also came to congratulate him.
Anyway, being on the list of Olympic suppliers means that two-wheeled electric vehicles have entered a new era.
While Flashchi Technology is undoubtedly the biggest beneficiary, its peers will also benefit significantly.
In the future, when selling vehicles, they can tell consumers:
"Look, even the athletes who bring glory to the country can ride electric vehicles, so there's definitely no problem."
This also secured state policy support from another angle, and future controversies regarding the legal use of electric vehicles on roads will be much fewer.
Furthermore, it can be said with certainty that after the news of Flashchi Technology officially signing to sponsor the Olympic Games is announced this afternoon, countless new electric vehicle brands will emerge on the market starting tomorrow.
Earlier rumors suggested that Zongshen Group was already secretly selecting a site to build a large electric bicycle production base, with an estimated annual production capacity of 500,000 units.
Even motorcycle giants have entered the electric vehicle market, and industry recognition has reached an unprecedented high.
During the lunch break, Tan Jincheng accepted interviews from Yongcheng Daily, Yongcheng Evening News, Qianjiang Evening News, Metropolitan Express, and Zhejiang Daily.
These were arranged by Beicang District, intending to create momentum for Tan Jincheng and Flashchi Technology once the news was released.
Of course, the main goal was to promote Beicang District, which Tan Jincheng was well aware of.
The articles were all written by them; he just had to read them and pose for a few photos.
In front of these media, Tan Jincheng was considered "family," so the reporters wouldn't make things difficult for him, and the interview process was very orderly.
At 1:30 PM, Flashchi Technology and the Imperial Capital Olympic Committee officially signed an agreement.
Flashchi Technology's Fengchi Guanneng series officially became the sole designated vehicle (electric vehicle) for the 2008 Olympic Games, becoming a Tier 4 sponsor of the Imperial Capital Olympics.
The sponsorship fee was 41 million yuan.
At the same time, Flashchi Technology was required to provide 3,000 two-wheeled electric vehicles and 25 four-wheeled electric vehicles to the organizing committee by July 8, 2008, one month before the Olympics, for use in various Olympic venues.
These vehicles would serve various competitive and non-competitive venues and service areas for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
In addition, hundreds of traffic police officers from the Imperial Capital Traffic Management Bureau would use Fengchi Guanneng series electric vehicles to patrol important locations in the Imperial Capital and the Olympic central area after the Olympics began.
At that time, the Fengchi Guanneng series vehicles would use the new lithium battery technology developed by Hangxin New Energy Company, a subsidiary of Flashchi Technology.
This batch of electric vehicles serving the Olympic Games would all adhere to the highest industry standards, with safety and reliability superior to currently used state standards, using "gold medal" quality, high-standard services, and independently developed new technologies to serve the Olympic Games.
"President Tan, pleasant cooperation! We hope Flashchi Technology can provide excellent service for the Olympic Games two years from now."
The person in charge of the signing was a deputy chief commander responsible for Olympic transportation, holding a respectable position.
After the signing, the leader stood up and shook hands with Tan Jincheng.
"Thank you, leader. All members of Flashchi Technology will certainly remember their mission and live up to your expectations,"
Tan Jincheng stood up and responded calmly.
After the morning's nervousness, the midday interviews, and the encouragement from his peers, Tan Jincheng was no longer so anxious.
Having reached the signing stage, what was there to fear?
Well, at least until the end of the 2008 Olympic Games, as long as he didn't actively court disaster, there was no need to worry about Flashchi Technology going out of business.
Haha, he'd acquire land as soon as he got back! Expansion, he must seize this opportunity to expand.
The existing 150-mu industrial base was no longer sufficient.
The lithium battery factory project could also be launched!
As for money?
He wasn't short of it anymore.
Although this sponsorship cost a lot, compared to the gains, it was child's play.
He hadn't dared to leverage before, but now, even if Flashchi Technology didn't want to leverage, others might not agree.
Money?
There would be no shortage of it!
Many times, a company's development comes from an opportunity.
Seizing a rare opportunity can lead to soaring success.
With this boost in brand influence, Flashchi Technology's goal could change from being among the top three in the industry to competing for the industry leader position!
After the contract was signed, it was time for interviews with various media outlets.
Tan Jincheng roughly observed that, apart from CCTV, there were more financial media, some of which he had heard of in his previous life.
The flashlights fired madly, hurting Tan Jincheng's eyes, but he still had to pretend to be nonchalant and serious.
The first to be interviewed were, of course, the Olympic Committee members.
The topics the reporters asked were also quite formal, such as why Flashchi Technology was chosen, delivery details, and so on, which clearly had been pre-arranged.
However, when the questions turned to Tan Jincheng, they were less formal, and could even be described as sharp, as these national media were not arranged by Yongcheng.
"Mr. Tan, first, congratulations to your company on winning the bid. Second, I would like to ask why your company has always been known for its marketing within the industry, and its establishment time is short. What kind of confidence made you choose to participate in this Olympic design competition?"
Media workers these days still possessed some integrity.
Although the reporter's question was somewhat sharp, it was certainly not intentionally disruptive.
It could even be said that he voiced the thoughts of most people, including some members of the organizing committee.
Wherever there are people, there are rivalries.
Flashchi Technology's design proposal was not unanimously approved.
Moreover, design is design, and strength is strength.
After all, Flashchi Technology had not been established for long, barely two years.
Whether it truly had the ability to fulfill the terms of the contract before the 2008 Olympic Games arrived was an unknown.
"First, I thank this friend for acknowledging our achievements in marketing. Any product that wants to be accepted by the market cannot be separated from marketing, and I don't think the word 'marketing' is derogatory,"
Tan Jincheng took the microphone and responded calmly.
"Secondly, Flashchi Technology has indeed not been established for long, and we do have many shortcomings. But it's important to know that the development of any enterprise is not measured by its establishment time. Centennial enterprises have the advantages of centennial enterprises, and emerging enterprises have the vitality of emerging enterprises."
"In addition, besides marketing, our independent research and development capabilities are also improving. As early as the end of last year, we collaborated with the Institute of Physical Chemistry to establish our own battery R&D center. Furthermore, this year we will also launch R&D projects for core components such as motors and controllers."
"In addition to these core component R&D projects, our exterior design has obtained multiple patent technologies. The design drawings you see were all independently developed by Flashchi Technology's R&D department. The ability to gain recognition from the organizing committee also proves our strength in exterior design."
"Over the next two years, we will build upon our current advantages to achieve independent innovation and R&D, striving to serve the Olympic Games with a brand new look when it arrives and cheer for the Olympic athletes."
Tan Jincheng's answer was well-reasoned and confident, and his initial statement, "Centennial enterprises have the advantages of centennial enterprises, and emerging enterprises have the vitality of emerging enterprises," fully demonstrated his self-assurance.
He presented facts, reasoned, and showed confidence; this made the organizing committee members who had voted for Flashchi's design proposal nod frequently.
This was the Olympic spirit! What if they were a bit weaker?
Being weaker now didn't mean they would still be weak two years later; this was the Olympic fighting spirit.
The questioning reporter was apparently surprised by Tan Jincheng's answer.
It was said that he didn't much like interviews, but he proved to be very mature in dealing with the media, adhering to proper conduct without showing any fear.
For his first large-scale press conference, and facing unexpected questions, his performance was already quite good.
"Mr. Tan, besides sponsoring vehicles, does Flashchi Technology have any other support planned for the Olympics? For example, for our athletes?"
This was a question from a CCTV-5 reporter.
"Yes, we will have a series of plans to cheer on the athletes, but I won't disclose the specifics here."
"What is Flashchi Technology's current monthly sales volume? And what scale does Mr. Tan expect Flashchi Technology to reach by the time the Olympics arrive?"
"Uh, this question doesn't seem to be related to today's topic, but if this friend wants to know, you can regularly follow our quarterly sales reports."
"Is Mr. Tan really only 21 years old?"
"Well, another question unrelated to the topic, but I can answer it. To be precise, I am 20 years and 10 months old, and I will be 21 in two months."
The scene erupted in exclamations.
Not to mention the people sitting on the stage, even the reporters present, including interns, were all over 25 years old.
For someone in this age group to be the protagonist at a signing ceremony of this magnitude was truly explosive.
Two years ago, he had just turned 19.
A physical enterprise founded by a 19-year-old youth brought its products to the Olympic arena in less than two years.
This was even more exaggerated than the wealth creation of the internet industry.
Whether now or in the future, in everyone's perception, running a physical business is much harder than running an internet business.
Physical industries require step-by-step progress, and there was a reason why the previous reporter questioned Flashchi Technology's strength.
According to previous investigations by financial media into the shortlisted companies, Flashchi Technology's sales this year could meet their projected 200,000 units.
Now, with the added brand influence of being the designated Olympic vehicle, sales would undoubtedly exceed that expectation.
The ex-factory price for each brand model to suppliers is untraceable, and the shipment volume for each model is difficult to calculate, but it can be deduced from the terminal retail price.
Calculated by the selling price of Flashchi Technology's cheapest Flashchi affordable model at the terminal, 200,000 units would mean 400 million in sales.
Simply calculating Flashchi Technology's performance based on the price of this single model would still result in an astonishing annual figure.
This 20-year-old young man created a large enterprise with an annual output value exceeding 400 million yuan in two years.
Additionally, according to information investigated by Yongcheng, he also owned other businesses including services and electronic product exports.
Billionaire was no longer enough to describe him.
A simple calculation showed he was already comfortably in the 500 million yuan bracket.
Based on net worth, 1 billion yuan was entirely plausible.
A 21-year-old billionaire worth 1 billion yuan?
This was unbelievable.
Reporters couldn't imagine what kind of sensation the report would cause nationwide once it was released.
The reporters below the stage stared at Tan Jincheng excitedly, even though they were professional, authoritative media, even though this was a mission-driven interview, even though they knew they couldn't ask too many outrageous questions, and even though they knew they couldn't cause too much trouble for the organizing committee.
But news thrives on explosive points.
With such a huge explosive news story, how could they not report it?
Impossible, absolutely impossible!
Write it, they must write it, and they must dig deeper.
As soon as the press conference ended today, they would immediately apply to fly to Yongcheng, retrieve the most comprehensive information, and report on him thoroughly, writing a comprehensive and detailed news article.
As for whether the organizing committee would cause trouble later?
That was a matter for the future.
Besides, reporting on a young entrepreneur selected by the Olympics was also perfectly reasonable.
Some reporters wanted to conduct a comprehensive and detailed investigation, but others were more impatient.
News was all about timeliness; who cared if the data was perfectly accurate?
Just report it first.
On April 29th, the Xinjing Daily, established in 2003, reported the entire process of Flashchi Technology becoming the exclusive electric vehicle supplier for the Olympic Games with a front-page headline.
Headline: "Olympics Partner with Yongcheng's Emerging Enterprise: How Did a 21-Year-Old Billionaire Bring His Company to the Olympic Stage in Two Years?"
(End of Chapter)