I’m Really a Superstar

9 P.M.

They finished eating the noodles.

Zhang Yuanqi didn’t bother cleaning up the dishes. She leaned on the bed with a cup of wine in hand, “Little Zhang, TV.”

Zhang Ye snorted. He unwillingly grabbed the remote control beside him to switch on the television for her, “Which channel?”

Zhang Yuanqi answered plainly, “BTV – Arts Channel.”

Zhang Ye exclaimed, “You watch this channel? I work there now.”

Suddenly, the telephone on the table began to vibrate. Zhang Ye was wondering who it was so late at night. He picked it up.

“Teacher Zhang.” It was a man’s voice. “I’m the Little Wang from the television station’s advertising department. We met about two hours ago. I called you to inform you that the public service advertisement that you came up with and supervised will broadcast soon. In at most five minutes, once this segment ends. It was also approved by the higher-ups, after they deemed the effects to be very good. And since the part about switching off the light isn’t very suitable for an afternoon broadcast, they decided to push it forward to tonight.”

“Alright, I got it.”

“We passed the verification. Thank you.”

“You worked hard, too. You’re welcome.”

After putting down the cellphone, Zhang Ye quickly increased the television’s volume, “Teacher Zhang, once this music shows ends, I’ll have something to show you.”

Zhang Yuanqi did not ask either. She just kept drinking.

A few seconds later, the program ended. First a cosmetics advertisement was broadcast. And the next moment, an animated advertisement was aired. It was the scene of a husband and wife quarrelling!

Zhang Ye quickly said, “Look, look!”

Zhang Yuanqi couldn’t tell, “Why an advertisement?”

“You’ll know once you watch it. Haha.” Zhang Ye was full of anticipation.

Following that, the husband left after being scolded by the wife. Just as the wife was crying in regret, the husband came back. Bada! He switched off the light and left.

The screen went black.

The subtitles appeared – Conserve electricity. Lights off with people gone!

Zhang Ye had interacted and supervised it with the advertisement department. It was basically following the original Russian version from his world. There were nearly no changes.

Seeing that, Zhang Yuanqi was stunned. She had probably never expected such an amazing ending, “This is a public service advertisement? It can be done this way? The country still has such a good and creative public service advertisement?”

“This must be the first time you are seeing it, right? Come over here.” Zhang Ye was very pleased. He switched on his computer and found the television station’s website. After clicking it, he called Zhang Yuanqi over to see the production credits.

Supervisor: Zhang Ye.

Planning: Zhang Ye.

Idea Provider: Zhang Ye.

About half of the seven to eight names on the credits list were Zhang Ye’s name.

“This is your production?” Zhang Yuanqi looked at him.

“That’s right. I suggested it and it was also supervised by me.” Zhang Ye said, “How was it? Not bad, right?”

“Yes, not bad.” Saying that, Zhang Yuanqi returned to leaning on the bed, ignoring him.

Zhang Ye also did not care about her. He opened the television station’s official discussion board.

“The electricity conservation public service advertisement was awesome!”

“Hahaha. I also just saw it. I’m dying of laughter!”

“Divine idea! Divine creativity! Divine twist! Divine ending!”

“Whose idea was it? I never expected public service advertisements could be made this way!”

“Heavens, Zhang Ye? The idea provider, the supervisor and several other roles in the credits list are all Zhang Ye? It can’t be the Zhang Ye I know, can it?”

“Who is Zhang Ye?”

“I don’t know which one.”

“Ai, this name has a link on it. Let me see.”

“Holy sh*t, after clicking it, there’s the person’s information. It’s that Teacher Zhang Ye. Although there’s no picture, just look as his resume. Previous Beijing Radio Station broadcasting host, now employed at the television station, BTV-Arts Channel. Teacher Zhang Ye has started work at the Beijing Television Station!”

“Is that true?”

“Congratulations to Teacher Zhang for his success!”

“I thought that Teacher Zhang had been banned. He actually progressed another step!”

“Isn’t Teacher Zhang a broadcasting host? Why did he make a public service advertisement? Furthermore, he did it so well! There’s no other public service advertisement that is better in the entire world! The creativity is good and the connotations are all world-class!”

“Who is Zhang Ye?”

“Go check on the web. You don’t even know him?”

……

At the same time.

A large number of audience members who were watching BTV Arts Channel in Beijing had seen the advertisement. There was no credits list after the public service advertisement. It was only released on the website. Hence, many people did not know whose production it was. Even if they knew, many did not know of Zhang Ye. His popularity was still in a very small circle. He was not that famous. But even so, it did not prevent people from being shocked and amazed by this advertisement!

“Haha! I’m dying of laughter! I’m dying of laughter!”

“It’s really amazing! This public service advertisement is amazing!”

“I’ll watch it again in a while. I want to watch it again. It’s so humorous!”

……

“Darling, come over here!”

“What?”

“Stop washing your face. Quick, watch this public service advertisement!”

“What’s so nice about a public service advertisement? Do you have nothing better to do?”

“Damn, you came late. It’s over. What do you know? This isn’t any ordinary public service advertisement. F**k, it was such a reversal!”

……

“Director Zheng, who did this advertisement? It’s too perfect!”

“Beijing Television Station? That can’t be. Their television station doesn’t have such a talent!”

“That’s right. I’m curious. There are only a few people in the industry who do public service advertisements that are famous. No matter how I look at it, they don’t work for the Beijing Television Station. But just watching this advertisement, I know it is the work of a master. Did they headhunt someone? Which famous advertisement planner did they grab over?”

“There’s no news.”

“Let’s check the production credits on the web.”

“Ah, I found it. Zhang Ye? Who’s Zhang Ye?”

“Never heard of him. There’s no such person in the advertising industry.”

……

That night, quite a number of households in Beijing began discussing this Public Service advertisement. The advertisement’s effectiveness was unbelievable. It was a great success. In half an hour’s time, the discussion of it had exploded on the web. It could be said that no public service advertisement had ever been this popular!

Laymen watched the buzz, while professionals examined the skill!

The greatest impact was on the professionals in the advertising industry!

This industry was neither too big, nor too small. Even if they had never met, they would all know each other. They even had such interactions with people inside and outside the country. This public service advertisement had caused numerous discussion first in this country, and were later shared with several foreign friends who were in the advertising industry. In the end, many people in the advertising industry outside of the country were greatly surprised that night, itself!

Everyone was trying to find out who was the one who did the planning for the advertisement!

Finally, when they obtained the answer, they were at a loss of whether to laugh or to cry. The person who had planned the advertisement was not from their circles. It was a f**king broadcasting host!

Immediately, several people in advertising felt a sense of defeat. The bottleneck of public service advertisements had troubled the industry, both domestic and foreign, for half a year. No one had been able to reverse the situation. But now, a broadcasting host, who did not work in this line of work, had managed to conquer this problem? This idea was too new and had an enlightening effect. It seemed like it had opened a door for the people in advertising. They were suddenly overjoyed.

A new textbook entry to creativity in public service advertisement!

This reputation did not sully Zhang Ye’s production at all!