From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

TMZ, this paparazzi website, noticed a detail from the hustle and bustle that others had temporarily overlooked.

Undoubtedly, Anson was the focus, and everyone was caught off guard by Anson's flash mob, to the point where they were led by the nose, with all their attention on the event and subsequent actions, leaving them temporarily unable to focus on other matters.

TMZ was the same.

Paparazzi scattered across North America, constantly aggregating and updating different news, trying to beat their rivals in the news era and grab exclusives; but amidst the chaos, Harry Percy noticed a connection.

A hidden but real connection.

Harry Percy had crossed swords with Anson several times and was fully alert, knowing that Anson was a formidable character who could not be taken lightly and required full effort.

This flash mob was surprising enough, but Harry's intuition told him:

There's more to it than that.

Harry's entry point was different from that of Hollywood professionals, but Harry also believed that the flash mob seemed too simple, too mechanical, and too boring.

Think about it, the key to a flash mob is surprise, but after the surprise is repeated ten or twenty times, there is no heat, no traffic, only fatigue, and finally enters a state of mechanical repetition, the surprise is no longer a surprise.

High exposure is a good thing, but too much exposure is a bad thing.

When the event is halfway through, without the novelty, the media and the audience will no longer pay attention. Perhaps the small cities on the East Coast will still be enthusiastic, but big cities like New York, Philadelphia, Miami, and Boston will not buy it.

In Harry's view, the event may run into bottlenecks near Chicago and Atlanta, and then plummet, perhaps becoming completely ignored in the blink of an eye, leaving only some perfunctory politeness and officialdom.

At that time, that would be the real problem.

After all, as Hollywood professionals say, what can drive box office, stimulate box office, and save box office are still those densely populated big cities; aside from the limited population of small cities, how many people living in rural areas and suburbs are willing to buy tickets to enter the movie theater?

After all, it is now the twenty-first century, with diverse entertainment methods, and movie theaters are no longer the first choice for killing time.

In fact, according to data statistics, the true "golden age" of movies ended before the advent of color films.

In 1939, "Gone with the Wind" became an epoch-making work as the first large-scale production of color films, announcing the maturity of color film technology; but the real full popularization of color films had to wait until the 1960s, before which the market share of movies had already begun to decline.

In the 1920s and 1930s, viewers entering movie theaters in North America accounted for 75% of the total population; but in the 1960s, this number had already fallen to 50%, and never returned, declining and decreasing all the way, falling below 20% after the millennium, and still showing no sign of stopping.

In other words, although the number of people entering movie theaters is rising, and the box office numbers are also rising; but in fact, considering factors such as population ratio and inflation, the market share of movies has been declining in the past half century, and the so-called golden age of Hollywood is not the 1960s and 1970s—

But the more distant 1920s and 1930s.

The present is also the same.

Why do movie companies focus their publicity on big cities?

Because the population is densely concentrated in these cities, and even more so because the vast majority of people willing to buy tickets to enter movie theaters live in these cities.

So, isn't the "Catch Me If You Can" publicity plan picking up sesame seeds and losing watermelons?

What if all the key cities in the densely populated East Coast area don't buy it?

Harry could see it, couldn't Anson see it?

In fact, the best way to avoid fatigue is to make a quick decision.

While the freshness and discussion are still strong, choose five to ten big cities, appear, surprise, interact, and then whet everyone's appetite, announce the end of the event, and let the traffic and heat slowly sink to second- and third-tier cities, using the important market as the core to drive the surrounding markets.

Instead of dragging out the battle line like now and putting yourself in trouble.

When Anson appeared in Boise, Harry felt vaguely strange.

Originally, Harry thought this was just a gesture—

Whether it's Portland or Boise, they're just a cover, telling the general public that Anson might appear in small cities, whetting their appetite and igniting hope, and attracting audiences from small cities into the movie theater.

Like fishing.

But in reality, Anson still focuses on big cities, and after entering the East Coast line, he just pretends to visit one or two small cities.

This is also a clever strategy.

However, that was not the case.

Anson wasn't fishing, he did what he said he would do, and actually appeared in a series of sparsely populated small cities in the central region, and the pace of the entire flash mob slowly dragged down.

So, what exactly is the reason why Anson still chose to do this?

Could it be that Anson miscalculated this time and lacked consideration?

No, Harry didn't think so. He had dealt with Anson before, and he knew Anson's ability. If this publicity plan was thought up by DreamWorks and Universal Pictures, then it was possible that it wasn't well thought out; but since this was Anson's idea, Harry firmly believed that things weren't that simple.

Either there are hidden changes in the flash mob, or it's a complete layout.

Either Anson has a backup plan.

Observe, capture, associate.

Harry caught the connection among countless photos:

Styling.

A thought, an inspiration, burst out in an instant, and Harry seized the truth with a jolt.

Every city, every appearance, Anson changes his style!

Wait, at this time, professionals will definitely complain.

"Tsk, so surprised, what's so amazing about this? This is the basic requirement of the publicity period, actors must change their styles all the time. If the media reports that an actor wears the same style twice, that's news, even male actors will be embarrassed to dig a hole and run away."

Of course, there are also special circumstances here, unless it is a maverick actor who always maintains his persona with T-shirts and jeans, that's another matter.

Don't forget that Anson's initial widespread discussion of "GQ" was based on fashion.

So, Anson's agent stylist can't make mistakes, this is just a routine.

But Harry doesn't think so.

Changing styles for every publicity event? This is normal operation.

Changing a style every time he appears, not just movie theater meet-and-greets, every time he shows up—airport, car, meet-and-greets before and after, literally, like a chameleon, changing his style every time he appears? This is not normal.

Each style starts from details and styles, presenting an evolving context and fashion trend? This is even more abnormal.

Everything, like breadcrumbs, is collected little by little. Finally, piecing together a grand plan, glimpsing the full picture of Anson's hidden strategy.

Bang.

The brain, exploded directly.