The seven: …

So formal.

But Su Ning wasn’t joking. The next day, when the Glory team arrived, it seemed like they all understood exactly why Su Ning had chosen a villa with a multimedia room as their dormitory.

It was practically a multimedia classroom!

In the morning, Su Ning showed up with the PowerPoint presentation he had promised. They had no idea how he completed such work in such a short time, but he didn’t waste a second.

Before the new album went live, aside from their schedules, the seven would have daily vocal and dance training. Su Ning was very strict about this, with no room for negotiation.

However, after the training session, they began some cultural lessons. The “classroom” was next door, so there was no time wasted.

When the seven received the PowerPoint and the printed course materials, each of them was a bit stunned.

In their past understanding, they thought that being a spokesperson was just about taking money to shoot materials—simple, right? That’s how it was when they inserted advertisements in their Idol Star Map shoots. The lines were even awkward at times.

But this thought process was shattered after the whole thing with Simu. They wanted to understand more, and they didn’t expect Su Ning to care this much about it.

Su Ning was supposed to head to the company today, so he dressed very formally—gray suit, no tie, and his gold-rimmed glasses still perched on his nose. When he looked up at them, there was no trace of the gentle, kind Su Ning they had known before.

When the seven entered and saw him, they didn’t dare to breathe too loudly.

They had been on pretty good terms before, talking like friends the day before, but now…

It felt like running into the school’s disciplinary head when they were kids!

There was so much pressure.

It seemed like Su Ning changed depending on the occasion.

But this class was different from school lessons. Before, the knowledge in textbooks seemed distant and impractical.

Now, the materials on their desks were invitations with their names on them, project plans, advertising scripts, and even contracts waiting to be signed. This was directly related to their personal development—it couldn’t be treated carelessly.

Moreover, the content Su Ning spoke about next was much easier to understand. It sounded like he was sharing his personal experiences, walking them through the process.

“Generally speaking, when choosing commercial resources, there are several key considerations. Picking a brand to endorse, or cooperating with a brand, should be seen as a major commercial partnership where both sides make selections.”

“The brand will choose you, but you should also have the basic awareness of choosing your partners.”

“A successful brand partnership can even be a guarantee for your career. Some artists maintain brand partnerships for decades, which is humorously called a ‘retirement fund’ in the industry. On the other hand, a failed partnership can become a stain on both parties. Even if you don’t care about the publicity, this should still be taken seriously.”

“I know, besides me, there’s an agent following you who will make plans and filter resources for you. But it’s your image that’s being exchanged. If things go wrong, the consequences are yours to bear. You have to have a basic understanding of your work at all times to develop your own ideas.”

“The team ensures the baseline, while the artist secures the upper limit.”

The seven sat straighter, their faces becoming more serious as they listened.

Su Ning flipped to the next page of the PowerPoint and continued, “…Consider the level of the endorsement. Generally speaking, commercial collaborations are divided into promotions, brand ambassadors, and brand spokespersons. You need to distinguish between these concepts because the wording in the contract affects what kind of treatment you’ll get during the work process.”

At this point, he looked at Zhou Heng, “You should know why I didn’t want you to take that advertisement for Pinnacle Agency. Although the money was good, it was just a promotion. That could lead to a chain reaction. A brand with a lower status can affect how other brands view you and won’t give you a high title.”

Zhou Heng and the others thought about it for a moment and then nodded in agreement. Their initial instinct had been that it seemed a bit tacky and might drain their popularity. Now, they realized they had been lucky to avoid it.

“In terms of endorsement duration, short-term contracts in the industry can be as short as two to three months, while long-term contracts can last over twenty years. Many long-term endorsements become part of the artist’s image and career. Normally, you’d choose a long-term contract over a short one.”

“Longer-term endorsements push the brand to consider long-term gains. They don’t go for a quick win, and they’ll even actively protect the artist’s image.”

“Li Chu,” Su Ning glanced at the students again, “Now you should understand why I helped you turn down that big brand’s short-term lipstick endorsement.”

“I know,” Li Chu replied, “The time was too short, and the color shades were limited to just a few. I checked them out, and none of them were popular. The shooting team also made poor choices. It looked like they just wanted to snap a few pictures and push the product out, trying to clear out their stock. They didn’t intend for a long-term partnership. The brand even has a long-term spokesperson, so even if my sales are good, I couldn’t take over the role.”

This was just the beginning.

Su Ning’s PowerPoint and plans had already convinced Chen Yuan. To them, it was just an explanation. The visuals and the classic case studies were enough.

Being an artist seemed different from being a regular worker, but no matter how you looked at it, the industry couldn’t stray too far from real-world job practices.

Many of the things Su Ning covered next were detailed in the course materials he had given them, from the types to the channels. The longest section discussed the alignment with the brand and the understanding of their main promotional advertising images.

“Strictly speaking, endorsements can’t be considered a part of an artist’s work in the entertainment industry. However, in the industry and in the eyes of fans, commercial resources are a crucial indicator. They’re a very important part of an artist’s ability to maintain popularity and attention. Some artists even become famous just from a single commercial, gaining other resources afterward.”

“Endorsers should experience the products and understand their requirements as a basic operation. Many people even delve into the brand’s history, and during the filming, they’ll pitch their own ideas, which leads to classic advertisements.”

He spoke like a friend to them, someone they could trust, but at the same time, it reminded them he was their boss.

After finishing, Su Ning gave a meaningful closing statement.

“You’re no longer trainees. Endorsement fees in the seven-figure range are quite common. This is already top-tier treatment in the domestic idol industry. The reason you can earn this money is because of your excellent professional qualities, which allowed you to stand out in the competition. But even at this level, even if you’re a born idol, you can’t just rely on instinct. You must keep thinking and learning about the industry. When you have enough options, make sure you understand this.”

“I hope everyone will perform better in front of the camera.”

Even though Su Ning had only been managing for a year and a half, it was clear that his planning was far-reaching. If he were a boss only interested in money, he could have taken on some short-term endorsements and harvested fans, but he didn’t.

He genuinely wanted to teach them some widely applicable rules in the industry. The last page of the course materials was about the relevant laws regarding celebrity endorsements in the Advertising Law, with a simplified explanation and examples, clearly defining the minimum standards for them.

Before, it seemed like all they had to do was focus on singing and dancing. No one had ever explained these things to them in detail.

It wasn’t just the seven listening to this session.

Zhou Chunqing, who had been preparing to transition behind the scenes, was also listening as a staff member, and Su Ning didn’t stop her.

She was no longer an artist, but today, she dressed simply, without the usual glamorous look. As part of the team, she was thinking more critically about her work. She took out a small notebook and seriously started jotting things down. Compared to her earlier, aimless days in the industry, she felt clearer in her thoughts now.

Zhou Chunqing was tough and competitive at her core, unwilling to back down. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have secretly gathered evidence on Jiang Chenfeng or dared to send Su Ning and Li Chu out in front of all those cameras at Diao Chun Jiang.

She was willing to do what others wouldn’t.

Now working as a makeup artist, she was adamant about not letting anyone talk about her relationship with Li Chu and Su Ning. She didn’t want to be treated specially. She had once been a no-name, bottom-tier artist and nobody recognized her.

She earned this money because she was good at makeup, not because of connections.

With Jiang Chenfeng out of the picture, the pressure on her seemed to have disappeared. Slowly, she began to crave more.

Now, even Li Chu was a top star. Even Su Hongda, who had almost ruined Guang Ying Entertainment before, was now making a name for himself in the industry.

That was Su Hongda!

Since they were all working under Su Ning, why couldn’t she strive for more? She wouldn’t stay as a makeup artist forever.

She wanted her own place in the growing Guang Ying Entertainment.

Zhou Chunqing looked at Su Ning and gradually solidified her thoughts.

After Su Ning’s theory class ended, in the afternoon, there was an advertising shoot. It was for a fairly well-known domestic pet product brand. They had never had a celebrity spokesperson before, so this was their first time.

Just as he had said in the morning, in situations like these, brands tend to have a “first love” mentality. Once it takes off, the celebrity’s image can be deeply associated with the brand, leading to long-term cooperation.

This company had solid capital and had been working within its industry for years, positioning itself in the mid-to-high-end market. Although it couldn’t compare to luxury brand collaborations like Simu’s, it wasn’t bad either. It was a very suitable choice.

Additionally, this advertisement was being directed by a famous micro-film director, showing that they were putting effort into it.

However, due to budget constraints and the overall style of the advertisement, they didn’t hire all seven of them. The brand chose Li Chu and Lin Zhi, both of whom had a cute, animal-like vibe.

Li Chu and Lin Zhi both resembled little kittens, and Lin Zhi had quickly adopted a three-colored cat on the rooftop.

The advertisement required them to dress as “kittens.” Overall, it had a pet lover’s style.

But as soon as they entered, Zhou Chunqing furrowed her brow.

The props seemed excessive.

Cat ear clips, cat tails, fluffy claw gloves, collars—everything, since it was a pet brand.

There was a makeup artist on set, so Zhou Chunqing didn’t have a chance to step in. Everything was done according to their requests. She didn’t have much say in the matter, and at first, she just watched from the side.

When the actual shoot began, Li Chu and Lin Zhi put on those props and followed the animal-like movements and some interaction scenes in the script. They almost completed the actions perfectly. Their youthful, flexible bodies didn’t look awkward at all.

But Zhou Chunqing watched and felt that it was too forced. Some parts even felt overly contrived.

Too much was wrong.

The director sitting there didn’t look very satisfied either, but since the money was good, and this wasn’t a serious movie, he scratched his head and didn’t mind improving it. As long as the visuals were good, the job was done.

It was just an advertisement, not a real movie.

But Li Chu didn’t feel right either.

During the break in the middle of the shoot, he sat up from the fluffy carpet, frowned, and glanced at Zhou Chunqing, who was standing there.

As they had grown up together, that one glance made Zhou Chunqing understand exactly what he was thinking.

It meant that Li Chu wasn’t happy with his performance.

Lin Zhi, sitting on the sofa, also frowned. He too felt something was wrong. It wasn’t until Zhou Chunqing approached to remove his headpiece and the bell around his neck and suggested he take off his claw shoes that he started to relax.

“How about we try something different?” Zhou Chunqing said. “Xiao Zhi, think about what Su Ning said—don’t focus on imitating the shape, focus on the spirit. You’re not playing a real cat demon.”

“Think about it, what’s the essence of your three-colored cat?”

After she took off his headpiece, Lin Zhi’s hair fell softly, and he rested his chin in his hand. After a while, he half-lay on the couch, looking a bit lazy.

At the same time, he raised his leg slightly.

With the claw shoes off, his lower legs were exposed.

As a dancer, Lin Zhi had practiced ballet for a while, and his legs were quite graceful, with slender, fair ankles that looked almost like a girl’s. When he lifted his leg, it seemed like an elegant dance movement.

Then the next second, his beautiful and graceful foot knocked over a glass cup on the nearby table with a “clink,” spilling water everywhere and soaking the carpet.