Chapter 5

5

5th Episode - Advertising

Click!

He picks up the phone. Soon, the voice of a middle-aged man flows out.

"Hello."

"Speak. I'm listening."

"......"

It seems the man on the phone thinks he has dialed the wrong number because the Demon King is using informal speech.

"Excuse me? Is this the printing ad agency?"

"Yes. What's the matter?"

The middle-aged man hesitated for a moment. In the typical relationship between a client and a service provider, the advertising agency is always the service provider. Even if he were to be overly polite, it would not be enough, but this was the first time he had encountered such a rude attitude.

However, it would be awkward to just hang up, and there was something nagging at him, so he decided to continue.

"I run a fried chicken restaurant. It's called Maetna Chicken. Anyway, the delivery calls have been sparse lately. I thought it might improve if we distributed flyers, so I called."

It's a franchise that has sprung up like mushrooms. They sell low-cost chicken at a low profit margin. Since the headquarters is not a major brand, the store needed separate advertising.

If he were to take the job, it would be best to use a photo of the old-style fried chicken that was once sold in the market. Emphasizing the phrase "additional discount for take-out customers" would be the best approach.

After roughly planning this, the Demon King spoke.

"How many do you need?"

"Um... but, when did we meet that you keep using informal speech?"

The chicken restaurant owner found his tone increasingly annoying as they proceeded with the business.

He is 42 years old. On the other hand, the Demon King's voice sounded like he was in his early twenties. Since he is the client, and Korean society values seniority, he thought it was right to use informal speech.

"Just get to the point."

"What... what?"

"If you don't like it, we can just forget it. I don't care."

"Wow..."

The Demon King has his pride. Even if the deal falls through, he can't compromise on this point.

On the other hand, the owner was curious about the Demon King's confidence and decided to continue the conversation.

"Alright. I'll ignore that. How many do you think we need? I want to distribute them throughout our neighborhood..."

The Demon King recalls Mincheol's memories. Having dealt with customer service multiple times while working, he can easily answer.

"How far do you deliver?"

"To Sadang 2-dong and 3-dong. Other areas are too far, and there are overlapping brands."

"We'll need 16,000 flyers for the apartments alone."

"Is that so? Then what's the price per sheet?"

This is the most crucial moment. The printing market is already oversaturated. With the ability to order flyers online, everyone is competing by lowering their prices. If he quotes too high a price, the call might end immediately.

'I can't sell my skills for a cheap price.'

Including the planning, 8,000 flyers cost around 100,000 to 110,000 won. Of course, if you look for cheaper options, it can go as low as 70,000 won.

"500,000 won for 8,000 flyers. There's no room for negotiation. Got it?"

"Huh?"

The owner is surprised. That means 1,000,000 won for 16,000 flyers. Even if advertising is necessary, isn't it too much?

"Don't be so stingy. The flyers I make have incredible advertising power."

"But isn't it too expensive?"

"Are you trying to run a business without spending money? You're really foolish."

"......"

The negotiation is at a critical point. The Demon King adds one more sentence.

"Fine. I'll do it on credit. If the advertising effect is poor, I won't take a single cent."

It's a very bold statement. There are many advertising techniques, but there's no 100% guarantee of success. Even someone ignorant of advertising knows this.

On the other hand, the owner has nothing to lose. There's no risk of fraud, and if the effect is good, he is willing to pay the advertising fee.

"Alright. If those are the conditions, let's give it a try."

It was a dramatic resolution. The subsequent process went smoothly.

After collecting the necessary materials, he starts planning the advertisement. Even with the help of magic, if the original design is poor, the effect will be limited.

Kim Mincheol's ability to design advertisements is genuine. Appropriate color contrast, eye-catching phrases, and excellent retouching skills to make the food look delicious.

He sends the file directly to the printing factory. If the production is not delayed, it should be ready in 2-3 days.

****

"Today is the day to distribute the flyers."

The chicken restaurant owner checks the date on the calendar.

"Should I start preparing for business?"

Most chicken restaurants open at noon. Maetna Chicken is no exception.

Ring!

Suddenly, the store phone rings. It's only 11 o'clock.

'It can't be a customer. Who could be calling?'

Click!

"Yes, this is Maetna Chicken."

"I'd like to place an order."

It's a customer. The owner speaks in a polite tone.

"We're still preparing. I'm sorry, but we can only deliver after noon."

"Ah, I see. Well, can you deliver an old-style fried chicken as soon as you can?"

"Sure, I'll send it as quickly as possible."

He hangs up the phone.

'What a rush.'

The owner wipes his hands and prepares to heat the oil.

But...

Ring!

Another call comes in. It's another delivery order.

'Why are there so many chicken orders in the middle of the day?'

He fries chicken frantically, but the calls keep coming.

"I'm sorry, but the orders are backed up. You'll have to wait about an hour for delivery."

"I understand. Please deliver it as soon as you can."

The owner calls his part-time worker.

"Juhun! You need to come in right now. The orders are backed up."

The part-time worker usually starts at 5 PM. He even called his wife for help.

"Huff... huff..."

The rush of orders is making him almost pant.

"Owner! Here's a fried chicken."

To make matters worse, a customer comes in to pick up an order.

As the evening approaches, customers line up in front of the store after work.

'Oh my God! All the marinated chickens in the warehouse are gone in one day.'

Finally, with no more stock, he calls the supplier.

"Hey, supplier. Send some live chickens right now."

"But I sent them yesterday."

"They'll be gone soon. Stop complaining and send the stock."

"O...Okay."

The owner takes a deep breath and looks outside. The line of customers is incredibly long. Some customers, seeing the long line, give up and leave.

'What a hit!'

Even if he advertised on TV, it wouldn't be as effective as this.