[Chapter 892: Struggle for Profit]
Two old-timers were still grappling with how to respond to the price war initiated by White Media. The elite at the top of the pyramid were barely in a better position.
They realized that after the storm of the internet passed, the family wealth and personal fortune of William White would drastically increase. In a capitalist society, it was still all about the money; those with deeper pockets would always speak a little louder.
"La La Land? No way! It can't appear in a 007 film unless Mouton or Margaux sells me a vineyard. Hmph, all three of those estates belong to them, it's just outrageous!" Nastassja rolled her eyes at this petty guy, thinking it wasn't quite fair to demand a White Castle wine.
"Alright, alright, Nastassja, let's go with Romanee-Conti. Even if I can't get sponsorship, I won't let my competitors have the upper hand." Nastassja smiled wryly, realizing that the big players didn't even consider him a rival. Let's face it; White Vineyard was just boasting in Texas, and neither Pentagon Dune nor New York cared much.
William White found there were things he couldn't share with Nastassja. In fact, she was unaware that Mouton and Margaux were also part of the Rothschild family. The depth of their family legacy could not be overlooked; just because the Rothschilds and Rockefellers maintained a low profile didn't mean they couldn't make a splash at any moment.
When gold and silver lost their monetary value, people said oil was great, so they used it to measure the actual worth of currency.
"Fine, you guys are the ones calling the shots, I could deal with that. But now they're even starting to play with wine? Seriously?"
William had his share of '82 Lafite, but what of it? Sure, '82 was indeed a good year. However, even someone like William White, who drank it all day, hadn't discovered anything remarkable in it. It was just a decent bottle of wine.
Originally, humanity used bones and shells as currency. In the beginning, it was indeed valuable due to its scarcity. However, as trade expanded, the number of shells and bones increased significantly, leading to market saturation. Anything too abundant would lose its value, while scarcity would make items highly sought after.
Clearly, the Rothschild family had recognized this business opportunity. It was a known fact that Jewish people tend to have an uncanny knack for commercial ventures.
Unfortunately, their vineyard stock was limited. There were fewer than 200,000 bottles, many collecting dust in the cellars of the wealthy. This made driving up prices from supply alone unfeasible; the branding had to create the hype. Thus, having a bottle of '82 Lafite became a classic trope in films and TV shows.
Naturally, there was a particularly irritating character who featured Lafite in his films, but his portrayals usually highlighted the antagonist. Even more annoyingly, films produced by White Studios and Disney loved to poke fun at the '82 reference -- whether it was splurging extravagantly or insisting on '81 due to its superior age.
When it came to their own production, they incessantly hyped it up, evoking a sense that if one didn't try a bottle of '82 White Castle, their life wouldn't be complete.
Americans knew how this game worked and simply laughed it off. In their eyes, it seemed more like performance art, tied up with patriotism. What could anyone really say in response to that?
William White didn't care much for how these folks marketed their wine. The San Francisco meeting had been stifling; after returning to Los Angeles, he definitely needed to unwind.
"Sir, it seems like we didn't strike a deal."
"Shirley, does he not like Jewish people?"
Ray's comment made Shirley Lansing hesitate; it wasn't a friendly topic at all. Angering anyone could lead to personal disaster.
Let's not even mention William White's stance; the Jewish community wouldn't stand for any disrespect. If William White opposed them, it could cause chaos in the media landscape.
"Cough, cough. Sir, I don't think it would. For the sake of his winery, this guy seems very determined. Bottom line, it's probably all about the profits."
"Hmm, that could be it."
Ray recognized the unease; such discussions had no direction. He was acutely aware of how hard it was to deal with William White.
"By the way, Shirley, how is that big production from Fox coming along? Have you looked at the script?"
Shirley frowned slightly; she was never fond of big productions. If it exceeded the company's capacity, it could spell disaster.
"From what I see now, they should turn a profit. As for the final box office, it's hard to say; if William White takes aim..."
"He won't. The conflict between William White and Murdoch has remained quite restrained. Their current focus is on print media, so they'll put movies on hold. No one wants to see two major media groups go head-to-head."
In reality, the old-timer was a bit disgruntled; despite being Jewish, he wanted to take down Murdoch. In his eyes, Murdoch should stick to herding sheep down under.
"By the way, Shirley, keep an eye on future scripts. We might want to collaborate more with the Lafite winery."
"Sure, boss, they do prefer soft advertising?"
"Haha, they are trying to emulate William White, but the risks are a bit high. White Winery, at the end of the day, is just winging it. Definitely not in the top ten wineries, and even breaking into the top hundred seems dicey."
"Got it, boss. I'll keep that in mind."
As William White's commercial empire expanded, so did his rivals. The Rothschild family, initially distant, now faced some friction.
William White was oblivious to the fact that some were furious at him. He firmly believed that he owned the entirety of the family's wealth and assumed others were on similarly stable ground; at the very least, one should have a head of the family or something.
The White family had only been established for a few years. If it weren't for William's efforts to have children, what would be left of their legacy? The Rothschilds, Rockefellers, and Morgans were an entirely different story. Even the once-touted Gent family had flourished remarkably through various offshoots.
These prominent families in both America and Europe had expanded through generations of strategic marriages. Though the three major wineries belonged to the Rothschild family, each had its unique owner. Being ridiculed incessantly by outsiders would have shattered any lesser individual's composure.
Of course, in public outbursts, complaints wouldn't hold much weight. If one intended to be a secluded family, then one should maintain discreteness. Those who made noise, well, they could expect backlash.
As for Peterburg, it was merely a club where they didn't even know how to niche themselves within. The question of why William White consistently gained the upper hand stemmed from his foresight, yet that advantage was fading.
If another divine figure happened to cross over, they might find this a parallel world.
William White could focus all his energy on one thing. Other corporations and families couldn't afford such a luxury. Even with a high success rate, they wouldn't dare take the plunge.
It was a given that the fight was rigged from the start. Brzezinski's theories would similarly leak to elite families.
*****
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