"Mr. Miller," came the voice of the man sitting at the head of the table. Derrick Langston, the Chief Marketing Officer, beamed as he leaned forward, a gleam of charm in his eyes. His smile widened as he continued, "After all these months of negotiations, I have to say, you are one tough negotiator. But I know, Mr. Miller, that after you see this new offer, you'll agree. We're confident this will be the deal that will finally win you over, and we'll get Ethan Jones as the new global face of Coca-Cola."
He gave a deep laugh, a sound that was both genuine and reassuring. The others in the room followed suit, joining in the shared moment. Even Bill couldn't help but smile, a flicker of satisfaction crossing his face at Derrick's words.
Bill knew that something big was on the horizon. The company's approach had been measured, thoughtful, and thorough. It was clear they were serious, and for the first time, Bill felt the culmination of months of negotiation taking shape before him.
"Yes, Mr. Miller," came the voice of Angela Cortez, the Executive Vice President of Strategic Partnerships. She had been the one Bill had spent the most time negotiating with, and she was as tough as they came. She had always been firm but fair, a difficult nut to crack. She handed Bill a sleek brown envelope, and Bill instinctively reached out for it, his fingers brushing the paper as he took it.
Bill's pulse quickened slightly as he looked at the envelope, his heartbeat racing with the anticipation of what was inside. Lisa, standing beside him, subtly shifted her posture, her eyes widening as she noticed the envelope being handed to Bill. She gave him a small, questioning look, but Bill didn't respond immediately. He carefully slid his finger under the flap of the envelope, pulling out the contents. The room seemed to hold its breath.
As Bill opened the envelope, the eyes of everyone in the room were glued to him. He felt a wave of attention wash over him as he unfolded the letter inside.
Lisa's eyes stretched in disbelief, and she mouthed the word, "Wow." Her voice was barely audible, but the reaction was enough to stir the room. The team at Coca-Cola all exchanged knowing glances, their faces reflecting the satisfaction of a well-executed plan. A deep chuckle came from Derrick, filling the space with a sense of triumph.
"Yes," Derrick said, his voice booming with pride. "We've put a lot into this to show our sincerity." His eyes sparkled with the confidence of a man who knew he had won.
Another voice cut through the room—a new voice this time. Celeste Zhang, the Vice President of Consumer Insights and Innovation, a woman who had been instrumental in getting the company to push for Ethan's endorsement, spoke with calm authority. She was the one who had first reached out to Bill, convinced that Ethan was the perfect face for Coca-Cola.
"Yes, Mr. Miller, we're prepared to launch with at least two advertisements," Celeste said, her voice steady and unwavering. "Additionally, we are committed to five major billboards across the country, and plenty more in international markets. This will be just the beginning. We want Ethan Jones to be the face of the brand. We plan an aggressive global launch."
The way Celeste spoke made it clear this wasn't a standard deal. The company wasn't offering just a few commercials or a quick advertising campaign—they were ready to invest serious resources. Bill could already imagine the promotional blitz unfolding.
"We'll have television spots," Celeste continued. "Massive digital campaigns, social media partnerships. Think Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok, with millions of views in the first few days. Then we'll move to streaming platforms—YouTube ads, Spotify playlists, and custom-designed playlists that will feature Ethan's music alongside our ads. We're also looking at exclusive behind-the-scenes content for social media—documenting the whole process, from behind the scenes of the photoshoots to the commercials themselves. This is just the beginning, Mr. Miller. We plan to dominate every platform and market."
Bill nodded thoughtfully, trying to contain the surge of excitement bubbling inside him. This was exactly what he had wanted—exactly what he had been working toward. He had known for months that the perfect endorsement deal had to come at the right time, and now, with Ethan's success on the rise, the pieces had fallen into place.
"This will be a global affair," Celeste continued. "We're talking major product launches, featuring Ethan in the advertisements and billboards across Europe, Asia, and South America. Not only will he represent Coca-Cola's brand image, but we also want him to become part of the Coca-Cola legacy. A global icon. We'll put him at the heart of our initiatives, from global sporting events to new product reveals, always ensuring his visibility and maintaining his position as one of the leading influencers of his generation."
All the promotional ideas were Monica's, and her job was pretty clear: to tap into what the people were interested in. She knew that Ethan Jones was currently on everyone's mind. Since the release of his album, he had become the talk of the town, and she was more than ready to ride that wave of hype. With ideas already forming in her head, she envisioned showcasing Ethan as the face of not just Coca-Cola's flagship drink but all the other affiliates under the brand, using every ounce of media power to launch him into even greater stardom. Laughter filled the room as everyone chatted about upcoming campaigns, and Monica couldn't help but start imagining the photoshoots and commercials. The possibilities were endless.
"Yes, for the video, I'm thinking of something cool," Monica said, her excitement clear. "Maybe something with vibrant colors, high energy, and lots of interaction with fans. We could bring in different styles, something fresh. I'll hire the best directors we can find for this." She paused, already envisioning the production on a global scale. She knew that this was more than just an ad campaign—it was a cultural moment.
As everyone around her continued discussing the latest creative ideas, one person remained focused. Raymond Okoye, the Head of Legal Affairs in the Endorsements Division, kept his eyes on the paperwork in front of him. "Mr. Miller," he said, his tone more serious than the others, "after this meeting, I'll follow you to get the signature from Mr. Jones. Only then can preparations and planning truly commence." Raymond was always the pragmatist, the one who knew that until the ink was dry on a contract, nothing was guaranteed. While the others were already making mental plans, Raymond understood the importance of securing the deal first.
Derrick, who had been listening intently, nodded. "Yes, let's make sure we meet with Ethan and share the good news," he said, his voice softening as he spoke. His expression was less focused on the excitement that filled the room and more on the practical steps that needed to be taken to secure the deal.
Derrick, who had initially been skeptical about the hype surrounding Ethan, couldn't help but feel a shift in his perspective as the conversation unfolded. When Celeste Zhang had introduced Ethan as "the next big thing" in the industry, Derrick had done his homework. As someone who wasn't particularly moved by music in general—unless it was classical or perhaps even more obscure genres—he hadn't initially seen what all the fuss was about. However, Derrick, a seasoned executive, knew better than to dismiss the noise.
Numbers didn't lie. Ethan's numbers were monstrous. His album was breaking records, his fan base was growing exponentially, and social media was buzzing with anticipation for whatever came next. Derrick realized quickly that if Coca-Cola didn't secure Ethan now, their main competitor—Pepsi—would. He thought about their rivals, who had been building momentum for years by leveraging celebrity endorsements. Pepsi had signed Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Rihanna, LeBron James, and even the late Michael Jackson, using their star power to chip away at Coca-Cola's dominance in the beverage market.
Even as Derrick reflected on this, he couldn't ignore the market trends. In the U.S. and other parts of the world, Coca-Cola had long maintained a solid grip on the beverage market, holding 52% of the share. However, Derrick was aware that the company had once commanded a staggering 75% share just 20 to 30 years ago. Over time, the market had changed. Consumer preferences had evolved, and Coca-Cola's strategy had to adapt. Their competitors, particularly Pepsi, had invested heavily in celebrity endorsements, which proved to be a game-changer.
For years, Coca-Cola had held firm, believing that the brand name itself was bigger than any celebrity. They avoided endorsements for a while, convinced that no celebrity was bigger than their brand. However, Pepsi had figured it out early, understanding that in the influencer era, people didn't just want to drink the same beverages—they wanted to emulate the lifestyles of the stars they admired. People aspired to look like, dress like, and act like their idols. And Pepsi capitalized on that by aligning with the most influential figures in pop culture.
Coca-Cola, realizing they needed to shift their approach, had quickly scrambled to play catch-up. Over the years, they signed their own roster of stars: Mariah Carey, Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift, and even LeBron James, whom they poached from Pepsi. They also brought in global icons like Lionel Messi, the football star, using their influence to stabilize their market share and reassert themselves as a dominant force in the beverage industry.
But now, with Ethan Jones emerging as another powerhouse in the entertainment industry, Coca-Cola had no choice but to act fast. They had to lock him down before their rivals did.
As Derrick's thoughts swirled around the stakes of the situation, he glanced at Bill Miller, who was still absorbed in the deal documents. Derrick added another layer of strategy to the conversation. "And Bill, although it's not written in the agreement, I just wanted to inform you that Coca-Cola will be one of the main sponsors of this year's Grammy Awards," he said, his voice low and almost seductive. "While we may not have a say in the voting process, we can still make waves and ensure that Ethan wins everything he deserves this year." Derrick was hinting at the power Coca-Cola could wield behind the scenes, using their sponsorship as leverage to push Ethan even further into the spotlight.
Bill finally looked up from the paperwork, his attention caught by Derrick's words. Derrick, sensing his moment, leaned in a little closer. "So, what will it be, Mr. Miller? Can we finally meet Ethan" he asked, his tone implying the urgency of the decision they were about to make.
Authors Note
("For clarity, Ethan still holds full authority over what deals he accepts or rejects. Bill is working to secure a better future for him, but he understands that Ethan has the ultimate say. Bill's only goal is to surprise Ethan with the best possible deal, whether it's this one or another down the line.")
Also this is done normally
An agent might temporarily withhold certain information to build suspense or maximize the client's negotiating power. For example, if multiple deals are in the works, the agent may delay sharing some offers until they can present them all together, potentially securing a better outcome. Additionally, if an agent believes a particular deal isn't in the best interest of the client, they may withhold the details until they can negotiate better terms or provide more thorough advice. However, this should always be done with the client's best interests in mind and should not compromise transparency.