DYNAMIC COMMUNICATIONS, TIMES SQUARE – 10 MAY
These beautiful women – but so tall! thought Kazuhiro Saito, the Chess Club’s marketing strategist, as he thanked a six-foot blonde in a short white skirt and very tight white T-shirt, who was leaning over to pour his coffee.
‘You’re welcome.’ Sonya smiled as she straightened up. ‘I hope you have a great visit with us today.’
Sometimes Saito wondered if it was a deliberate policy to parade sexy women at their presentations as a distraction. He refocused on the PowerPoint presentation. Victor Dezner was in full flow.
‘Gentlemen, thank you for this opportunity to share our vision for SuperVerve with you today.’ The visitors nodded an acknowledgement as Katie handed out silver folders with the Dynamic Communications and SuperVerve logos on the cover. Victor continued.
‘Inside your folder is an executive summary of today’s presentation. At the back of the report is a ten-page spreadsheet, itemising expenditure, broken down into the main activities.’ The visitors nodded respectfully.
Victor went on, ‘The stakeholders we will be educating are the doctors and the public. Winning the physicians’ minds is absolutely the key to winning market share.’
‘Agreed,’ Saito said. He’d given them the SuperVerve name and about half of what they wanted in the plan. Still, better let them add their bits.
‘We believe that this plan is a sharply focused, high impact campaign, designed to deliver branding recognition and key positioning.’
Give me strength, thought Saito. Another hour of buzz words and he’d go mad. Still, they were the best in the business and had produced results before. He leaned back in his seat as the campaign was rolled out.
Sensing the tension, Katie Keller decided to move things along. ‘Let’s skip forward to our flowchart slide,’ she said. ‘This really pulls together all the activities and timelines on one page,’ she said, moving swiftly through the slides.
She clicked on the mouse, and kept clicking.
‘Activity Four – TV advertising – we’ve made the storyboards for TV, radio and printed media advertising. We know you’re gonna love it. Production can start immediately – studio time is booked. We can be “on air” in ten days.
‘Activity Five – Outdoor Advertising. All billboard and neon sites are confirmed bookings. Ready to go in ten days when the artwork’s finished.
‘Activity Six – PR: all the press releases for the medical journals, newspapers and magazines have been drafted. We’re using plenty of good quotes from Professor Milton’s group for the medical publications.
‘Activity Seven – Celebrity Endorsement. Anna?’
‘Yes,’ said Anna Milani. ‘I’m glad to say that I’m in serious negotiations with Christopher White’s agent.’
Kazuhiro Saito raised a quizzical eyebrow.
‘He’s exactly what we need,’ continued Anna. ‘Christopher White is this year’s leading scorer for our basketball team, the New York Knicks. He’s a hero; a legend. Nice clean image. Good-looking guy. Speaks well. Turns out he had some stomach problems a few months ago and for the right money he might be more than happy to talk about SuperVerve and how it got him back shooting baskets.’
‘Nice one, Anna,’ said Mark.
‘Absolutely,’ said Victor.
‘Well,’ said Anna, ‘I think he’ll give us a lotta bang for our two million bucks.’
‘Wowee, that’s a lotta stomach problems!’ said Mark and everyone laughed on cue.
Anna continued, ‘I’ll keep you in the loop. And I’ve firmed up terms for product placement on a couple of network TV series, and some reality TV options – perfect for our demographic. I’ve also got a great panel of social media influencers lined up.’
Katie smiled. ‘Okay, thanks, Anna, great work. Finally, Activity Eight.’
Arlene Thomas took over. ‘Interaction with the public. We’ll be rolling out a comprehensive campaign of patient information sessions at doctors’ clinics and hospitals over the next year. We’ll get some good convincing patients involved to talk about the great changes in their life since taking SuperVerve. Then we’ve got a big educational conference for the doctors. It’s a lunchtime event at a top Manhattan hotel, hosted by Professor Milton, Professor Kolsen and Dr Cook. There’ll be lots of information, excellent food and wine and some real good gifts for attendees.’
Victor Dezner turned to face Kazuhiro Saito and Tsan Yohoto, square on.
‘Gentlemen, it has been a great pleasure working with Yamoura in designing this campaign. We believe it’s a winner. Absolutely. It’s going to create a buzz for SuperVerve like no other. We’re absolutely ready to launch. Are you?’
Kazuhiro Saito couldn’t help himself. ‘Absolutely.’
*
LE CIRQUE RESTAURANT, EAST 58TH STREET – THAT EVENING
John Wyse made sure he was early. He jumped out of a cab outside the Beacon Court development at 6.45 p.m. Anna had told him that the restaurant was off the central courtyard. He spotted his reflection in the glazed archway and stopped to straighten his tie, for the umpteenth time. Yeah, not too shabby, John. He’d decided to buy a new suit. Navy, with a faint pinstripe. The salesman had easily convinced him to set it off with a new white shirt and a plain blue tie. Silver cufflinks and polished shoes completed the picture. He hoped Anna would be impressed. He knew how nervous she was about this big client. I wonder if they got the deal?
His eyes widened when he walked into the spectacular glass and steel bar area. They widened even more when he spotted Anna striding towards him, looking like a supermodel. Wow!
‘John, hi, John.’ She looked like she was about to explode with happiness and good news. She threw her arms around him. ‘We got the deal, we won the contract!’ she almost squealed in his ear, as she squeezed him tighter. He could smell the champagne on her breath.
‘Brilliant! Congratulations.’
‘Wow, and check you, Mr Businessman!’ she said, stepping back and looking him up and down. ‘I’m impressed. You look fantastic.’
‘Thanks, you too.’
‘C’mon,’ she said, taking his hand, ‘I’ll introduce you to the guys. The Yamoura guys will be here soon.’ She led him over to the famous levitating glass bar, where the group from Dynamic Communications was standing around the end of the counter.
‘Victor, Katie,’ Anna addressed the partners first, ‘this is John Wyse.’ Wyse shook hands and smiled at Katie, her husband Trevor, and Victor Dezner (who had decided not to bring his husband – just in case the clients weren’t impressed).
‘Pleased to meet you, John,’ said Mark Reynolds, and he introduced his girlfriend, and Arlene Thomas and her boyfriend.
‘Shhh, here they are,’ said Victor Dezner, spotting their Japanese guests in dark suits, coming through the revolving door. ‘Discretion for the moment.’
John Wyse spotted Yohoto and Saito; one small and thin, the other quite fat. A picture of Laurel and Hardy flashed through his mind.
After another round of introductions, Tsan Yohoto and Kazuhiro Saito were handed glasses of champagne.
‘Formal celebrations upstairs,’ said Victor Dezner, as everyone clinked glasses.
*
‘Ladies and gentlemen.’
In the private dining room on the mezzanine level, Victor Dezner had stood up to make the after-dinner speech. Katie Keller had spoken about the importance of celebrating with friends, before the tuna takaki starter. Over the lobster poached with lime and celery purée, Mark Reynolds had got in a good line about how Dynamic saw Yamoura Pharmaceuticals as partners rather than clients.
Victor Dezner finished by proposing a toast and everyone got to their feet.
‘To our great clients and friends, Yamoura Pharmaceuticals. Thank you for trusting us with your business. To Tsan and Kazuhiro – thank you for your friendship. And, finally, to Yamoura Pharmaceuticals, Dynamic Communications and the success of SuperVerve.’ Everyone smiled and clinked glasses daintily.
‘To SuperVerve,’ said John Wyse, raising his glass to Anna.
‘And,’ Victor called, over the buzz of conversation, ‘to make sure everyone gets to meet everyone, for the coffees, I suggest that all the men from Dynamic move a place to the right.’ There was a cheer, and laughter, as the women sat down again.
John Wyse moved to the other side of Anna and found himself sitting with Tsan Yohoto on his right.
‘Mr Yohoto,’ he said, as the waitress filled their cups, ‘what a lovely dinner.’
‘Oh, yes, John, superb. And call me Tsan, please,’ he said smiling, and making strong eye contact.
‘Of course. Tsan.’
They both laughed, then Tsan Yohoto leaned towards him, put his hand on Wyse’s arm and lowered his voice.
‘You must surely be the luckiest man in New York, to be dating the beautiful Anna,’ he said, nodding discreetly in Anna’s direction. Wyse noticed that Tsan Yohoto’s intense brown eyes kept constant contact with his own.
‘Won’t argue with you there,’ said Wyse, feeling proud, ‘she’s absolutely gorgeous.’
‘And very good at her work, too,’ added Yohoto. ‘We have been most impressed with her contributions to our marketing plan.’
‘I have no doubt, Tsan.’ Must remember to tell Anna that. ‘I wish you great success with your new launch.’
‘Thank you. And what line of business are you in, yourself?’ asked Yohoto.
‘I’m a detective, Tsan. NYPD, based outta the Fifth Precinct. That’s downtown, it’s –’
He wasn’t able to finish, as Tsan Yohoto started spluttering and coughing into his napkin.
‘Are you okay, Tsan?’
A few of the other guests had noticed the commotion, but Tsan soon caught his breath again.
‘Yes, yes, thank you, sorry, coffee went down the wrong way.’
‘Can I get you some water or something?’
‘No, no, I’m fine thank you. It’s okay. We should be getting back to the hotel. Tomorrow we fly home, and Dynamic have a lot of important work to do.’ Tsan Yohoto cleared his throat and stood. Kazuhiro Saito followed his lead.
‘Victor, Katie,’ said Yohoto, ‘everyone, you have been magnificent hosts. Thank you for your hospitality. But, unfortunately, we have an early start in the morning.’
Everyone around the table stood up and the goodbyes commenced.
‘John, thank you, a pleasure meeting you,’ said Tsan Yohoto, offering his hand.
‘My pleasure, Tsan,’ said Wyse, firmly shaking his hand. ‘Please let me know if I can ever be of help.’ And he handed over his card, with its gold NYPD shield embossed on the side.
‘Thank you, so much . . . Detective Wyse,’ said Tsan Yohoto, looking at the card. ‘I will.’
Wyse noticed that Yohoto wasn’t making eye contact any more. Almost subconsciously, it struck him as odd. It was one of the first things he was trained to look for, when interviewing a witness or suspect, a sudden change in the pattern of eye contact. It usually meant that the interviewee was uneasy, or had switched away from the truth. Bit unusual, but probably means nothing. Maybe he’s embarrassed about choking on the coffee.
Everyone went back downstairs, and after the Japanese guests had been ushered into their limousine, Victor Dezner suggested a last celebratory drink in the bar.
*
‘I’m so sorry, John, but I’m exhausted, and I’ve just got to be back in the office by 7 a.m.’
John and Anna were holding hands as they shared a cab uptown. He’d suggested that they stop off at his apartment.
‘Sure, honey, I understand.’ But he was disappointed.
‘You were fantastic tonight. Thank you so much. You really did me proud. They were all saying how nice you are.’
‘Oh, well, I aim to please,’ he said, tickling her wrist with his finger.
‘Well, you were great. How did you get on with Tsan Yohoto? I couldn’t believe it when you ended up next to him!’
‘Oh, nothing much, wasn’t much time. Bit of a strange fish really. At first he was all, you know, touchy-feely, best buddies. Then I told him I was a detective and he was like a turtle disappearing into its shell.’
Anna laughed. ‘Maybe he has a few unpaid parking tickets?’
‘Huh.’ Wyse smiled. ‘I dunno. Just got a funny feeling about him, not quite sure what it is, bit shifty or something. But he did say how impressed they were with you at your presentation.’
‘Really?’ Anna’s eyes lit up. ‘Wow, that’s awesome!’
They fell silent again as the cab made another two blocks. Wyse’s instincts about Tsan Yohoto gnawed away at him. Something didn’t seem quite right. Maybe he was after Anna? I’ll have to keep an eye on him.
‘You know,’ Wyse said, ‘I heard someone say that they have about fifty thousand employees, all over the world?’
‘Yeah – thirty-six countries, apparently.’
‘And Tsan Yohoto runs all that? From Tokyo?’
‘Yessir! He’s the Bill Gates of the pharmaceutical world.’
‘Isn’t he kinda old to be running a big corporation like that?’
‘Suppose so, but they work much later in the east. There’s a Chinese guy, runs Hutchison, one of the biggest companies in the world, and he’s eighty-nine. Anyway, Yohoto is retiring in a couple of years.’
‘Isn’t it strange that a guy running a company like Yamoura would be so involved in the detail of one product launch?’
‘Never thought of that. I guess some bosses are real, like, hands on. Anyway, the amount of money they’re gonna be pumping through Dynamic, he can have as much detail as he wants.’
Wyse grinned. ‘So long as he’s not lookin’ to get too close to you.’
Anna laughed and punched his shoulder. ‘No chance, detective. Okay, this is my stop.’ The cab had pulled up outside her block. ‘Thanks again, John,’ she said, pecking him on the cheek, ‘you really were brilliant.’
‘My pleasure.’
‘And you won a prize,’ she said, handing him one of the two Le Cirque presentation boxes of chocolates.
‘Even better.’ He blew her a kiss.
‘Night, John, I’ll call you, soon as I get a chance.’ She blew him one back.
Wyse sat back in his seat. Well done, John, good job. That went well. Feeling pretty good. Warming up nicely. Finally getting to open his top button and loosen his tie felt good too.