Chapter 35: Filming the Commercial, the Koi Lucky Makeup Look

Domi Cosmetics' decision to seek Jin Li as their spokesperson was premeditated.

Jin Li's sudden surge in popularity was attributed to "good luck," and terms like "good luck," "koi fish," and "winning the lottery" had been frequently appearing online in recent years.

Many makeup brands had simultaneously launched "Koi Eyeshadow," "Koi Lipstick," and "Koi Makeup"... Domi Cosmetics was a step behind, only preparing to launch a "Koi Good Luck Makeup" look in the second year after these terms had gone viral.

In this era of big data, everything moves toward being time-saving, worry-free, and effortless.

Therefore, for this flagship Spring/Summer series, Domi Cosmetics had also prepared a matching "Koi Luck" series consisting of lipsticks, eyeshadows, and even foundations and sunscreens.

The packaging for all products had been completely re-molded; some products were already in production.

Everything was ready; all that remained was the promotion.

Internally, Domi Cosmetics was divided into two camps regarding the promotional strategy.

The first opinion was not to hire a celebrity spokesperson. Their brand focused on affordable makeup with low profit margins, following a high-volume, low-profit model.

Furthermore, the ingredients used in this series were excellent, meaning it was highly likely to go viral through word-of-mouth after its release, creating a continuous stream of organic organic traffic.

The second opinion was to hire a celebrity spokesperson.

Two years ago, they had hired a second-tier actress to endorse one of their products. That year, that specific product became a massive bestseller, performing exceptionally well online.

The profits brought by the product's explosion completely offset the expenditure of hiring a celebrity, and it also introduced many fans to the Domi Cosmetics brand.

This kind of "brand recognition" is harder to weigh than mere sales volume; it is something that cannot be bought with money alone.

It would be difficult to say that Domi Cosmetics' ability to stand out from the sea of second-tier affordable brands was not due in part to the credit of that spokesperson.

The two factions within the group argued for half a month. Just as time was running out and a decision had to be made, the news headline "Jin Li Wins 200,000 in a Scratch-off" fell from the sky and slammed into Domi Cosmetics.

Jin Li, Koi.

Scratch-off, winning the lottery, 200,000.

And the girl even likes to burn incense and pray to gods!

Was there anything more perfectly aligned with the current trend of viral traffic?

Coincidentally, the group had already decided on the "Koi Luck" series. They had to contact Jin Li immediately to prevent a spokesperson who perfectly matched their brand image from being snatched away.

Thus, the sudden concession occurred.

Now, as Jin Li used Domi Cosmetics' products to create the "Koi Good Luck Makeup" they had envisioned and emerged wearing Hanfu from the same series, everyone felt a soul-stirring sense of shock.

Jin Li wore orange-red toned Hanfu with koi fish pendants hanging from her ears. As she moved, the pendants swayed slightly, looking like fish swimming through water.

She stood at the entrance, looking toward them with a faint smile. In that instant, her beauty was almost too surreal.

If she had simply dressed up beautifully, they wouldn't have felt this way, but Jin Li possessed a certain aura.

Her hair, pinned up, added a touch of gentle elegance, while the koi-themed clothing gave her a noble and ethereal beauty.

*If a koi fish could transform into a human and appear in the mortal world, it would probably look just like Jin Li*—they thought in unison.

After being stunned for a while, the photographer let out a long breath. "Let's get to work. We'll shoot the hard-copy promotional stills first today, and use the rest of the time for video."

The shooting content was quite conventional.

First, they had Jin Li pose with various foods to help her regain her familiarity with the camera.

During this process, Jin Li ate while she posed, allowing her tense body to gradually relax and find her rhythm.

Just by eating some fruit, she contributed several stunning promotional shots.

The photographer and the lighting technician discussed as they worked, looking for ways to create a more atmospheric aesthetic.

After a while, they would move directly to shooting the products.

Although Domi Cosmetics had not collaborated much with celebrities—their only spokesperson was from three years ago—they could feel that Jin Li was exceptionally cooperative among female celebrities.

Take the matter of eating, for example; many female celebrities dislike being photographed while eating, feeling the angles are unflattering.

Even when it came to posing with fruit to find the right feel, some found it troublesome and unnecessary, demanding to move straight to the product shots.

There were many reasons for this, but if it involved a popular star, there was likely only one reason

They are busy with schedules and have no time.

Because of busy itineraries, the time left for the brand and the celebrity to coordinate is short. Because it is so rushed, the brand might not be satisfied with the shots, and the celebrity's posing might lack feeling.

Encountering someone as cooperative as Jin Li, the staff at Domi Cosmetics couldn't help but feel moved.

Most importantly, Jin Li was not picky about anything!

They never heard a single word of complaint from her, even though she was sweating from the heat of the Hanfu!

What they didn't know was that while filming, Jin Li felt the [Half the Effort, Double the Result] state faintly activating.

However, every time it activated, the state would vanish after a while, causing her energy to feel somewhat stuttered, making it hard to maintain her flow.

Jin Li wanted them to shoot longer continuous takes, but photography is inherently tedious; unless there is perfect synergy, the photographer has to guide her to change poses every few minutes, interrupting her flow.

Soon, one hour passed.

Two hours passed.

Three hours passed.

The photographer became more and more absorbed in the shoot, and Jin Li's working state improved as well, with the two of them gradually developing a seamless synergy.

However, just then, a "gurgle" sound echoed. Everyone looked over and realized the sound had come from Jin Li's stomach.

Watching from the side, Sui Lingfang asked as if waking from a dream, "What time is it now?"

The staff were also a bit dazed. Looking down, one replied, "It's almost seven."

"It's actually this late!" Sui Lingfang couldn't help but frown. This was her oversight; she should have reminded them to wrap up at six.

Jin Li's body couldn't handle staying up late, and she had to eat regularly, otherwise, she would easily develop stomach issues.

Only then did the photographer realize that although Jin Li's eyes were bright, her makeup had become slightly smudged. He immediately said, "Let's wrap up for today. Teacher Jin Li, let us treat you to dinner!"

Sui Lingfang immediately said cautiously, "Dinner is fine, but Teacher Jin Li cannot drink alcohol."

The photographer was a woman who had a knack for capturing feminine beauty, and she nodded repeatedly. "No alcohol is good; I don't drink either."

Two hours of makeup, two minutes of removal.

Jin Li quickly removed her makeup, applied some moisturizer, and went out without any makeup on.

After everyone had a simple meal and discussed the subsequent video content, Jin Li and Sui Lingfang left the restaurant.

After the two left, a staff member remarked with emotion, "Teacher Jin Li is truly easygoing. She has no airs about her at all!"

"Yes, I felt the same. She's very cooperative, very serious and responsible when working, and never half-hearted!"

"Last time I photographed a celebrity just for a soft-sell promotion, that actress was extremely picky about her angles. A photo that should have taken ten minutes was dragged out to an hour, and she didn't even seem tired."