TIFFANY: We have the capital ready.. t7 R' W: `* Y1 S
Right now I am looking at three different companies to produce our products." j: j7 C! F+ r1 S( i
And your company, Mr. Chen, seems to me to be the best for what we want.; v: {3 A1 b7 y. e7 j
TOM: I appreciate your remarks. And we are always happy to do more business.% D- P/ e8 ^5 Z+ Y9 t
But, you know, if we take on a contract to produce new products,
4 u/ `1 \8 c! @( I+ ~+ k2 J we want to be confident the product is marketable.$ R- y0 }) G! j8 g2 k% h
Because, to start producing new things requires a lot of preparation.4 g* J! p& g+ z1 n( P4 M) r5 n
It requires a lot of investment for us.
2 P& l: ?' E8 F3 S' q- ^) X$ G7 X+ ~ TIFFANY: You have some doubts about our products, I understand.
6 a' j/ G; a2 d" _ e5 ^ TOM: I would like to offer you a good price.
2 {( X: ~8 z( ^& W1 @" u$ y But I won't be able to do that if I think this is a one-shot deal.
) y2 y2 f- n3 _5 k9 D So I would like to have some confidence in your idea.- |' H" v5 {, J' t0 X+ ^3 \
TIFFANY: Of course. Let me tell you in some detail about our idea.
8 I9 f7 W/ g, s8 c& i" J1 L You know the popular “Hello Kitty” products.% q; Y4 O7 P5 ~3 b, T
TOM: Yes, of course.2 Q1 B( z* G/ K4 a4 m
TIFFANY: Well, the products in themselves are very simple., u) ~# y' ]4 Z3 V' X9 \
It is the logo that is successful.2 S: h5 k0 T* [8 b. I
So, “Hello Kitty” is successful because of the logo, but the products are very simple.
+ t5 k [. A! f( B TOM: And I would say the logo is successful mainly because it comes from Japan.: t! T, C( P4 J& `4 L1 J8 y
It is the Japanese that have made it a fad.
6 b" P2 L& Z( c6 \4 t& r TIFFANY: That might be true.
' a$ M( b8 [6 b1 a @! L! P2 }( g But we have a logo concept that is great. It is really great.
$ i O M# w& h/ X I think it will catch on in Taiwan at least. Young people will love it.
0 t! O6 a. f% e! c2 h$ B: T. j It is because of our logo that our products will sell.8 A" g* f/ r' ~% H! l
We just need someone to produce the products for us.
* r$ B; x+ G# K0 y+ U2 b We have the backup and people to do the marketing.
+ [" V- T' }6 R. X7 w2 k" w TOM: So what you are really trying to sell is a fad.
& p+ y. z, T% D1 n3 o' F, ~ TIFFANY: Yes, we would like to make things like key chains,4 Y& f: s+ ~3 S7 J0 J
plastic pencil sharpeners, plastic rulers, watches, wallets, things like that.
( y7 c4 i. F4 l# p m Little accessories for young people. But the reason these will sell is the logo.
/ v3 j, r, @9 | Just like “Hello Kitty.”
2 C8 @: R: W, K TOM: I understand. But why won't you show me the logo?
/ K6 T* i! H; s1 g; e2 y TIFFANY: Because it hasn't been copyrighted. We want to get some protection for it.1 ^+ e. s. s X8 Y8 s+ a' a
But while we wait for copyright, we are investigating companies to produce the products.
. R- U0 @$ e+ F/ |% Q& s, L TOM: I see. The problem, however,
) {6 y( x2 \# l, O, O9 D. | is that I can't be confident in giving you a good price8 V1 z9 T5 I, X
unless I am confident your product will last.
2 {8 E& {5 Y6 _2 ~8 P TIFFANY: I understand. For now, though, you could just give us an estimated price.# r# L4 o. X) `( {8 A" _
We aren't going to sign a contract yet. We are just investigating.
5 H* l T! U6 ]7 u" w0 n I only need to know that your company is capable of producing the products.$ I3 p2 G& M8 l$ @. s
And then, I only need a very rough idea of how much it might cost. g) f" Q$ J, u/ H( s- ^
TOM: Alright. I understand. Right now you just want estimates.
/ E7 Y1 g4 k3 c {7 x4 ^ TIFFANY: Yes. |