Chapter 584 - 275: Red Bull: I Provide the Money, You Risk Your Life? (Part 2)

This was something Li Younan had also heard about.

Although he had previously completed feats in front of the camera that seemed astonishing to ordinary people, such as heavy-load trekking across Gongga Mountain and summiting without oxygen, high-speed descents on challenging routes at Beidahu Ski Resort, and solo hunting of grizzlies on the "Alone in the Wilderness" show, Li Younan also knew that Red Bull takes a long time to evaluate an athlete.

Unexpectedly, Red Bull suddenly called after he had already reached the advance camp.

As he was thinking about this, the phone rang again; this time it was a landline call from the capital.

When Li Younan answered the phone, sure enough, the caller introduced themselves directly: "Hello, is this Mr. Li Younan?"

"That’s me."

"Hello, Mr. Li Younan. I am the head of athlete planning for Red Bull Asia Pacific. You can call me Jimmy."

"Hello, Mr. Jimmy."

"Here’s the thing, we’ve been observing you for a long time, but since you don’t consistently operate in one domain, it’s been difficult for us to create a predictable evaluation path, which is why we haven’t proactively reached out to you."

The person even added a slight apology, as if implying "Sorry, I’m only contacting you now."

It took Li Younan a bit by surprise.

But he quickly understood what the other party meant.

They were right; the last time he climbed Gongga Mountain was before he went to Canada, and there’s been quite a long time span since then.

For Red Bull to sponsor an athlete, they must first determine what field the athlete is in. Even those strong enough to have skied down Mount Everest in the past have conquered several peaks above seven or eight thousand meters before receiving Red Bull’s sponsorship.

It’s indeed difficult to tag himself, as the image he presents is quite diverse, making it challenging for Red Bull’s team to conduct vertical evaluations during their assessment.

Jimmy then said, "This time, we noticed your ascent of Mount Everest and the full live-streaming video, which made us decide to proactively contact you."

Li Younan responded with a nod, aware that Jimmy had more to say, so he didn’t rush to interrupt, intending to wait until the other party finished speaking before responding.

Sure enough, as a responsible person with an important role in a multinational corporation like Red Bull, Jimmy handled matters very efficiently. Seeing that Li Younan was also straightforward, he didn’t beat around the bush and said directly: "Based on our long-term observation of you, we are calling to discuss sponsorship matters."

"I hope to complete this meeting over the phone. Do you have time?"

Li Younan glanced at his phone, noting the battery was over 80%, and smiled: "I’m currently lying in a sleeping bag inside a tent, talking to you. Trust me, I have plenty of time."

Jimmy laughed heartily: "I like your sense of humor, Mr. Li."

"Let me briefly outline the contents of our meeting this time."

"The first item on the agenda is to have an in-depth discussion about philosophy."

"The external perception of our Red Bull sponsorship often is ’I pay, you risk your life.’ Actually, I need to explain to you that this is just a stereotype held by outsiders."

"Our cooperation with top athletes isn’t merely a transactional relationship of money and risks; it’s about jointly creating legends and shining together as partners."

Li Younan didn’t pay much attention to this so-called philosophy and naturally didn’t say anything.

Jimmy continued, "Therefore, we need to understand your adventure philosophy and personal story to evaluate the compatibility of our brand temperament with yours."

"This relates to the next item of our meeting."

Li Younan pondered slightly: "Adventure philosophy? Which aspects are you interested in?"

"Simply put, we want to know your goals and purpose for choosing this Mount Everest climb and descent. What do you want to prove?"

Li Younan was initially a little puzzled, but upon hearing this, he immediately understood the other person’s meaning.

Evidently, Red Bull’s sponsorship is different from regular brand sponsorships; it’s not just hiring a celebrity to take a few photos and videos and then boast excessively.

If marketing has levels, the highest level is definitely storytelling!

Red Bull takes this to the extreme.

It not only tells stories but tells ones that are well-received and never fail.

Every extreme challenger often has a compelling story to share.

It emphasizes the philosophy of challenging limits.

Marketing through storytelling is clearly on a higher level than some dry domestic stories.

"Co-creating legends, shining together" is indeed a candid strategy, mutually beneficial.

And Li Younan quickly identified the underlying logic in the other party’s question, so when answering, he naturally had to think seriously.

Recollections of past experiences flashed before his eyes, flowing through his mind, and Li Younan’s gaze quickly became clear and firm.

He organized his thoughts, then slowly began to speak: "Prove what?"

"No."

"Just now, I was with the Mount Everest camp staff, wielding my pickaxe on the ice wall to extract ice."