Summary of the Key Points
Sun Yuchen has launched a strategic campaign that combines public opinion manipulation with legal action by releasing a fictional article titled "My Girlfriend Jing Tian," while simultaneously filing a civil lawsuit against Jing Tian and her parents for a claim of 30 million yuan in "bridal money." The analysis reveals four hidden tactics within this public relations maneuver and highlights a consistent pattern of generating traffic over the past seven years. Sun Yuchen has consistently used various methods such as defining events, associating with high-profile individuals, and creating numerical highlights to attract significant attention at a low cost. The controversy surrounding these incidents does not affect his business fundamentals; his ultimate goal is to strengthen the "Sun Yuchen" brand as a recognizable and influential figure in the public eye.
The Four Public Relations Tactics Used in This Incident
Sun Yuchen's combination of a lengthy article and a lawsuit contains four subtle strategies to steer public opinion in his favor:
1. Seizing the "bridal money" label: By labeling the 30 million yuan as "bridal money" rather than a gift, he effectively predetermined the public's perception of the situation. Even though details like surrogacy were described as fictional, the public already assumed the money was meant to be returned, forcing Jing Tian to defend herself within the framework he established.
2. Empathizing with the working class: The article portrays scenarios familiar to ordinary workers, such as assistants using cash to dissuade audiences, pasting tape on windows, and repairing damaged glass, making readers sympathize with the working class and view Jing Tian's behavior as wasteful, thereby shifting the focus away from the wealth disparity between the parties.
3. Masking financial demands with a romantic narrative: By framing the lawsuit as a story of unrequited love and financial betrayal, Sun Yuchen taps into readers' sympathy, making them more likely to support the idea that the money should be returned, while downplaying the nature of the legal dispute.
4. Putting the woman in a passive position: The article portrays the woman as being stingy and having a tumultuous past through subtle suggestions, making her appear untrustworthy. This portrayal not only weakens her position in the dispute but also helps to spread the story beyond its financial context into the entertainment sector.
The Seven-Year-Old "Traffic Generation Formula"
This approach is not an accident; Sun Yuchen has been using the same tactics for seven years:
1. Defining the narrative first: He always speaks before others, setting the tone of the discussion. For example, he denied rumors about his control over a company in a 2019 report by Caixin and later used the SEC lawsuit in 2023 to frame the situation as an attack on the crypto industry.
2. Leveraging high-profile partners for traffic: By associating with influential individuals like Warren Buffett, investing in the Trump family, or advocating for Musk to acquire Twitter, he taps into their fame to boost his own visibility.
3. Using precise numbers as hooks: Specific amounts like $4,567,888 for a lunch, $30 million in bridal money, and additional $50 million in claims create a sense of authenticity that makes the information more memorable and easier to share.
4. Creating a multi-part story to maintain attention: He breaks up events into multiple stages, keeping the public engaged and interested by gradually revealing more details.
Why This Strategy Continues to Be Successful
This strategy has been successful for seven years due to several key factors:
1. Low cost, high return: Writing an article takes only a few hours, but it can generate massive media exposure. Even if costs are incurred (such as spending 450 million yuan on TUSD), the commercial value generated by the traffic far exceeds the investment.
2. Controversy is not a downside: While celebrities fear negative reputations, Sun Yuchen fears lack of attention. Both criticism and praise serve to increase his visibility, especially in the crypto community (e.g., his TRON token's listing and the SEC lawsuit settlement).
3. Exploiting platform algorithms: Search trends focus on the level of discussion rather than the truth of the content, allowing his fictional stories to spread more quickly.
4. Continuous updates: By releasing new information in a series of events (returning from space, appearing on Forbes covers, attending dinners, and filing lawsuits), he maintains public interest in a continuous narrative similar to that of a TV series.
The Ultimate Goal: Building the "Sun Yuchen" Brand
The core of Sun Yuchen's efforts is not to sell products but to build the "Sun Yuchen" brand itself. Whether through leveraging partners, writing articles, or filing lawsuits, his goal is to remain in the public spotlight. The more controversial his actions, the more memorable his brand becomes, and the more traffic and recognition his business (including cryptocurrencies and affiliated companies) gains. He claims this campaign is not marketing; in essence, he is his own product.
Sun Yuchen's ongoing battle for attention will continue as long as his strategy generates traffic. While the general public may find these incidents entertaining, the underlying logic is a sophisticated approach to generating online attention.