Filipinos love to shop. There's an army out there who want to get the most value out of their hard-earned money and haggle like there's no tomorrow. Avid shoppers will surely learn a lot from the Youtube show "Nego King" which will launch on Feb. 8 in Anima Studios'Youtube channel. It will be headlined by radio/TV host Sam YG as the "negotiator" - a role people have never seen him do before.
"Nego King" is the local adaptation of the Korean web series of the same title. It has aired 60 episodes across four seasons in Korea and continues to attract millions of viewers globally. The Philippine version will have Sam roaming the streets, asking people how they feel about a certain product and what would make them purchase it. Then, he will go to the office of the business owner or CEO and relay the feedback about the product. The Nego King will try to work with the company on the best possible deal that could be given to consumers, such as freebies and discounts.
"When the show was first offered to me, I asked myself if they did that because I am Indian by blood. We've always been known to be good in business. I admit that I did not watch the show prior to the offer, and when I ended up finishing eight episodes, I felt excited with the prospect of doing something that I have not done in my 17 years in the industry," Sam revealed.
Aldo Miravalles, Anima's Head of Distribution and Operations, noted that they wanted a Nego King who "can talk to people of all social classes and had a sense of humor." He added that Sam - the seasoned radio and TV host - was the perfect choice because he has "the gift of gab, possesses comedic timing and had negotiating skills."
Sam pointed out that he will be "bringing his style of hosting in the show, but with a twist. People will definitely see a different side of me here. "
"For one, the show is unscripted and my candid reactions were caught on camera," he added. "There were so many things I had to learn. I visited wet markets, stalls and ukay-ukay shops. I observed people. I had to be able to read their body language."
Not only did the show bring out the best of Sam's negotiating skills, it also gave him a number of important lessons.
"One is that you can get what you want with proper planning, strategies, and having the right skillset. Absolutely anything is possible when you learn how to do these things," Sam said.
"The other thing is that you must learn how to listen and speak the language of the person you are talking to. Use your charm if you want to get something. Whenever you negotiate, you have to make the other person feel that they can gain from the deal. It must always be a win-win situation," Sam remarked.
Anima Studios, which is part of KROMA Entertainment, partnered with A+E Networks Asia to bring Nego King to Filipino screens.
“As a global IP Media Group, we’re constantly creating new formats that transcend cultures and languages. We’re thrilled to have found a like minded partner in Kroma, to bring Nego King to the Philippines. Nego King is a digital show made by A+E Korea that has secured millions of fans and popularity with brands . We hope our Filipino viewers enjoy the show and the great deals our Nego King gets just for them,” noted Saugato Banerjee, A+E Networks Asia's Managing Director.
Top e-commerce site Lazada is the official partner of Nego King. The show will be uploaded every Wednesday at 8pm and will be shown on both Anima Studios' Youtube channel and LazLive on the Lazada app.