Robert Downey Jr Gets $12Million HTC One Marketing Deal; Execs Got Half Pay Last Year

[dgstorm]

It looks like shareholders of HTC took the decline of the company last year very seriously. According to a report at the Wall Street Journal, HTC Execs including the CEO Peter Chou all had pay reductions last year that amounted to a 50% drop. Here's a quote with more of the details,

The embattled Taiwanese smartphone maker paid 31 executives a combined 660.5 million New Taiwan dollars (US$22 million) in salary, retirement pay, bonus and profit sharing last year, down 51% from NT$1.36 billion in 2011, according to the report.

The belt-tightening comes after a slide in HTC's market share and earnings over the past two years amid product delays, unsuccessful marketing campaigns and growing competition from Samsung Electronics Co. and low-cost Chinese smartphone makers.

HTC Chief Executive Peter Chou and President of Engineering and Operations Fred Liu made less than NT$100 million each in total compensation last year for the first time in two years, while other high-level executives also moved to lower compensation brackets. ~ WSJ

Meanwhile, it looks like the executives aren't just banking on the HTC One to save them, they are trying to enlist the aid of Iron Man too! Seriously, HTC just signed Robert Downey Jr. to a $12 Million USD marketing agreement, in which he will assist them with a variety of television, print, and billboard advertising. There's no word on if he will actually be in "Iron Man mode", but that seems unlikely. HTC would have to secure IP rights from Marvel to make that happen, so he will probably have to leave his repulsor beams at home.

Still, they are probably banking on the fact that people associate him with the character. In the long run, it could be a real adrenaline shot in the arm to HTC at a time when they need to keep the forward momentum going with the success of their HTC One.

Source: Phandroid