Don’t Hurt Your Fans

If you have a powerful brand, don’t use your power to alienate your fans. Last year, CBS and Paramount Studios sued Axanar Productions for copyright infringement. Using a 20 minute short film, Axanar had raised over $1 million through Kickstarter and Indiegogo to finance a full length fan fiction film (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1W1_8IV8uhA). The proposed film was to follow the story of Captain Kirk’s hero, Garth of Izar. CBS/Paramount, who own Star Trek, had a problem with it. This wasn’t the first fan fiction spinoff and CBS/Paramount usually encouraged it. Fan films can enlarge the universe, attract new fans and build loyalty among the current fan base. But Axanar got too close. Commentators speculate that the Axanar’s production values were too good and would have commercial potential. Star Trek fans were appalled at CBS/Paramount’s aggressive tactics. Even J.J. Abrams and Justin Lin, directors of the most recent Star Trek films, supported Axanar. CBS/Paramount tried to calm some of the bad press by coming out with guidelines for producing fan films (http://www.startrek.com/fan-films). Meanwhile, CBS/Paramount continued its lawsuit against Axanar. Last week, CBS/Paramount and Axanar announced that they have settled the dispute. In exchange for CBS/Paramount dropping the suit, Axanar has agreed to follow the fan films guidelines which include a restriction on the length of the films, requiring the use of official merchandise and keeping them family friendly.

WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS. This is not the only instance of the perils of attacking the fans. For example, Warner Bros. tried to crack down on Harry Potter fan sites that were written primarily by children. Bowing to the bad press of picking on kids, Warner Bros. withdrew their cease and desist letters. Every content owner should be able to protect its brand and copyrights. But when pursuing protection, the content owner must be cognizant of the message it sends to its fan and consumer base and not become an IP bully.