Hasbro trying to divide the fandom?

[DjHarmony. 2]

As you may know, the fan favorite pony competition ends september 1st. But WHY would hasbro make this in the first place!?!? its clear that they want bronies gone. They remove fan art, take of videos from youtube. I don't get it?

[Standard User 2,127]

As you may know, the fan favorite pony competition ends september 1st. But WHY would hasbro make this in the first place!?!? its clear that they want bronies gone. They remove fan art, take of videos from youtube. I don't get it?

...wait, what?

 

EquestriaDaily alone has "favorite/least favorite character" polls all the time. A poll isn't going to divide the fandom; it simply shows what percentage of the group likes a certain pony.

 

To think that this is some master plan by Hasbro is silly. Don't worry, and vote Rarity.

[Moonlight 7,279]

It's not some secret conspiracy. It's just a fun little thing to interact with the fans a bit.

 

Just calm down, and go vote Rarity...

[Shanks 10,811]

They are probably doing it to create a bit of excitement and buzz to help hold over both bronies and the "target audience" before season 4 starts. Favorite character wars are problems in some fandoms but I haven't seen too much of that here which is good, it does go on but not nearly as much as I have seen in most other fandoms I have been in. Hasbro dosen't want bronies gone, bronies are making them way too money to want them gone.

 

Hasbro has actually been far more tolerant of fan works than most other companies have been which is smart because it is free advertising for them. If you want to see companies that are really anal about this just wait until you see the kind of stuff that Viacom and Disney have done.

Edited August 29, 2013 by EarthbendingProdigy

[~StatesTheOblivious~ 1,794]

Er, competitions like that are just what some people probably even want as some kind of fanservice and we debate about stuff like that pretty much all the time on our own.

 

And for videos... Well, they don't necessarily want the bronies gone, but they want what every big company wants. Protect their stuff in terms of copyright and make people buy their stuff instead of pirating videos. That's how it goes. Can like it, can hate it.

 

And about standard fanart: I can't recall when someone was sued or warned the last time for drawing ponies...

Edited August 29, 2013 by StatesTheOblivious

[Fluttershyfan94 5,738]

Well it's just for fun and a similar discussion has been going on. During "fighting is magic" situation and Twilight Sparkle becoming a princess and then EQG.. So yeah, it sure did look that way. They're not trying to get rid of us. They take down videos just like any other company would do, it's their material. You can't really watch all TV shows on youtube anyway, probably because of this.

 

So don't worry about it, the impact is over. Hasbro likes bronies, you know why.. $$$$$

[Skeletor Brony 703]

They love the fandom. But they need money to keep the show up and running. So when they remove videos and art, it's because those who had post the stuff have not only violated the copyright on the art and videos, but that also means they putting up stuff for free when they want you to pay for it. If somepony puts up the equestria girls movie on youtube, that means hasbro is getting no money from the theatres playing it or from the stores selling it on DVD.

[Luximus 481]

Wait, WHAT!?...oh, nevermind. I see what's happening. Hasbro still likes us and they still want us to be their fans, but if someone keeps posting stuff that's actually supposed to be money for Hasbro, they're gonna have to remove them, right?

[Skeletor Brony 703]

Wait, WHAT!?...oh, nevermind. I see what's happening. Hasbro still likes us and they still want us to be their fans, but if someone keeps posting stuff that's actually supposed to be money for Hasbro, they're gonna have to remove them, right?

If everything was free, companies would be bankrupt all the time. And if Hasbro goes bankrupt, it looks like I'm out of a job. You don't want me to be out of a job, do you?

[Luximus 481]

If everything was free, companies would be bankrupt all the time. And if Hasbro goes bankrupt, it looks like I'm out of a job. You don't want me to be out of a job, do you?

no, that's what I was trying to say. Say like if people keep posting the movie EG on YouTube, no one would actually buy it for real. And that's how bankruptcy starts! 

[Fhaolan 4,468]

*sigh* They don't remove videos. YouTube does. Heck, there's an official MLP channel on YouTube that *Hasbro* owns that has had it's videos taken down because of YouTube's automatic copyright infringement monitoring software. Mainly because a lot of the copyright 'samples' being provided to YouTube for it's software are coming from the distribution companies Shout! and Discovery (Hub), not from Hasbro itself. So Hasbro is getting hit by these takedowns as well.

 

And Hasbro has not taken down any fan-art. They've asked for certain plushie-makers to not publish pricing lists because it made it look like a manufacturing rather than fan-art, which they complied with, and issued some C&D letters to people who *were* presenting themselves as manufacturers who were mass-producing product without license (someone was mass-producing MLP coins or charms, I believe), or where Hasbro received complaints from people who *did* buy licenses about people infringing on those licenses (Gameloft vs Fighting is Magic).

[Smarts 1,620]

They don't want bronies gone. That's a silly thing to think. It was just a fun little activity for the fans. Hasbro wanted us to vote because it would be a nice little distraction from season 4, I'm guessing. There is no conspiracy here, friend. Just sit back and relax.

[DITR 180]

Hasbro couldn't care less about the fandom. They don't care where their money's coming from, as long as they're getting it fast and getting a lot of it.

[ReverseFaller 2,483]

I can't see hasbro trying to divide the fandom. As long as they have fans to buy their stuff and watch their shows so that they can make money I don't really think they care who are the fans. 

[Scootalove 10,684]

It was just a little fun poll for the fans to be a part of, nothing more. Hasbro isn't trying to divide the fandom, they wouldn't do that because if they did their money flow would stop and no fans would buy the merchandise.

[FoxyCryptid 4,327]

*sigh* They don't remove videos. YouTube does. Heck, there's an official MLP channel on YouTube that *Hasbro* owns that has had it's videos taken down because of YouTube's automatic copyright infringement monitoring software. Mainly because a lot of the copyright 'samples' being provided to YouTube for it's software are coming from the distribution companies Shout! and Discovery (Hub), not from Hasbro itself. So Hasbro is getting hit by these takedowns as well.

 

And Hasbro has not taken down any fan-art. They've asked for certain plushie-makers to not publish pricing lists because it made it look like a manufacturing rather than fan-art, which they complied with, and issued some C&D letters to people who *were* presenting themselves as manufacturers who were mass-producing product without license (someone was mass-producing MLP coins or charms, I believe), or where Hasbro received complaints from people who *did* buy licenses about people infringing on those licenses (Gameloft vs Fighting is Magic).

 

I was going to post about this, but you about summed it up for me XD.

 

I do want to add a couple notes though in support of what you said:

 

The woman making the coins had $10,000 in pre-orders at the time of shut-down and had never asked for permission or offered Hasbro anything. 

 

The cracking down on the plushies didn't happen until that god-awful Lyra plush was made, just throwing that out there.

 

Of the two three C&Ds I know, Gameloft complaining was responsible for two, and the third was a C&D on Magic the Gathering content in the project, not MLP content. 

no, that's what I was trying to say. Say like if people keep posting the movie EG on YouTube, no one would actually buy it for real. And that's how bankruptcy starts! 

 

Nope. Hasbro primarily makes their money from the toys. That's why they've been so leanent on usage of their content from the show.  

[Fhaolan 4,468]

 

The cracking down on the plushies didn't happen until that god-awful Lyra plush was made, just throwing that out there.

 

 

In my mind, I treat that Lyra 'thing' as a special case, and I cannot in any way blame Hasbro for how it reacted to it. It's far too similar to things that caused me to step away from the furry fandom many years back. I know, it's a silly little thing, but there's stuff that just.... *ugh*

 

But you're right, it did trigger Hasbro looking a lot closer at fan-made plushies. As far as I'm aware none of the other plushie-makers got cease & desist letters, just normal letters from Hasbro asking for certain changes to their presentation. Like removing pricing lists and the such that implied mass-production. Interestingly, even though Hasbro now has licensed plushies, it doesn't look like any of those licensees have started complaining about unfair competition from the fan-makers. That particular industry must be a bit more laid-back than the gaming industry (not surprising really, but interesting).

[FoxyCryptid 4,327]

In my mind, I treat that Lyra 'thing' as a special case, and I cannot in any way blame Hasbro for how it reacted to it. It's far too similar to things that caused me to step away from the furry fandom many years back. I know, it's a silly little thing, but there's stuff that just.... *ugh*

 

But you're right, it did trigger Hasbro looking a lot closer at fan-made plushies. As far as I'm aware none of the other plushie-makers got cease & desist letters, just normal letters from Hasbro asking for certain changes to their presentation. Like removing pricing lists and the such that implied mass-production. Interestingly, even though Hasbro now has licensed plushies, it doesn't look like any of those licensees have started complaining about unfair competition from the fan-makers. That particular industry must be a bit more laid-back than the gaming industry (not surprising really, but interesting).

 

Same here, I usually don't care what people are into, but making and selling a MLP "toy" was crossing the line waaaaaay to far IMO. 

 

At least I can excuse some of the art because it's still art no matter if I like the contents or would partake myself, but that was just...

Edited August 29, 2013 by Shoboni

[Powderpuff 390]

Actually, I think the first big case of a plush maker getting a C&D was WhiteDove creations, who churned out an insane amount of plushes on ebay, each one easily going for thousands of dollars. The small-time plush makers and artists are fine and Hasbro usually ignores them, but once they start to bring in the big bucks it becomes an issue. That, and when it has a mass-produced aspect to it - Hashbro's 3D prints, for example.

 

But yeah, OP is totally right. Hasbro wants us blasted off this planet. They just hate the fact that we're spreading their brand name around like the hottest new thing! The last thing they want is free press. And, god, we keep on buying their toys. That's really gotta grind their gears.

[HunterTSN 1,444]

The bronies make up a TON of Hasbro's income, there is no way they would want to get rid of us anytime soon. Also it really isn't like a favorite pony contest is going to divide up the fandom. Most bronies seem to understand that everyone is entitled to their own opinions, even if they are wrong.

[Fhaolan 4,468]

Actually, I think the first big case of a plush maker getting a C&D was WhiteDove creations, who churned out an insane amount of plushes on ebay, each one easily going for thousands of dollars. The small-time plush makers and artists are fine and Hasbro usually ignores them, but once they start to bring in the big bucks it becomes an issue. That, and when it has a mass-produced aspect to it - Hashbro's 3D prints, for example.

 

But yeah, OP is totally right. Hasbro wants us blasted off this planet. They just hate the fact that we're spreading their brand name around like the hottest new thing! The last thing they want is free press. And, god, we keep on buying their toys. That's really gotta grind their gears.

 

Actually WhiteDove didn't get a C&D. She has very specifically said that she did *not* get a C&D. DeviantArt was contacted by Hasbro with a normal letter (not a C&D), and DeviantArt told WhiteDove to take down her price sheet to accommodate Hasbro's request. She did not get banned from making plushies, as that's what a C&D would have done. All it was, was taking down her price sheet because it looked like manufacturing. Her DeviantArt account is just fine, and she is continuing to sell plushies through it and eBay to this day.

[Nerdy Luigi 2,064]

It's not some secret conspiracy. It's just a fun little thing to interact with the fans a bit.

 

Just calm down, and go vote Rarity...

That is their idea, but don't vote Rarity. Vote Twilight, please.

Rarity seems just to get a lot of attention, that nobody seems to notice. But Twilight not as much.

[Moonlight 7,279]

That is their idea, but don't vote Rarity. Vote Twilight, please.

Rarity seems just to get a lot of attention, that nobody seems to notice. But Twilight not as much.

Nah, vote Rarity...vote ANYONE except Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash...the other characters need some time to shine, personally. 

[idonotreallycare 94]

I really don't think they want us gone. We make them a lot of money, and Hasbro likes money, so I see no reason they would want us gone.

 

Besides, we discuss the topic of best pony all the time. One little poll, even one made by Hasbro, wouldn't be enough to break up the fandom. You have absolutely nothing to worry about. 

[child of the night 271]

I do not believe that hasbro is trying to get rid of the brony community for it does make up a very large amount of the mlp community.