How Netflix Handled its Fans - Part I

There is a reason Netflix is the hottest media company in the world, and old school studios and broadcast TV are struggling.  It is the way these companies think. There is no better example, than Netflix' recent Cease and Desist letter to a Chicago area pop-up bar themed after Stranger Things, Netflix runaway hit show. Instead of suing its fans, Netflix sent an ingenuous Cease and Desist letter.

My walkie talkie is busted so I had to write this note instead. I heard you launched a Stranger Things pop-up bar at your Logan Square location. Look, I don’t want you to think I’m a total wastoid, and I love how much you guys love the show. (Just wait until you see Season 2!) But unless I’m living in the Upside Down, I don’t think we did a deal with you for this pop-up. You’re obviously creative types, so I’m sure you can appreciate that it’s important to us to have a say in how our fans encounter the worlds we build.

We’re not going to go full Dr. Brenner on you, but we ask that you please (1) not extend the pop-up beyond its 6 week run ending in September, and (2) reach out to us for permission if you plan to do something like this again. Let me know as soon as possible that you agree to these requests.

We love our fans more than anything, but you should know the Demogorgon is not always as forgiving. So please don’t make us call your mom.

Adweek wrote:

That this kind of writing is coming out of Netflix’s legal department shows not just that creativity is valued across the company, but that there’s a refreshing awareness that cease-and-desist letters are marketing materials too—and usually ones that, if made public, don’t reflect too well on the brand.

Read the whole article here:

Netflix Sent the Best Cease-and-Desist Letter to This Unauthorized Stranger Things Bar