Fine Brothers spark fury with YouTube trademark attempt

[jmc]

It's applying an old business model to a newer technology or idea. This works for something like a television network, not sure about a YouTube channel. The idea is sound, but the execution and how they presented it hurt them. I understand they want to protect their videos and content, but their format has been done by others before and now claiming it as theirs is the reason this is beyond shady and full of greed. React World appeared to be their attempt to globalize their channel's format, but it's globalizing a format that really wasn't theirs to begin with.

Had they managed to get away with this they would have flooded Youtube with React videos and they wouldn't have had to pay a cent for it. This subsequently would have made it far more difficult for an alternate reaction style channel to make a name for themselves. Not only that, had one of these affiliate React channels started a new show like 'Teachers React' or 'Doctors React' or '(insert title) React' etc, the Fine Bros would have trademarked those names too. That could have given them trademarks for literally hundreds of titles. They essentially would have been a monopoly within the genre had they not been caught out.

 

[Lencho01]

It's applying an old business model to a newer technology or idea. This works for something like a television network, not sure about a YouTube channel. The idea is sound, but the execution and how they presented it hurt them. I understand they want to protect their videos and content, but their format has been done by others before and now claiming it as theirs is the reason this is beyond shady and full of greed. React World appeared to be their attempt to globalize their channel's format, but it's globalizing a format that really wasn't theirs to begin with.

I'm not trying to direct this towards you specifically Lencho just using your comment to make a point.

Yeah, I hear ya. That's why I think it would've been better to have done it years ago when they first started out and all this YouTube stuff was fairly new and people probably would've accepted it more easily.

 

[Breogan]

Youtube should be inundated with react videos of people reacting to the video of them saying they want to trademark react videos.

 

[Greens]

Youtube should be inundated with react videos of people reacting to the video of them saying they want to trademark react videos.

It is.

 

[Rocketman]

... People actually care about all these hipster losers who make youtube videos?

Don't forget to subscribe!

Hit Like!

 

[jokesonm3]

 

[Lily Adler]

And they lost another 100,000 as of this morning.

 

[Teelie]

Currently they are losing approxmiately 1 subscriber per second.

 

[Hurm...]

I love this destruction

 

[Lencho01]

How much do these YouTube people get from views anyway?

 

[jmc]

Youtube won't give figures but the general rule of thumb is you get about $1-2 per 1000 views. That 's not really a lot of cash. The thing is Fine Bros have a staff of 40 working for them so they need to pump out content often.

 

[jokesonm3]

A dollar per grand views, that's it? Well that's a major rip off lol.

 

[Val_Zod]

The sub loss means nothing to them, but it does represent what reall matters to them. The negative press associated with the name Finebros, the sponsors associated with them, who provide them with huge sums may want to distance themselves from the Finebros just to not be associated with this fiasco.

 

[jmc]

A dollar per grand views, that's it? Well that's a major rip off lol.

Which is why deals outside of Youtube are so important to them. The problem is they may have screwed that up for themselves. Their numbers are still dropping. The irony in all this is they may very well have destroyed their brand in trying to protect it.

 

[jokesonm3]

Which is why deals outside of Youtube are so important to them. The problem is they may have screwed that up for themselves. Their numbers are still dropping. The irony in all this is they may very well have destroyed their brand in trying to protect it.

Yeah not only is there a dangerously low chance of them doing it again, but years of hard work gone down the drain in minutes, it's going to take a long time to get their reputation back now.

 

[Greens]

This hasn't been posted...

Hello,
We’re here to apologize.

We realize we built a system that could easily be used for wrong. We are fixing that. The reality that trademarks like these could be used to theoretically give companies (including ours) the power to police and control online video is a valid concern, and though we can assert our intentions are pure, there’s no way to prove them.

We have decided to do the following:
1. Rescind all of our “React” trademarks and applications.*
2. Discontinue the React World program.
3. Release all past Content ID claims.**

The concerns people have about React World are understandable, and that people see a link between that and our past video takedowns, but those were mistakes from an earlier time. It makes perfect sense for people to distrust our motives here, but we are confident that our actions will speak louder than these words moving forward.

This has been a hard week. Our plan is to keep making great content with the help of our amazing staff. Thank you for your time and for hearing us out.

Sincerely,

Benny and Rafi Fine

*This includes “React,” “Kids React,” “Elders React,” “Lyric Breakdown,” etc. Please note: It takes a while for the databases to update, but the necessary paperwork has been filed.

**Content ID is YouTube’s copyright system that automatically flags content that looks like or sounds like copyrighted content. This mostly flags videos that are direct re-uploads of our videos (which is what the system is built for), but if you know of a video that has been claimed or removed incorrectly, please email us with “false claim” in the subject line.

 

[GR8GODZILLAGOD]

Seeing this destruction has been great. I've never liked these *******s. If you'll excuse me, I'm gonna re-watch Psychicpebbles animation of them again.

 

[Hurm...]

At least THAT, a blunt apology, was a smart move by them.

 

[Warhammer]

Sucks to suck, Fine Bros. The true test of how much damage this fiasco has actually done will be how many views their newest react video gets. That view count will be the reflection on whether this damage is irreparable or not.

 

[jmc]

I've actually liked their content but they overreached here. This really is a warning shot to companies on youtube, you're not too big to fall. Who I feel for are the employees who's job are now at stake because of this.

 

[Travesty]

A dollar per grand views, that's it? Well that's a major rip off lol.

These popular youtubers make a lot of money. These guys were easily pulling in 7 figures a year, and if you're moderately popular, you can make 6 figure salaries. Then you add on sponsors and other deals, and you're looking at even more.

I don't know how much they made in 2015, but in 2014, they pulled in $6.7 million just from their views alone. That's before sponsors or other deals.

 

[jmc]

It depends on whether a youtuber is aligned with a multi-channel network (MCN) as well though. MCN's take a percentage of the money earned, so after youtube takes it's cut you might actually only be earning $0.30 - $0.50 for every $1 you bring in. Of that $6.7M Fine Bros made half may have gone to their MCN partner Fullscreen and Youtube, if you add to the fact they have over 40 employees that's not a hell of money they are making. Someone like Jenna Marbles is probably making a lot more coin relative to the Fine Bros because she has no MCN affiliation.

 

[Kane52630]

Wait a min... One of the guys name is Rafi Fine?

Rafi...

Fine...Fieinstein?

 

[Travesty]

Definitely with their employees, but I imagine they're not paying them that much. Probably $40k-$50k a year. So that's around $2mill for their employees, and they still get around $4.6 between them.

Either way, they're probably making 7 figures a piece even with their employees. I'm sure they'll be fine, but I think their employees will take the biggest hit from this more than anything.

 

[jmc]

Definitely with their employees, but I imagine they're not paying them that much. Probably $40k-$50k a year. So that's around $2mill for their employees, and they still get around $4.6 between them.

Either way, they're probably making 7 figures a piece even with their employees. I'm sure they'll be fine, but I think their employees will take the biggest hit from this more than anything.

They probably know just how vulnerable their concept is which is why they attempted this. They wanted a regular source of income. It does boggle my mind though why they would hire so many people, people are going to be laid off because of them overreaching.