Universal Licensing Closing Cafepress (Firefly stuff), Black Market Beagles, 11th Hour

POSTED BY: Mavourneen
UPDATED: Friday, October 27, 2006 16:13
VIEWED: 8864
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MAVOURNEEN

Tuesday, October 24, 2006 1:57 PM

And so it continues...

It started with bluesun, and continues to cafepress.

*Searches for Firefly / Serenity come back with 0 results at cafepress. See the article below from serenitystuff.com.

Buy your Firefly swag now...your favorite shop will be getting a Cease & Desist soon...

http://www.serenitystuff.com/2006/10/23/and-so-it-begins-heads-up-cafe
press-people/

EDIT: I do like at the end of the article, it is offered to remove your link if "you want to lay low for a while..."

EDIT: Adam over at Black Market Beagles has annouced he's closing his site on Oct 27th, and Susan (11th Hour) has been given a few days to close hers as well.

NOTMANDATORY

Tuesday, October 24, 2006 2:02 PM

Quote:
Although it would be really interesting, just for fun, to tally up how much each of us has worked, hour by hour, year by year, to promote increased awareness and sales of their intellectual property. Maybe submit a bill for PR and marketing services rendered.

Amen, brother.

I'm speechless at Universal. Sick to my stomach.

WHOISRIVER

Tuesday, October 24, 2006 2:02 PM

The terms Firefly and Serenity have already been blocked on Cafepress. Store owners need to be very careful as Universal aren't sending cease and desist letters, they're sending legal stuff.

MAVOURNEEN

Tuesday, October 24, 2006 2:15 PM

I just checked some of my favorite shops around the 'net, and they are all still open.

Poplollies.com
Wild Dingo store on Ebay
Things from Another World (tfaw)

Guess I'll be going on a little spree today, seeing how it's the end of the (online)world and all.

WHOISRIVER

Tuesday, October 24, 2006 2:27 PM

Things From Another World (TFAW) produce only officially licensed (from Universal) material, so will be fine.

MRBEN

Tuesday, October 24, 2006 2:27 PM

Question: Is it Universal or Fox? IIRC BlueSun had theirs from Fox, not Universal. But I'm not sure about the rest.

While I understand that this is not ideal from a fan point of view, the silver lining is that there does appear to be some licensed merchandising appearing, and at least the money from that goes direct to Universal, and gives them an idea of the amount of support there is, as well as some extra cash to put towards the sequels.

mrben

"Carpe Aptenodytes"
http://www.jedimoose.org

MAVOURNEEN

Tuesday, October 24, 2006 2:31 PM

point taken, mrben.
*nods in agreement*

Still...
*stamps pouty foot on the ground*

DONCOAT

Tuesday, October 24, 2006 2:34 PM

I agree with MrBen.

While I sympathize with those who worked hard to produce shiny FF/S merchandise and are now being shut down, I see this as a good sign overall. It means that Universal recognizes the commercial possibilities of the Firefly franchise, and that bodes well for the future of the 'verse.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm pointin' right at it!

JONNYQUEST

Tuesday, October 24, 2006 2:34 PM

Aww, man! Here we go. (Hadn't heard about Blue Sun, so this is like a double whammy.) The Domino effect in real time. Is Uni-'Verse-al going to go the way of F*X? Sure it's in a different way but the (inter)Net effect is the same: Don't worry about trying to build the fan base, let's just make sure whatever revenue there is comes to us. We thought they were our friends...

Guerillas: ATTACK!!

"Well, here I am."

FLAME

Tuesday, October 24, 2006 2:51 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DonCoat:
...I see this as a good sign overall. It means that Universal recognizes the commercial possibilities of the Firefly franchise, and that bodes well for the future of the 'verse.

I cannot agree. Explain to me, anyone, why it would be good for them to stop searches for "serenity" - which will also affect anyone selling the serenity prayer, Alcoholics Anonymous, buddhists, new agers, yoga enthustiasts, etc. - or "firefly" - which will also stop searches for certain things related to fairies or insects...

And yet, if you search for Simpsons, Buffy, Deadwood, Star Wars, Star Trek, Battlestar Gallactica or any other number of corporate owned, licensed merchandise, copyrighted shows with "commercial possibilities" in spades, there are still TONS of stuff for those shows on Cafepress.

I don't at all see how singling out FIREFLY fans for indiscriminate heavy-handed harassment bodes well for anything. Sorry. Just don't see it.

Flame

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