the unfortunate Maplestory situation

Summary

In this insightful video, a content creator shares their experience with sponsored content and the challenges of maintaining authenticity. They detail their encounter with Nexon regarding MapleStory, where the company tried to influence their review. This led to a reevaluation of how the creator handles sponsorships, emphasizing honesty and integrity. The video also highlights the importance of trust between content creators and companies, with examples of successful collaborations, such as with Jagex and ArenaNet, where transparency and respect for the creator’s vision resulted in productive partnerships.

Takeaways

• 😀 The creator prioritizes audience trust, viewing it as a currency that must be handled with care when doing sponsored content.
• 😀 The risk of losing audience trust is a major consideration when accepting sponsorships, especially when companies ask for positive portrayals of their products.
• 😀 The creator made a fair and genuine review of *MapleStory* that highlighted both positive and negative aspects of the game.
• 😀 Nexon's agency wanted the video to be more positive and aligned with their desired narrative, asking the creator to edit the video accordingly.
• 😀 The creator refused to re-edit the video because it would misrepresent their experience, citing a contract clause about maintaining integrity.
• 😀 Despite not being paid for the video, the creator decided not to release it to avoid a potential legal battle with Nexon, which could be costly and time-consuming.
• 😀 The experience with *MapleStory* changed the creator's approach to working with sponsors, leading them to establish clearer and more transparent contract terms.
• 😀 The new approach with sponsors ensures that the creator can produce content in their style and be paid for it, regardless of the sponsor’s opinion, as long as it remains honest.
• 😀 Companies like Jagex (RuneScape) and ArenaNet (Guild Wars 2) were mentioned as positive examples of sponsors that respect the creator’s integrity and are willing to accept honest feedback.
• 😀 The creator maintains strong, ongoing relationships with companies like Good Old Games and Gamer Subs, emphasizing the importance of working with brands that are confident in their products.
• 😀 The creator's overall philosophy is to work with brands that share the same values of honesty and trust, avoiding the need to compromise integrity for sponsorship deals.

Q & A

Why does the speaker consider sponsored content a risk?

The speaker views sponsored content as a risk because it can harm their relationship with the audience. Since audience trust is crucial for content creators, accepting sponsorships can lead to loss of trust if the content appears biased or insincere.

How does the speaker balance making money with maintaining audience trust?

The speaker carefully weighs the benefits of a sponsorship against the potential loss of trust from the audience. They prioritize honesty and transparency in their content to avoid compromising the trust they've built with their viewers.

What was the speaker's initial interaction with Nexon regarding MapleStory?

When approached by a company representing Nexon for a sponsored video on MapleStory, the speaker proposed incorporating the sponsorship into their 'Worst MMO Ever' series. However, Nexon insisted on a more positive portrayal of the game, which led to a conflict over the content's integrity.

What was the controversy regarding the video review of MapleStory?

The controversy stemmed from Nexon requesting the speaker to edit the video to present a more favorable experience of the game. The speaker refused, citing a contract clause that emphasized maintaining integrity and not altering the review to misrepresent their experience.

Why did the speaker choose not to release the MapleStory video?

The speaker chose not to release the video due to concerns about breaching the contract. Although they were proud of the video, Nexon’s agency advised that releasing the video without payment would violate the agreement, potentially leading to a legal battle.

What was the role of the agency in the MapleStory sponsorship issue?

The agency acted as an intermediary between the content creator and Nexon. Despite the speaker’s desire to release the video, the agency informed them that doing so without payment would breach the contract and potentially lead to legal consequences.

How did the speaker resolve the situation with Nexon and the agency?

The speaker chose not to engage in a legal battle with Nexon, understanding that the company had more resources and could potentially drain their own resources through prolonged legal proceedings. Instead, they decided to forgo releasing the video.

How did the MapleStory incident influence the speaker's future approach to sponsorships?

The incident led the speaker to adopt a more transparent approach when dealing with sponsorships. They now require that any sponsored content be produced in their own style, ensuring they remain honest and fair in their reviews. If a sponsor is unhappy with the content, they still expect payment as long as the content is truthful.

Which companies have accepted the speaker's new terms for sponsored content?

Companies such as Jagex (RuneScape), ArenaNet (Guild Wars 2), Good Old Games, and Gamer Subs have agreed to the speaker's terms, which emphasize honesty and integrity in sponsored content. The speaker values these companies for their transparency and trust in the content creator's approach.

What does the speaker think of working with companies like Good Old Games and Gamer Subs?

The speaker enjoys working with companies like Good Old Games and Gamer Subs because they are confident in their products and maintain a direct, transparent relationship with the content creator. This allows for a collaborative and respectful partnership.