I know I just released a blog on the whole First fiasco, but it opened up a can of worms. The thing I didn't address in my last post was I didn't offer any ways on how RT can fix First Membership so Firsties can feel like they're getting their money's worth. But before I offer any suggestions on that, let's first take a look at what the rewards already are.
First Membership Perks:
• No ads
• Early access to episodes
• Exclusive content
• Premium series
• Live broadcasts
• 5% discount at the Rooster Teeth Store
• Early access to live event ticket sales
• Third-party discounts
• FIRST panel at each RTX
• Gold star by your profile name
First Double Gold Perks:
• Monthly box of exclusive merch valued at $60+ (known as the RT Box)
• 10% discount at the Rooster Teeth Store
• Early access to live event VIP passes
• Exclusive contests and giveaways
• Monthly Q&A with Rooster Teeth staff
• Double Gold star by your profile name
Alright. Well, I don't know about you, but those all seem like some really kickass perks to being a Firstie or Double Firstie. Problem is, I don't care about any of those things. And I'm going to guess that a lot of other people don't either or they just simply can't afford it. (Another argument I heard was that credit and debit cards, which are needed to purchase a membership, are ubiquitous in the States, but not over in the Europe which is pissing off a chunk of the European audience.) So, what can RT do to fix First memberships so it doesn't seem like they're punishing Non-Firsties?
Well, since early access to episodes is at the center of everyone's bitch, the simplest and easiest suggestion is to simply get rid of it or to tone it down to the 24-hour period of yesteryear. But, is there a way to still offer Firsties early access without punishing NF's? Well, my first suggestion would be for RT to stop advertising their shows as being premiered on the dates that are only accessible to Firsties since those ads always taste like a lie to NF's. Keep that information on the DL; keep it in the Firstie family.
The problem then becomes how do you sell First memberships? Easy; trailers. Offer a taste of First membership with a trailer of what being a Firstie is all about but only use footage that is exclusively exclusive to Firsties, not footage that will be released eventually to everyone. Another option is to take a random video from the First shows and put it up for everyone, but only for a few hours. Maybe they could also make use of pirating and see it as an opportunity to some free, temporary advertisement before shutting it down.
I want to make it clear that I'm not against RT making money or making the money they need to to produce their content, but the way they're going about it is pitting the community against itself and against them. They're essentially punishing people for not being Firsties by allowing spoilers out into the net and creating animosity between the two camps of RT fans. I myself was spoiled by some of the gags in RWBY Chibi this season because of this sh*t. And the ways that I came up with to get around this sh*t ain't rocket surgery or brain science. Hell, if there was a $1/mo First membership so people could only get early access to their favorite content or paying $5 total and get early access to a single show for an entire season, both ways would go really damn far in quelling the storm.
And like I said in my last post, you do need to give Firsties something for their money, but they're getting quite a lot and First memberships are not the only way RT makes its money. Burnie even made a vlog some months ago detailing how RT does. In the video, he interviewed Matt who said RT gets their money through merch, First memberships, YouTube revenue, sponsorships like Blue Apron, and one more way that I can't remember. What's really strange and disheartening is that with these five ways and all the solutions I came up with, it seems like RT is purposely trying to pressure people into buying First and are doing their damnedest to make it uncomfortable for anyone who isn't. And, this sort of vindictive marketing strategy is out of character for them. Are they motivated by greed or has something else got their balls in a vice? I don't know who else they do business with, but it's possible they're in bed with someone they shouldn't be.
Anyway, those are my suggestions on how Rooster Teeth can make First viable without pissing off Non-Firsties. I will continue to monitor this situation and come out with updates as they become available. Which is ironic because I hate journalism. Anyway, for my next Thursday RWBY post, barring any more unpleasantness, I'll be critiquing Yang's character short and comparing it to Weiss' and Blake's. See you then.
Keep writing, my friends.
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