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Today saw another community bash from GW as a new admin was installed to the painting group 'eavy metal on Facebook. He is the range and packaging manager and he started the day by making the group secret, and now he shuts it down.

So why am I bringing it here? Because I don't want them to quietly get by on this. It was so motivating to see the work of actual 'eavy metal staff, and Mark Bedford's Horus had me so close to buying one. I can't say I will now, feeling so let down by GW as I do now.

Why have an outreach social program to jazz up interest in models and the HHHobby when you can simply charge people to see the same pictures!

Genius!

GW distancing themselves from social media, and their customers, even more. Bizzare move.
The group itself was seeing more and more non GW work, so I guess that could be seen as part of the reason. Cos... you know, nobody exists outside GW >_<

Anyway, replacement group has already hit 300+ members, less than an hour after the announcement.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/707327075998173/

Replacement groups aren't the point really, it's just yet another foolish move by a company whose product is so loved and yet is so unloveable

It's beyond a joke now

"The more you tighten your grip, [GW], the more [customers] will slip through your fingers."

Well, if GW doesn't want others to know about them, let them be...?

I suppose, I just find it a shame. As I said, that group had a great culture of sharing ideas and, most interestingly for me, the history of 'eavy metal. I didn't know about Mike Mcvey before that group and have learned a lot in a short space of time because of it.

Shame GW don't want me to link those feelings with them

I'm guessing that the higher ups don't like the idea of one second of paid time going towards something that isn't directly connected with selling models. I bet that the attitude is that the team needs to be painting models for use on box art and in magazines to sell the models, not chatting up randoms on facebook.

Considering GW pretty much closed all the national offices and moved the administration to the UK and the massive cost cutting which lead to the single employee stores that there is not a single thing employees spend their time on that isn't being scrutinized for the chopping block.

It's because GW can't charge people for using Facebook.

willb2064 wrote:
It's because GW can't charge people for using Facebook.

Or it could be that they don't want the painters being able to essentially have a "free advertisement" for their potential services to other companies...

If you want to see the 'eavy Metal team's work, you're all still free to purchase Warhammer Visions.

The HHHobby ain't free.

 Absolutionis wrote:
If you want to see the 'eavy Metal team's work, you're all still free to purchase Warhammer Visions.

The HHHobby ain't free.

Or look on the webstore page, where it is (gasp) free as well.

GW is such a strange company.

 Kanluwen wrote:

willb2064 wrote:
It's because GW can't charge people for using Facebook.

Or it could be that they don't want the painters being able to essentially have a "free advertisement" for their potential services to other companies...

That's an interesting thought actually.

Although, I think this is equally likely going on current trends:

I'm guessing that the higher ups don't like the idea of one second of paid time going towards something that isn't directly connected with selling models.

I think GW just confuse the saying 'lesser of two evils' with 'do the easiest thing'

 Pacific wrote:

 Kanluwen wrote:

willb2064 wrote:
It's because GW can't charge people for using Facebook.

Or it could be that they don't want the painters being able to essentially have a "free advertisement" for their potential services to other companies...

That's an interesting thought actually.

Although, I think this is equally likely going on current trends:

I'm guessing that the higher ups don't like the idea of one second of paid time going towards something that isn't directly connected with selling models.

If that were true, then they would tell the 'Eavy Metal team to stop working on personal projects...as it would be more time they could be working!

Maybe they're bringing back the GW forum...

 Kanluwen wrote:

willb2064 wrote:
It's because GW can't charge people for using Facebook.

Or it could be that they don't want the painters being able to essentially have a "free advertisement" for their potential services to other companies...

Kan....is that....have you.? Ah, I got it, you look splendid, is that a new tinfoil hat you're wearing?!

Surely, if they're studio painters, they're painting stuff that GW is using for promotional purposes, most of which will be freely viewable, somewhere, in some way?

 azreal13 wrote:

 Kanluwen wrote:

willb2064 wrote:
It's because GW can't charge people for using Facebook.

Or it could be that they don't want the painters being able to essentially have a "free advertisement" for their potential services to other companies...

Kan....is that....have you.? Ah, I got it, you look splendid, is that a new tinfoil hat you're wearing?!

Surely, if they're studio painters, they're painting stuff that GW is using for promotional purposes, most of which will be freely viewable, somewhere, in some way?

There's a significant difference between promotional shots and pointing someone towards a company affiliated Facebook page when they approach you about commissions.

Look at how Angel Giraldez has done his "Studio Giraldez" stuff, for example.

Kind of a sad funny--not only are they shutting down the group--but asking members to drop so they don't have to spend the time doing it.

"Dear fans of our product, help us show you the door by collecting your things on the way out--and don't come back"

While others embrace social media, they continue to shun and actively avoid it. I'm sure this internets thing is a fad anyways.

 Kanluwen wrote:

 azreal13 wrote:

 Kanluwen wrote:

willb2064 wrote:
It's because GW can't charge people for using Facebook.

Or it could be that they don't want the painters being able to essentially have a "free advertisement" for their potential services to other companies...

Kan....is that....have you.? Ah, I got it, you look splendid, is that a new tinfoil hat you're wearing?!

Surely, if they're studio painters, they're painting stuff that GW is using for promotional purposes, most of which will be freely viewable, somewhere, in some way?

There's a significant difference between promotional shots and pointing someone towards a company affiliated Facebook page when they approach you about commissions.

Look at how Angel Giraldez has done his "Studio Giraldez" stuff, for example.

There's a functional difference between "check out this album on the Eavy Metal FB page" and "check out x product's entry in GW.com?"

Oh, come now!

 azreal13 wrote:

There's a functional difference between "check out this album on the Eavy Metal FB page" and "check out x product's entry in GW.com?"

Oh, come now!

I didn't see the 'Eavy Metal FB page so this is pure speculation, but GW.com does not actually have the listed names of who painted what.

If the EM page was set up so that it essentially was just their "off the clock photos", there could have been some worry over shenanigans.

*sigh* saw this coming a MILE away, so sad GW doesn't get the fact that 99% of their customer base USES the internet and forms their opinions based on it.....

 TyraelVladinhurst wrote:
*sigh* saw this coming a MILE away, so sad GW doesn't get the fact that 99% of their customer base USES the internet and forms their opinions based on it.....

Yeah, for now, until the fad passes.

Let 'em burn, then maybe something good will rise from the ashes...

New book coming out..."How to alienate your customer base, community, and everyone else in the Industry in 1 year"

I do miss the old days of GW...remember when White Dwarf was about the "hobby" not just GW...

This is Great News! Weren't you all getting tired of talking about how GW's facebook pages were making the "main" company look bad? Wasn't it kind of unfair that the FW and BL pages were shut down but this one was allowed to remain? Well now this problem is solved! From now on GW will be consistent in rejecting obvious business rules that every other company in 2014 understands!

as a member of the page, and a frequent poster of my work there, i can say that it was not just GW minis being posted on the page, nor was it simply the work of the studio...
it was a page that any member could post minis on, from any manufacturer, and there were links to ebay auctions...

since i posted minis from a variety of companies, and links to my auctions (since it was not against the rules), i am part of the problem...
i am sad to see the page go, as there were a lot of great work posted there, and many ex-'Eavy Metal guys that we got to reminisce with, but it is not a surprise, considering that people were posting (myself included) Warmachine, Wyrd, Confrontation, Ebay links, and such...

obviously, they should have tightened the rules, but instead they pissed in the sandbox...
well played, GW, well played...

cheers
jah

Gdub, forging the narrative, JJ, they've become living negative tropes of the 40k world.

Most companies pay for people to manage their social media for the sake of seeming open to their fans and looking new and relevant.

GW does everything they can to avoid having any contact with fans and the outside world.

In Kirby's GW the message is clear:

Whether you're a disatisfied customer or a did-hard loyal fan, just shut the hell up and give us your money.