“Mr. Stark, I don’t own my content.”
…is what Spider-Man might’ve said if he were a marketer—fading into algorithmic dust, not the MCU.
This might not be Far From Home (see what I did there?). But it is a reality check for creators, marketers, and business leaders alike.
Netflix thought they had the Infinity Gauntlet. They had the street-level Marvel heroes, the Originals label, the nerds buzzing. But like Thanos grabbing a knockoff gauntlet on Etsy, the power they were flexing? It wasn’t theirs.
And when you build on rented land, you risk everything.
Netflix’s Marvel Mistake: A $200 Million Wake-Up Call
For a moment, Netflix looked unstoppable.
They licensed Marvel characters to create a series of “Netflix Originals” — Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Punisher, and The Defenders crossover. It felt like Netflix was building their own Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Only… it wasn’t theirs.
They didn’t own the characters. Or the stories. Or the fans.
Marvel did.
And Marvel had a plan.
As Netflix poured in $200 million building out this ecosystem, Marvel (aka Disney) was quietly assembling a streaming service of its own: Disney+. And when Disney+ launched, all that content Netflix paid to create was snapped out of existence — just like that.
Netflix was left with… nothing. No rights. No reruns (or long-term distribution). Just a two-year contract delay before the content reverted to the real owner.
And that moat they thought they were building?
It wasn’t protecting Netflix.
It was paving a driveway… for Disney.
You Might Be Netflix (And Not Know It)
It’s easy to point and say, “That’s a billion-dollar problem. Doesn’t apply to me.”
But it does.
Because if you’re growing a brand on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or LinkedIn — guess what?
You’re also building on rented land.
- Facebook throttles your reach.
- YouTube changes its monetization policy.
- TikTok disappears from app stores.
- LinkedIn buries your posts behind pay-to-play ads.
And just like that — poof.
The audience you thought you owned disappears overnight.
What Did It Cost?
Everything.
Let’s bring it back to you — the marketer, the business leader, the creator.
If your content only lives on social media, you’re not building a business.
You’re building someone else’s.
Netflix created The Office Plaza, but Disney owned the entire city.
They funded and promoted amazing shows that built Marvel’s brand. Not theirs. Because they didn’t control the platform, the audience, or the long-term rights.
Sound familiar?
That Instagram following, that viral YouTube video, that TikTok trend — it can all be erased by an algorithm change or a policy update.
And the worst part?
You might not even see it coming.
So What’s the Solution? Build on Land You Own
Social media is important. But treat it like a movie trailer, not the main event.
The real relationship lives elsewhere:
- Your email list
- Your website
- Your community
- Your first-party data
Places where you control the connection, not the algorithm.
Because algorithms make terrible landlords.
The Bottom Line: Rented Land Grows Fast. Owned Land Grows Deep.
That “sinking feeling” Netflix had when Disney pulled the rug? That’s what it feels like when you realize you never owned the thing you were building.
So before you go all in on the next shiny platform, stop and ask:
Whose land am I really building on?
Because if it’s not yours…
It could all vanish in a snap.
Want to make sure your digital strategy is rooted in ownership?
Watch the full video above — and subscribe to the blog for more practical strategies on building sustainable marketing systems that don’t disappear with an algorithm update.
Let’s build something that’s yours. For real this time.