MPAA, Listen Up: Monty Python Increases Sales 23,000% By Giving Video Away

Step 1: Put your content on the web for free.
Step 2: Put links next to your content to ways people can buy your content if they wish.
Step 3: Profit!

That's precisely the formula Monty Python has followed with their recent foray into making an official YouTube channel, and in their typical cheeky humour, they've posted this note right next to all the free video clips they've put up:

For 3 years you YouTubers have been ripping us off, taking tens of thousands of our videos and putting them on YouTube. Now the tables are turned. It's time for us to take matters into our own hands.

We know who you are, we know where you live and we could come after you in ways too horrible to tell. But being the extraordinarily nice chaps we are, we've figured a better way to get our own back: We've launched our own Monty Python channel on YouTube.

No more of those crap quality videos you've been posting. We're giving you the real thing - HQ videos delivered straight from our vault.

What's more, we're taking our most viewed clips and uploading brand new HQ versions. And what's even more, we're letting you see absolutely everything for free. So there!

But we want something in return.

None of your driveling, mindless comments. Instead, we want you to click on the links, buy our movies & TV shows and soften our pain and disgust at being ripped off all these years.

And just like that, their DVDs have jumped up in Amazon sales rankings, with a 23,000% boost in sales. That's right. 23,000%!

Are you listening MPAA/RIAA/TV networks? This is how you make money in the new media world. Pay attention.

Monty Python Channel [YouTube]
Can Free Content Boost Your Sales? Yes, It Can [Mashable]