YouTuber Mark “Markiplier” Fischbach became the company’s largest individual shareholder by acquiring an 8.5% stake in GoPro. Speaking to Bloomberg, Fischbach said GoPro appeared undervalued and that he viewed his investment as part of his goal of making filmmaking more accessible. The remarks came after the release of his first feature film, Iron Lung, this year.
Fischbach shared a video last week introducing GoPro’s new Mission 1 ILS camera and compared the product with the more expensive Red Komodo-X. He said he planned to use the Mission 1 ILS in his future films. While the video contained an affiliate code for the camera, it did not mention his relationship with the company. Marques Brownlee commented on the investment on Threads. GoPro did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Why it matters
The development raises questions about the combination of the roles of content creator and investor in the same person, particularly when that creator has a broad audience. Although the video in which Fischbach promoted the product contained an affiliate code, it did not mention his relationship with GoPro, leaving open the question of how viewers should assess the product comparisons. His linking of the rationale for the investment to the goal of making filmmaking more accessible makes the camera he uses and his production choices part of the discussion alongside the company’s stock. This could establish a benchmark for similar cases involving how the boundary between product promotion and content creators’ commercial interests should be disclosed. GoPro’s lack of a response on the matter leaves it unclear how the investment is being linked to the company’s product communications and its goal of improving access to filmmaking.