Jokes aside, no installation required. pic.twitter.com/HuAPM8Npzs— Netflix South Africa (@NetflixSA) July 23, 2018
Netflix is trolling MultiChoice's DStv and StarTimes' StarSat satellite pay-TV operators - again.
On Monday Netflix South Africa posted a video commercial, starring Jason Goliath as Bevan Jacobs, a Netflix installer in a "Netflix Installer Van" spoofing the satellite home installers that companies like MultiChoice and StarSat send out to customers to install a satellite dish and decoder.
Bevan makes as if he's going through an installation process, even spraying water in his face to appear sweaty as a result of all of the "work" a Netflix installation requires.
Bevan also takes out a big Premium HD box out of his installation van - which is of course completely empty - as he quietly whispers later: "There is nothing in the box".
And look closely - the SABC3 Top Billing presenter Jonathan Boynton-Lee makes a quick guest appearance as someone getting Netflix installed.
The Netflix commercial ends with the tag line: "No installation required".
This is the second time that Netflix is openly trolling MultiChoice.
In May this year Netflix literally shaded MultiChoice during the broadcasting regulator, Icasa's, public hearings into pay-TV regulations in South Africa by flying a helicopter in circles over DStv with a banner proclaiming "Netflix is Here!" overhead.
"From the observations that we have been making in the market is that they've taken Africa very seriously, Calvo Mwela, MultiChoice South Africa CEO told TVwithThinus in May after the incident.
"Netflix for instance have started advertising in Sandton. They had a helicopter even circling during our public hearings at Icasa; the helicopter even made rounds around the campus as well to show that they are here and that they want to get a piece of the action."
"So that demonstrates that they're realising that this is a good market for them and they should be able to get in and compete."
"From what we're seeing, they're taking the market very seriously, they're heavily invested in it, they've started to market strongly around their product offering, and we think it will continue to grow. They're actively participating in the market and trying to capture as much market share as possible," said Calvo Mawela.
Since mid-2017 several South African TV executives, including visiting Amazon Prime Video execs have all told TVwithThinus in unsolicited, separated interactions that they're to various degrees "worried" about the Netflix ads appearing inside the O.R. Tambo airport in Johannesburg at the international arrivals terminal greeting people flying in to the country.
"I was surprised and found it disturbing that Netflix is the first entertainment brand people see who are landing here and that Netflix is 'here' in such a way. I didn't expect it. We will have to do more to bolster our own presence in terms of visibility," one TV executive said in late-2017.
