Netflix’s new satirical advert pokes fun at archaic installations

By now, we all know that there’s tension between the local paid-TV broadcaster (DStv parent Multichoice) and the international video-on-demand (VOD) streaming service, Netflix. There’s no love lost, and Netflix has just released a very South African-flavoured ad that takes a not-so-gentle dig at its satellite-focused competitor.

Netflix published a video on Twitter this week that pokes fun at the complicated installations required by some rival services like, er, DStv… something Netflix of course doesn’t have to worry about.

The premise is obviously mocking the analogue complexities of South Africa’s older entertainment giant… which could see the officials at Multichoice needing to refill their high blood pressure prescriptions.

Featuring local comedian, Jason Goliath, as an entrepreneurial handyman who gets asked whether he does “Netflix installations”, decides he may as well say yes, and adds a little pizzazz to what’s an incredibly straight-forward process including spray-bottle sweat and other cunning props. Unsurprisingly, the video has gathered a lot of traction online.

DStv has lost over 100,000 premium subscribers and are blaming it on VOD services, especially Netflix. The broadcasting company has called out Netflix for not being BEE compliant and not paying South African tax, pretty much every trick in the book to try and cast aspercians (well, shade really) on its US-based rival.

Netflix is just doing what they do best — creating top-notch, clever, locally-relevant content. It just happens to be the sort of things that’ll likely get a reaction from fans and frenemies alike.

It’s no secret that DStv is losing subscribers at a rapid rate, with many former viewers deciding to go digital. Now to wait and see what the reaction to this obvious callout will be.