Sky looks to capitalise on Netflix crackdown with cheeky email campaign

Neflix's crackdown against New Zealanders, and others, who use unblockers to access Netflix US has seemed pretty limited so far.

It's only hit a small number of unblocker users, and there are questions over whether Netflix has its heart in shutting out overseas subscribers (who, after all, are paying customers).

But if you have been hit by the crackdown, Sky TV's Netflix clone, Neon, has just launched a cheeky email market campaign. It's message, which draws heavily on Sky's HBO-sourced content reads:

Halfway through a series on the US version of Netflix and now you are locked out? Never fear, NEON is right here to save the day so your evening bingeing doesn’t need to stop.

NEON has plenty of content the US version of Netflix carries but also a lot of SVOD exclusive content you couldn’t get like, Game of Thrones, Girls, Fargo, Younger, Manhattan, Fear The Walking Dead, The Wire, The Sopranos and coming soon the highly anticipated Vinyl. We also have loads of SVOD exclusive movies, for example 50 Shades of Grey, Cinderella, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars: Episodes I-VI, Maleficent and Captain America: The Winter Soldier ... 

It's likely many those blocked from Netflix US (if they haven't quickly found a workaround) will likely fulfil Netflix's worst fears and spend more of their time and money with the likes of Amazon Prime, Hulu or iTunes, or simply turn to piracy. Still, Neon's got to be in to win.

And as for Sky, it's not counting its chickens.

As the Netflix "crackdown" began, comms director Kirsty Way told NBR, "We back any move that supports the fair use of rights companies have paid for in their territory ... All will be revealed in the 'coming weeks' I guess, and it will become apparent to all if unblocking is still possible or or not." ("coming weeks" is in quotation marks as it's the timeframe referenced by Netflix in its largely detail-free company blog post on its crackdown).

Meanwhile, some of those willing to stray into a grey area and subscribe to Netflix US might also be sneaking a peak at HBO Now.