The marketing executive behind the rebranding of Cell C, as well as its controversial advertising campaign featuring local comedian Trevor Noah, has taken the top marketing position at DStv operator MultiChoice.
Simon Camerer, former group executive head of marketing and commercial sales at Cell C, joined MultiChoice SA on Wednesday as the director of sales and marketing. This follows the retirement of Graham Pfuhl, who will stay on until the end of March to fulfil the handover process. Camerer will report to MultiChoice SA CEO Collins Khumalo.
Camerer left SA's third cellphone operator in December last year, after tenure of just under eight years. At the time, he said he “just needed a break”, but intended to remain active in the ICT space, which he described as “very vibrant”.
Controversial crusade
A Loerie award recipient, Camerer has been known to elicit controversy with his marketing work. He was behind Cell C's trademark makeover in 2010, including Cell C's current logo that is still embroiled in legal processes due to its resemblance to the copyright symbol.
The “Tell Trevor” campaign, featuring Noah as Cell C's “customer experience officer”, was also spearheaded by Camerer, and despite the debate it sparked, it proved successful. At the time, Camerer said that within the space of a month, over 30 000 people had posted messages to Noah, and the Tell Trevor Web site had received over 10 000 views.
On leaving Cell C recently, Camerer said his achievements with the company had been rewarding and he felt that he was leaving the company on a “high note”.
Prior to joining Cell C, Camerer served as marketing director for the Walt Disney Company, in Europe. He also held other senior international marketing and strategy positions at the then Anderson Consulting (now Accenture), and Saatchi and Saatchi Advertising. He obtained a BA degree at Stellenbosch and an MBA at Thunderbird, the American Graduate School of International Management.
Khumalo says Camerer “pushed the boundaries at Cell C, both in terms of marketing and product development”, adding that MultiChoice looks forward to his contribution at the company.
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