Confrontation or Conciliation? The Plight of Small Media Brands in a Zero Sum Marketplace

Abstract

Small media brands, operating in a highly competitive zero sum marketplace, reach inevitably a strategic crossroads in which they must decide on confrontation or conciliation with larger incumbent brands. Frontal assaults may foster the promise of market share growth but also provoke serious retaliation. Conversely, appeasement maneuvers may foster short-term market survival but also stifle economic growth. This study offers an alternative strategic framework that synthesizes pertinent aspects of niche theory, brand equity theory and judo business strategy. Using the rise of the Fox News Channel as a case in point, a theoretical triad of context, concept and concentration is proposed for deciding how and when a small media brand should disrupt the status quo.

Key Words:

• brands
• strategy
• competition
• differentiation
• niche