The Battle Between Portals and Multimedia Content Sites in the UCC Market: Who is Stronger in Terms of Brand Equity?

Abstract

This study examined multimedia user-created content (UCC) market competition between portals and multimedia content sites in Korea through a Web-based survey using a sample of 500 UCC users. The authors found that, although portals entered the market later than multimedia content sites, they are relatively stronger in people's usage and hold almost the same level of perception of the value and attractiveness of their services as their competitors. Specifically, people visit portals to enjoy UCC more frequently than they do multimedia content sites. In terms of brand equity dimensions, portals are equal with multimedia content sites in “awareness” and are better than multimedia content sites in “behavior.” It might be interpreted that a portal's existing strong brand equity may affect its new products. However, portals are weaker in “image” and “attitude” than the multimedia content sites that created the market, although the market is still at a relatively early stage of maturation. The critical factor that influences behavior for portals is attitude, whereas for multimedia content sites it is awareness. From these facts, if portals succeed in developing a positive attitude among their customers for their UCC, given their existing strong brand equity and marketing endeavors, it might be expected that people's behavior for portals' UCC might be stronger.