ABSTRACT
In September 2008, Gian Paolo Tagliavia, Managing Director of MTV Italia, received the news that he would be named its future CEO. The top management changes began in July and portended the immediacy of the new strategic directions. MTV Italia had, in fact, been facing a scenario that undermined the business model on which the broadcaster had based its fortune since 1997: revenues from advertising that year recorded a first decline, and the internet and new technologies brought with them new distribution channels. MTV Italia therefore had to rethink its offer in order to remain fresh and contemporary, yet earn the trust and loyalty of its target audience and reaffirm its catalytic role in attracting their attention. The case describes the birth, success and evolution of the MTV phenomenon, both nationally and internationally, and offers several points for reflection on its strategic and organizational capabilities, and how to sustain competitive advantage through strategies and techniques that can evolve over time.
