Combination strategies are everywhere . . . and have been for quite some time. Most of the ionic brands of car parts are now under about TWO holding company groups. All aluminum wheel companies are similar (even if they might be cast in China, some are machined in the USA). Look at what Holley has under their umbrella now!
Want to consider department store chains? Only thing was that Macy's wanted to be "coast-to-coast" rather than just in NY, so they bought out the May Company (which had already purchased some other smaller chains years ago) and got their "national chain" status. Only thing was that they replaced MOST of the regional content/store brands with their own (made in China). Plus messed with the other merchandise brands that were already there. A few years later, they were in trouble. The people who had been loyal to the May Company-brand stores didn't like what the "big time" Macy's had done, so they went elsewhere. Macy's closed many larger stores in TX, for example, which had previously been profitable.
How much of Exxon/Mobil is "Exxon" and how much is "Mobil"? I'm surprised they haven't combined their motor oils already!
Larger competitors buy up smaller competitors to allegedly have more market share and make more money. The price of success is a "buy-out"?
In the '60s, I always read Motor Trend and Hot Rod. Back in the "green page" days of Hot Rod. Then I discovered Car Life and that they seemed to think favorably of Chrysler products. Then after some great years in the later '60s, Car Life was "merged" into Motor Trend. End of that great deal!
I, too, liked Popular Science and Mechanix Illustrated, in the '60s. They had some good car articles, road tests, and customer surveys, even into the middle '70s.
But "Those were the days"! Digital publishing seems to be "where it's at", BUT if vinyl records can make a comeback, possibly print car magazines, too?
CBODY67