There was great success for MypersonalTrainer, the Mondadori Media brand leader in the health and wellness sector, which this year attended the MypersonalRimini event at RiminiWellness, the largest international event dedicated to fitness and wellness, which took place from 30 May to 2 June at the Rimini Trade Fair and Riviera.

For the first time MypersonalTrainer completely customised a stage in the 1,000 m2 pavilion in collaboration with wellness ambassador Jill Cooper.

Over the event’s four days, the public was able to enjoy 60 free workouts for different free body disciplines, which sold out immediately. As well as lessons and workouts, which featured coaches and fitfluencers like Jill Cooper and her team, Nicolò Famiglietti, Lisa Alborghetti, Silvia Fascians – all three from Power Talent Agency – together with Roberta Vanzella, Marianna Balsamo, Monia Di Cocco, Tamara Tanzilli, and Ilaria Castagnino, MypersonalTrainer created the Wellness Recharge Area: a space where the public could take a moment to relax and look after their bodies, thanks also to equipment for decontracting massages, and recharge their devices at special stations.

Activities with brand partners

MypersonalTrainer also had branded content and social media storytelling in collaboration with Brand On Solutions, a unit dedicated to special initiatives by retailer Mediamond.
For HiPRO, a Danone brand specialising in high-protein products, MypersonalTrainer created a video to share the story of the experiences offered by the brand at RiminiWellness, with the involvement of Dany Resconi, a food creator with a large social following who is part of the Zenzero Talent Agency roster, and Laura Crugnola, a Power Talent Agency talent, nutrition ambassador for the event and sports nutrition expert.
A video report about all the brand’s activities during the event was produced together with Rio Mare: there was a stage with numerous classes to train on, a stand with entertainment activities and a food truck to try out many light and tasty tuna recipes.

Media partnership with RiminiWellness

As RiminiWellness’s media partner for the third consecutive year, MypersonalTrainer, the leading publishing brand in the world of health and wellness, once again cemented that it shared the values that have always driven the famous event, which is now in its 18th edition: love for fitness, sport, wellness and personal care.
Thanks to extensive daily social media coverage with dedicated video stories and reels, MypersonalTrainer also provided the fit lover community with a broad overview of both its own activities and the entire event for the duration of the event.

Roadmap to MypersonalTrainer Days

MypersonalRimini was also where they launched the third edition of the Mypersonaltrainer Days, which will be held on 14 and 15 September in the heart of Milan, and the related new advertising campaign – created and produced by the Casiraghi Greco& agency and positioned in strategic locations throughout the Rimini event.

After last year’s success with more than 10,000 visitors and the involvement of over 20 brand sponsors, the Arco della Pace will come alive again for an entire weekend with free activities dedicated to fitness, health, wellness, experiential corners and with the participation of personalities from the world of sport, special guests and fitfluencers.

Many new features will be announced very soon. For all updates: www.my-personaltrainer.it/myptdays.

MypersonalTrainer: the strength of a well-rounded digital and live brand

With the success reported at RiminiWellness 2024 and in anticipation of the big event in September, MypersonalTrainer cements its ability to excel in the world of health and wellness not only as a digital brand, topping the web and social media rankings, but also increasingly strengthening its presence as a star in the world of events in the area, offering its brand partners the fruitful cultivation of in-person contact with its audience.

Mypersonaltrainer is Mondadori Media’s leading brand in the world of health, wellness, and healthy and functional sports nutrition, with 14 million unique monthly users (source: Audiweb Total Digital Audience January 2024) and over 6 million followers on socials (source: Comscore Shareablee and Social Insights April 2024).

Fondamenta, a foundation for art and cultural education, was created by Electa Editore on the anniversary of its 80^th birthday.

Fondamenta is rooted in Electa’s wealth of experience in projects for publishing, heritage enhancement and creating and organising exhibitions and cultural events.

The name Fondamenta was inspired by the exhibition of the same name that writer Daniele Del Giudice

launched and curated between 1999 and 2003 in Venice, involving some of the world’s leading authors and artists. Fondamenta was the template for many festivals to come: it was the first to promote reading and the powerful discussion on current affairs that it generates; it was the first to bring the public into contact with intellectuals from various backgrounds and disciplines; it was the first to bring such a high level of cultural debate and performance events to the streets.

Fondamenta would like to be a “working framework”, and to work with others. Ours is a very open, very multifaceted idea of art and literature. We cannot take a step forward without taking a step back; we cannot understand the new if we do not see how much of the continuum, of the old, of the past, there is in the new.

These were Del Giudice’s words when he presented the project at the time, which not only still resonate evocatively and powerfully today, but even seem to trace the path to re-embracing the civil value of debating ideas and the arts to try to envision forms of communal happiness.

The intention is for the new Foundation to be animated and driven by the same spirit. To create open and vital opportunities for cultural sharing, celebrating the most virtuous and successful links between high and popular culture, to return to the principles of peaceful coexistence, inclusiveness and creativity that inspired the best of, again to quote Del Giudice, our “western atlas”.

GOALS

“Fondamenta is the culmination of a cultural adventure that has united a group of people who have visited, thought and worked at Electa over the years. From this resounding accord came the idea that formed the vision and helped make the leap. Fondamenta will implement educational and cultural projects for institutions and communities; at the same time it will be a place for experimental and broad thinking to synthesise our cultural heritage, the conflicts and rifts of the present, and the visions of the future”, explained Carlotta Branzanti, Director of the Fondamenta Foundation.

FONDAMENTA WAS CREATED TO:

• Reflect on contemporary visual culture: bringing the history of art and images back to the centre of interpretation of contemporary events and topical and urgent debates;
• Reconnect the arts to “read” our world: rediscovering the sparkling canvas that unites art, history, literature, poetry, music, theatre, cinema, to “really see” reality and promote an interconnected model of reading and multimedia knowledge;

• Create new ways of “reading” the Italian regions and landscape: enlightened and guided by the fundamental experience of Luigi Ghirri’s “Journey in Italy”, who sensed and shared with his “electiv” group the urgent need to transform the view of the Italian landscape through photography and literature, we would like to propose, through discussions with local communities and large centres, respectful and measured models of knowledge and visits to the regions, which are not just “nostalgic” visions and that can embody emerging values;

• Educate people in the arts and their heritage by original and incisive means of expression, matching methods, languages and principles primarily to the desires and demands that young people express;

• Experiment and innovate with the help of quality partners to envision, research and realise new forms of cultural communication on the narrative of the present and the future, and on the much-debated relationship between art, representation and multimedia.

WHAT THE FOUNDATION WILL DO:

• it will organise cultural events and festivals for institutions and local authorities together with quality partners;
• it will support public and private cultural institutions in cultural enhancement and co-design, including through participation in calls for tenders addressed to non-profit organisations and through public-private partnerships;
• it will develop new products and forms of storytelling, including digital, for culture;
• it will design ‘cultural participation’ activities in towns and small centres that reinvent the narratives of small and large stories using the expressions and languages of the arts in the regions.

Fondamenta will also be a place for thought and design, for creating new forms of cultural communication, as well as for experimenting and hybridising disciplines that make up the world of the ‘arts’, which, if they do not mix and interact with the major themes of modern times, risk losing touch with communities and young people.

The launch of the website will be accompanied by the zeroth issue of FM, Fondamenta Magazine, which, like a radio tuned to the conversation between original voices in the Italian cultural landscape, will amplify the debate behind the ‘laboratory’ of Fondamenta projects.

In the first episode, there will be original contributions by Chiara Alessi, Gabriele Pedullà, Vanessa Roghi, Silvia Bencivelli and Giulia Cavaliere focused on certain ‘frequencies’ – key to laying the foundations for future projects.

WHO WE ARE

The chairship is entrusted to Rosanna Cappelli, Managing Director of Electa Editore. The Foundation will be directed by Carlotta Branzanti.

In addition to the Chair, the Board of Directors will be comprised of Annapaola Negri-Clementi, Ernesto Franco, Guido Guerzoni and Enrico Selva.

Collaborating in the development of Fondamenta’s projects are professionals and companies that have gained in-depth design skills, experience and relationships in museum, publishing, educational, communication and cultural promotion settings and come from different disciplines – from visual arts to literature, from architecture to graphic design, from art history and criticism to economics, journalism and digital communication.

Mondadori Store, the largest network of bookstores in Italy, will inaugurate a new bookstore in Pontecagnano Faiano (SA), in Corso Italia, 18/20, near the Piazza Sabbato, town centre, on Saturday, 25 May at 10.00 a.m.

The new Mondadori Bookstore will offer the entire public in the town of Salerno, which is already home to the Costa d’Amalfi airport and which is undergoing urban development, a centre entirely dedicated to the world of books, culture and entertainment, thus creating an interactive meeting point and a true cultural reference point for locals and tourists alike.

The Pontecagnano Faiano bookstore – led by a team of young booksellers – expands the already extensive Mondadori Store network in the area, in line with the network’s strategy of spreading culture and promoting reading.

“I am happy to create this project with the Mondadori Store network of bookstores, since we share the same goals: to develop places dedicated to culture throughout Italy, making it accessible to everyone and satisfying the tastes of a wide public”, said franchisee Antonio Verderame, who has now opened his eleventh bookstore after the three in Salerno and those in Pagani, Mercato San Severino, Cava de’ Tirreni, Castellabate, Manduria, Baronissi and Arezzo. “Furthermore, by focusing on the quality of the shopping experience, multi-channel services and events, we always put the needs of our reading customers at the centre of our work”, he added.

The new bookstore covers 70 m² and offers a selection of around 11,000 titles, from the great classics to best sellers – including fiction, non-fiction and miscellaneous – and that’s not forgetting early readers with the We are Junior format, which includes educational games and illustrated books to stimulate children’s imagination with the most fascinating stories, and the department dedicated to manga and comics, Just Comic. Areas dedicated to #BookTok, for the new generation of readers, local publishing, as well as stationery, toys, gift cards and gift boxes, also expand the store’s offer. 

The Mondadori Bookstore in Pontecagnano Faiano also serves readers online: customers can be updated on all the activities and events planned through the Facebook and Instagram pages. They will also be able to get in touch with the store through the Mondadoristore.it digital services to check if a book is available, order it and pick it up in the store, choosing from a catalogue of over 1 million titles.

Kobo Italia, in partnership with Mondadori Store, presents“Kobo Colour Days“. These events and activities will converge both digital and physical worlds, offering the public, for the first time, the opportunity to immerse themselves in the universe of digital colour reading.

The protagonists are Kobo’s new colour eReaders which, following their launch on the Italian market, are ready to be explored and touched. This unique experience will be offered at the Mondadori Duomo bookshop. On 17-26 May, from 10.00 am to 7.00 pm, you will have the opportunity to experience the latest technological innovations during a series of engaging activities specifically designed to celebrate the power of colour in digital reading. A dynamic and fun experience, a chance to explore new dimensions of colour and creativity.

“We are thrilled about this new partnership with Kobo, and the opportunity to support such a novelty in publishing and digital reading, namely the new colour devices. Working alongside ground-breaking players, such as Kobo, allows us to offer customers increasingly immersive and innovative reading experiences, besides traditional hard copy books. The aim is to enhance reading as a cultural practice in all its forms, ensuring it is accessible to everybody,” says Francesco Riganti, Marketing Director of Mondadori Retail.

“This event, organised to present our new colour eReaders, also reflects Kobo’s commitment to promoting innovation in the scene of digital reading. We want to make reading a richer and deeply engaging experience for book lovers at all levels. We can achieve this with Mondadori Store, the largest network of bookshops in Italy, by offering readers a dynamic and engaging experience to explore new dimensions of colour and creativity,” says Lorena Landini, Senior Marketing Manager Kobo.

The activity programme is given below:

• ”Armocromia, the colour harmony of Personality” | 17-18-19 May, 10.00 am – 7.00 pm
  The “Colour School” experience enables you to identify the dominant colour of your personality, and the corresponding reader profile through a certified test.

• ”CruciColour: quest for the hidden message” | 20-21-22 May, 10.00 am – 7.00 pm
  CruciColor is a crossword puzzle enriched with original puzzles and quizzes, which challenge participants to guess the hidden words and unravel Kobo’s message. Solutions can only be found by exploring the features of the new Kobo colour devices.

• “Colour Masterclass: diving into the heart of stories with Ilenia Zodiaco” | 23 May, 3.00-4.00 pm + “Be judged by your cover: customise your cover”, 10.00 am – 7.00 pm
  The masterclass, held by content creator Ilenia Zodiaco, explores the beauty of colour books, sharing creative doodling and note-taking techniques with participants.
  She also suggests how to highlight favourite readings in an… unforgettable way. All that could only be done on paper, can now also be done digitally. Indeed, Ilenia Zodiaco, together with other influencers who are book-lovers, will show participants how to further customise their eBooks.

• Customising Kobo Covers with “Art and Magic” | 23-24-25-26 May, 10.00 am – 7.00 pm
  The initiative proposed by “Art and Magic” shows participants how to customise their Kobo covers, turning them into unique works of art. Each participant may choose the best way to personalise their cover, which can be either brought from home or purchased in the shop.

Moreover, on 17-26 May, all customers who purchase a Kobo Clara BW, or a Kobo Clara Colour or a Kobo Libra Colour will have an instant 50% discount on covers and Kobo Stylus 2, purchased along with the device. The offer is only valid on these dates, and only at the Mondadori Store in Piazza Duomo, Milan.

To register for the event, visit the dedicated Facebook page.

Rakuten Kobo is the world’s digital book retailer created by and for book lovers. Owned by Rakuten Group, Inc. with branch in Tokyo and head office in Toronto, millions of Rakuten Kobo users worldwide can read anytime, anywhere and on any device. With a mission to improve the lives of all readers, Rakuten Kobo connects readers to stories by carefully drawing up a customised selection of eBooks and audio books, besides proposing the best eReaders and apps dedicated to reading. Launched with the sole aim of ensuring an easy life for readers, Kobo’s open platform allows people to fit reading into many moments of their busy lives. Read more about Rakuten Kobo:https://www.kobo.com/ca/it.

Mondadori Store is the largest bookstore network in Italy, counting more than 500 stores in cities and smaller towns. This cultural organisation is active throughout the country, online with the e-commerce website Mondadoristore.it, and the book club. In addition to books, its primary service, it also provides entertainment, events and multichannel services, reaching more than 20 million customers every year.

Mondadori Bookstore | MA opens in Naples, at the monumental Galleria Umberto I.

The bookshop overlooks Teatro Salone Margherita, the historic café-chantant, the highest expression of the Neapolitan Belle Époque, in the San Ferdinando district, in the heart of Naples. Featuring furnishings, which harmonise with the Art Nouveau atmosphere of the venue, the bookshop tunes into the period architectural traits, combining them with the corporate philosophy of MA (間): environmentally friendly, smart and young. The Japanese philosophical concept can be interpreted as an interval, a pause and an “indefinite space between heaven and earth where man can rest, free the mind and nourish his soul”, says Antonio Serpe, Chief Retail Officer of Mondadori Bookstore | MA Italy. “A time to stop the hectic pace of everyday life, devote oneself to reading, and tune into nature, thus defining an entirely innovative way of understanding, promoting and making culture,” concludes Serpe.

“As Mondadori Retail, we are proud to cooperate in this initiative. The strength of the MA format is based on the conviction that investing in cultural projects capable of adapting to both present and future challenges, fully respecting people and their work, will contribute to the evolution of even consolidated business models,” says Carmine Perna, CEO of Mondadori Retail. “From the outset, Mondadori Retail shared the vision and objectives of creating a cultural and experiential hub at the service of the community. The intention was to make it a venue for the promotion of reading, entertainment, environmental sustainability and culture in its broadest sense,” concludes Perna.

The Mondadori Bookstore | MA is a fusion concept inspired by Japanese culture and translated from simple ideas into concrete projects by the firm Ricciardi Architetti, in partnership with architect Selene Amico. Tall furniture echoing the natural line of tree trunks creates a gallery that envelops visitors, inviting them to breathe in culture and make it their own, both stimulating and satisfying their curiosity. Combined with bonsai trees and sansevierias – not a random choice, as they purify the air from benzene -, everything in the bookshop recalls nature and environmental sustainability, from lamps to design accessories, from architectural choices to the quality of materials – marine poplar wood and recycled iron -, skilfully processed by master carpenters and  Coppola‘s historical partners. Moreover, ecological water paints, used for walls, can reduce the amount of free formaldehyde in the environment by 80%, while floating floors diminish environmental impact concerning the installation of all systems.

“The Galleria project is the highest expression of our philosophy of placing culture and art, in all forms of expression, at the centre of nature, to bring nature as close as possible to people, especially young people. The aim is to offer a deep emotional experience, leaving everybody free to define their own cultural paths and choices, but also to rely on and be advised by our trained staff of booksellers. Naples is the ideal city for this ambitious project as Neapolitans are passionate readers. Hence, we have invested around 1.9 million euro, and created 18 new job openings. The new location will also house a 300 sq.mt. office area for Mondadori Bookstore | MA offices,” says Serpe.

“The one in Naples (Italy’s flagship store) is our twelfth store. It will soon be followed by two new branches in Pavia, precisely one in the heart of the city in Via Cavour, and the other in the province. Thus, we continue our commitment to open bookshops not only in big cities, but also in the suburbs, to enable young people to get closer to reading, thus promoting a better future for them,” says Nello Nunziata, Head of the Store Development Division.

Mondadori Bookstore | MA in Naples covers a surface area of 1,000 sq.mt, with an offer of 148,000 books spanning great classics and best sellers – including fiction, non-fiction and miscellaneous. The We are Junior area includes children’s books, educational games, and illustrated fairy tales to stimulate the imagination of kids. Finally, the innovative section Just Comics, centred on mangas and comics, summons Generation Z. There is also an area dedicated to music and  cinema, with a wide selection of CDs, vinyl records and DVDs. The venue also presents a book buvette area, a free coworking hub, reading space reserved for reading and study, a space for wine tastings, and an exclusive area for events, designed to host some of the leading figures in the local, national and international art scene. Two large touch screen totems allow social interaction, while click & collect, and self checkouts allow customers to buy online on the bookshop’s website and collect in store. Trovalibro, Book Finder, locates the desired book among those available in store, thus making the reader’s experience in the bookshop pleasant and easy.

The store also features a large photo gallery dedicated to the art and contemporary photography of young emerging talents, offering them the opportunity to display their work in the heart of the gallery from time to time. This is the case of Vittorio Cioffi, Michele De Cesare, Gerardo Massaro, Fabio Monk and Davide Orfeo, who will open the exhibition Metamorfosi napoletana.

“The new Mondadori Bookstore | MA has the ambition of becoming a cultural hub that is accessible and usable by the entire Neapolitan community. It will also propose a rich calendar of events studied to offer, from the onset, some important names from the world of culture, who will enliven our gallery,” says Nunziata. “Furthermore, through various initiatives, the bookshop is also very attentive and sensitive to contemporary social and environmental issues,” concludes Nunziata.

MONDADORI BOOKSTORE| MA expresses an innovative, environmentally friendly, young and smart bookstore concept addressing Generation Z and beyond. The philosophy is expressed through architectural choices and the materials used to create them, publishing ideas and initiatives. The environmentally sustainable cultural concept has stemmed from the entrepreneurial background of the Neapolitan-minded creators and Mondadori Retail, the company managing one of the largest bookstore networks in Italy, Mondadori Store. Present throughout Italy with      11 stores in Udine, Gravellona, Arma di Taggia, Milan, Turin, Reggio Emilia, Grosseto, Rome, Salerno, Sestu and Catania.                                                 

MONDADORI BOOKSTORE I MA
Address: Galleria Umberto I, 45/46 Naples (NA)
Opening hours: Mon–Sun 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Phone: +39081 4241243
Email: napoli@mabooks.it
IG: @choose.ma – TikTok: @mondadori_ma
https://www.mondadoristore.it/negozi

Benedetta Serpe
mondadorima.social@gmail.com
Phone: +39 333.9008660

Mondadori Group Press Office
pressoffice@mondadori.it
Tel. +39 02.75423159

The Mondadori Group has launched PLAI, the start-up accelerator designed to transform ideas, based on exploiting artificial intelligence, into successful entrepreneurial initiatives. PLAI will offer them a distinctive field of application and an industrial outlet both at the publishing house and with the initiative’s partners.

With PLAI, the Mondadori Group defines the following goals:

• set up a technology hub to identify highly innovative initiatives in its business sectors – publishing, education, retail, media and advertising;
• acquire a central role in the artificial intelligence revolution, becoming the core of a national and international community of innovators;
• create industrial value and competitive advantage through targeted investments in AI start-ups.

“Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming many markets. In a scenario in which generative AI makes content creation and processing a feasible prospect by revolutionising the way any activity is carried out, we want to give a strong impetus in terms of knowledge and informed use of AI in all our business areas,” says Antonio Porro, CEO of the Mondadori Group. “As a leading media publisher, we want to play a central role in the Gen AI ecosystem to lead the industry as a trendsetter, attract talent and offer our customers new products and services. PLAI, our accelerator, was conceived with this goal in mind,” concludes Porro.

PLAI will operate in the pre-seed and seed phases by selecting, for each annual acceleration cycle, 10 Italian and international start-ups that will be supported with an initial investment of EUR 100,000 each, in exchange for a minority share. The Mondadori Group’s overall financial commitment is approximately EUR 6 million, to be invested over the three-year period 2024-2026.

In addition to capital, the accelerator will provide start-ups with concrete AI application areas, structured training and mentorship courses, besides the opportunity to participate in networking events. This will also be achieved with the unique set of skills and assets of relevant Italian and international partners, who have decided to join the Mondadori Group’s initiative, precisely, Startupbootcamp, I3P, Amazon AWS, PwC Italy, Multiversity, GroupM, Codemotion and Datapizza.

Core Operational Allies

• Startupbootcamp, Europe’s first start-up accelerator and a leading global network, will support the PLAI team during every stage of the project, contributing significantly in terms of international scouting, and providing its network of experts and mentors. PLAI and Startupbootcamp teams will cooperate intensively, sharing the same workplace. This partnership is an important part of Startupbootcamp’s vision to accelerate 100,000 technologies featuring a positive impact on the planet and society by 2030.
• I3P, the incubator of Politecnico di Torino, which supports the creation and development of innovative, technology-intensive start-ups, will support PLAI at all stages of the acceleration process, especially by enriching its training offer with more than 10 dedicated workshops.

Strategic collaboration HUB

• Amazon Web Services (AWS) will offer start-ups credits for using the AWS cloud featuring over 200 services, including those dedicated to Machine Learning and Generative Artificial Intelligence, as well as access to AWS’ team of AI experts.
• Multiversity, a leader in the world of education and a pioneer in generative AI applied to digital education, will provide its academic expertise in the technology transfer process, thus creating an ideal ecosystem for the success of start-ups in this field.
• GroupM will provide innovation and expertise in marketing, media and digital technology to bring start-ups closer to customers’ actual business environments.
• PwC Italia will support the PLAI team by providing its expertise acquired in the publishing and media market, and in innovation management processes, by contributing to scouting and training phases for start-ups, and by assisting the PLAI team as strategic advisor.

Communication & Networking

• Codemotion will involve network experts and support the PLAI community’s creation to enhance the programme by fostering meetings with its community of more than 250,000 developers through dedicated events and contests, and participation in the annual conference, a landmark for developers in Italy.
• Datapizza will support the PLAI community’s growth by creating synergies with Gen AI experts, and by reporting on the initiative on the Italian Media Tech, which counts 15 million organic impressions each month.

Where

PLAI‘s DNA is enclosed in the name, a pun that turns play into PLAI, with the addition of the AI factor. It symbolises a dynamic environment, a genuine playground for start-ups that are set and ready to explore and revolutionise the field of generative AI. The PLAl-Ground, a physical meeting and working place at the WAO PL7 space in via Lambertenghi 8, Milan, designed to stimulate creativity and discussions, and to accelerate the implementation of ambitious projects, will be placed at the disposal of start-ups.

Next steps

As of today, start-ups may apply to be examined and selected to access the acceleration programme promoted by PLAI. The selection phase for the 10 start-ups in the first cycle will end with the selection day in mid-September, while the four-month acceleration period will start in October. During this phase, each start-up will benefit from more than 50 hours of dedicated workshops conducted by Italian and international experts, and 20 hours of tailored mentorship. They will have the opportunity to apply their idea both within the Mondadori Group and at PLAI’s partners. In January, a Demo Day will be organised to introduce the start-ups to the market. They will make themselves known to investors and companies, and thus initiate a further important stage of development.

PLAI’s Chairman will be Antonio Porro, Chief Executive Officer of the Mondadori Group, while the CEO will be Stefano Argiolas, Chief AI Officer of the Mondadori Group and founder of Hej!,the start-up acquired by the Mondadori Group in 2021. It offers AI-driven performance marketing solutions.

Moreover, the PLAI team’s strategic decisions will be supported by an Advisory Board comprising a group of established professionals, academics and managers with wide-ranging expertise in AI and business development. They are determined to highlight and push the most promising start-ups to new heights. Advisory Board members are listed below: Alessandra Antonelli, Paola Bonomo, Marco Bressani, Luciano Catoni, Paola Colombo, Guido Di Fraia, Matteo Flora, Luca La Mesa, Marco Magnaghi, Paolo Merialdo, Paola Mogliotti, Giangiacomo Olivi, Giulio Ranucci, Alceo Rapagna, Maurizio Romandini, Chiara Russo, Massimo Sideri and Franco Spicciariello.

Are you ready to PLAI?
www.plai-accelerator.com

Today, the meeting of the Board of Directors of Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.A., chaired by Marina Berlusconi, reviewed and approved the Interim Management Statement at 31 March 2024 presented by Chief Executive Officer Antonio Porro.

“I am very pleased with the economic and financial results achieved in the first quarter. Despite this being the seasonally less relevant period of the year, they allow us to confirm the outlook for the 2024 financial year. Furthermore, in the first few months of the current financial year our Group continued to develop its core businesses, focusing in particular on strengthening its presence in book publishing. We finalised the acquisition of 51% of Star Shop, a distribution and sales outlet management company operating in the comics segment, consolidated since 1st February, and, just a few weeks ago, we completed the acquisition of 100% of Chelsea Green Publishing, a publishing house focused on sustainability issues, which not only allows us to diversify our editorial portfolio, but marks a further step forward in our growth journey outside the Italian trade market, in the United States and the United Kingdom”, says Antonio Porro, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of the Mondadori Group.

Consolidated revenues for Q1 2024 amounted to € 166.1 million, having grown by 3.8% on Q1 2023 (€ 160 million). Net of the change in consolidation scope between the two periods under review, resulting from the consolidation of Star Shop, organic revenue growth was 1.5%.

Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 2024 was € 4.8 million, up 9.3% on the € 4.4 million recorded for the same period of 2023, mainly thanks to the performance of the Trade BOOKS and RETAIL areas.

EBITDA for Q1 2024 came to € 5.7 million, compared to € 4.7 million as at 31 March 2023, showing an improvement of approximately € 1.1 million (+22.7%) due to the favourable dynamics of the management and extraordinary components.

The Mondadori Group’s EBIT for Q1 2024, negative by € 8.7 million, was € 0.5 million lower than the first three months of 2023 owing to the higher amortisation and depreciation recorded in the period, amounting to € 1.5 million, resulting both from the greater investments made in the last twelve months (€ +1 million, including € 0.25 million for the new flagship store project in Piazza Duomo) and from the accounting effects of the Purchase Price Allocation process (€ +0.5 million compared to Q1 2023) connected with the M&A transactions completed during 2023, particularly in the Trade BOOKS area.

Financial expense grew by 0.2 million in total as a result of greater charges linked to the IFRS 16 debt.

The consolidated result before tax for Q1 2024 is negative by € 10.2 million, down by approximately € 1.4 million from the € -8.8 million recorded on 31 March 2023, mainly due to a lower contribution (of approximately € 0.7 million) from the earnings of associates, which in the first quarter of 2023 benefited from a non-recurring component resulting from the fair value revaluation of the investment in the company A.L.I. of € 1.3 million.

The tax component for Q1 2024 is positive by € 4.1 million compared to € 3.6 million as at 31 March 2023 due to the lower pre-tax result.

The net profit attributable to the Group as at 31 March 2024 was negative by € 7.1 million, down compared to the net loss recorded in the first quarter of 2023 (€ -5.2 million) of approximately € 2 million, half of it deriving from the dynamics already mentioned and the remaining part linked to the greater share of the result pertaining to third parties (€ 1 million).

The Net Financial Position excluding IFRS 16 as of 31 March 2024 was € -133.3 million (net debt), an improvement of more than € 17 million compared to € -150.7 million in Q1 2023, due to significant cash generation by the business and despite the dividend distribution cash-out and the acquisition of Star Shop. The IFRS 16 Net Financial Position as of 31 March 2024 amounted to € -205.5 million (net debt), from € -220.8 million in 2023, due to an IFRS 16 debt component of € -72.3 million.

Cash flow from ordinary operations (after cash-out for financial expense and tax) in the twelve months prior to 31 March 2024 amounted to € 69 million and allows the Group to continue to strengthen its financial structure. Extraordinary cash flow was negative by € 19.2 million, mainly due to net cash-outs related to acquisitions and disposals of around € 10 million and restructuring costs of around € 5 million.

Consequently, LTM Free Cash Flow at 31 March 2024 was positive for € 49.8 million, confirming the Group’s capacity to finance its inorganic growth policy and shareholder remuneration policy.

PERFORMANCE OF BUSINESS AREAS

Trade BOOKS AREA

The first three months of 2024 saw a slight decline of 3.8% (in value) in the book market, resulting in particular from the trend in the months of January-February; in fact, the performance in March decidedly bucked the trend, showing an increase of 8.2% on the previous year.
In this context, the Mondadori Group’s publishing houses recorded a 4.7% drop compared to the first three months of 2023, which had however benefited from the publication of “Spare. Il minore” (Spare), the highly successful biography of Prince Harry published by Mondadori. Net of the revenue made from this book in 2023, Q1 2024 shows growth of 1.8% and therefore a significantly better performance than the reference market.

The Mondadori Group maintained its national leadership with a market share of 27.2% as of March 2024.

Revenue for Q1 2024 increased by 4.2%, 1.7% net of the consolidation of Star Shop: despite the first quarter of 2023 having benefited from the huge success of the publication of “Spare. Il minore” (Spare), the biography of Prince Harry published by Mondadori. This positive result is attributable in particular to the quality of the editorial plan implemented by the publishing houses and to several special initiatives, as well as to the growth in digital revenues.

The Adjusted EBITDA of the Trade BOOKS area for Q1 2024 stood at 14.8 million, having grown by approximately 12% (€ 1.6 million), largely due to the improved profitability of the publishing houses.

Education BOOKS AREA

School textbook publishing experiences a typical seasonal performance that sees sales squeezed in the second half of the year following the adoption campaign: as a result, the relating market shares for 2024 are unavailable at this time. For the same reasons, revenue achieved in the first three months typically represents less than 5% of the annual figure.

In the first quarter of 2024, the school textbooks business recorded an overall revenue of € 9.2 million, up 8.4% compared to Q1 2023 (€ 8.5 million) with a positive change attributable to the advance on supplies to top accounts, and therefore showing a performance that is not representative of the trend for the entire financial year.

Adjusted EBITDA in the first quarter of 2024 stood at € -13.8 million compared to € -11.7 million in the same period of 2023, as a result of the advanced production of the new textbooks made available to the sales network to support their promotion. Note that this result is not significant as it stems from the aforementioned seasonality of the business, with the costs of the operational structure and development of the textbooks marketed during the adoption campaign completed at the end of the month of May being recorded during the first quarter.

RETAIL AREA

As previously stated, there was a 3.8% decline (in value) in the book market in Italy in the first three months of 2024 compared to the same period of 2023. In this context there was a substantial stability of the physical channel (+0.4%) and a simultaneous negative trend in the online channel (estimated at -9.8%).
The Mondadori Group’s RETAIL area, however, recorded growth of 2.7% in Q1 2024, with a better performance compared to the market. Consequently, Mondadori Retail’s market share in the Book product stands at 12.5% (up 0.8% compared to 31 March 2023), driven by an excellent performance of direct and franchised stores.

In the first three months, revenue amounted to € 43.8 million, a 9% increase compared to the first quarter of 2023, also due to the consolidation of Star Shop’s retail activities. Organic growth amounted to 5.2%, driven by the Book product, sales of which increased by +4.9% (€ +1.6 million).
In the first three months, the RETAIL area presented an Adjusted EBITDA of € 2.3 million, highlighting growth of over 35% compared to the first quarter of 2023 (€ +0.6 million), attributable to the growth in revenues, in particular of the Book product, and the continued development and renewal of the direct store network.

MEDIA AREA

In the first two months of 2024, the advertising market (excluding search, social, classified and OTT) showed an increase of 4% compared to the previous year.
In Q1 2024, the MEDIA area recorded revenues of € 32 million, a slight decrease of 1% due to the effect of the traditional business, mainly resulting from the structural contraction of joint sales. Conversely, the digital business, which accounts for approximately 42% of the area’s revenues, show an overall growth in advertising revenues of 25% resulting in particular from the positive performance of the MarTech segment and the excellent results of the social agency activities launched in early 2023.

The Adjusted EBITDA of the MEDIA area in the first quarter of 2024 stood at € 3.2 million, having grown by approximately 11% compared to the previous year, owing to the performance of the digital business, the constant improvement in operational activities and the reduction in the cost of paper.

OUTLOOK FOR THE YEAR

In light of the results achieved in the first quarter and the reference markets scenario, the Group believes it can confirm the previously communicated guidance for the 2024 financial year.

Income Statement

• low single-digit revenue growth;
• mid single-digit growth in the Adjusted EBITDA, with margins expected to remain stable at around 17%, thanks to targeted pricing policies and the further reduction of paper and printing costs.

Financial data

In the financial year 2024, the Group is expected to confirm the significant cash generation capacity and therefore an Ordinary Cash Flow of around € 70 million.

2024-2026 PERFORMANCE SHARE PLAN: ASSIGNMENT OF RIGHTS

The Board of Directors, having heard the Remuneration Committee, resolved on the assignments to the beneficiaries of the rights relating to the 2024-2026 Performance Share Plan, established by resolution of the Shareholders’ Meeting of 24 April 2024. Information regarding the beneficiaries and the number of rights assigned are shown – by name, for the beneficiaries who are members of the Board of Directors, and in aggregate form for the other beneficiaries – in the table attached, prepared in compliance with Box 1, Schedule no. 7 of Annex 3A of the Issuer Regulation. The terms and conditions of the Plan are set out in the Directors’ Explanatory Report to the Shareholders’ Meeting of 24 April 2024 and in the Information Document prepared pursuant to Article 84-bis, paragraph 1 of the Issuers’ Regulation, available on the website www.gruppomondadori.it Governance section and on the storage mechanism www.1info.it to the contents of which reference should be made.

PUBLICATION OF THE MINUTES OF THE SHAREHOLDERS’ MEETING

Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.A. informs that the minutes of the Ordinary and Extraordinary Shareholders’ Meeting held on 24 April 2024 are available on the authorised storage mechanism 1Info (www.1info.it), in the Governance section of the Company website www.mondadorigroup.com and at the Company’s registered office.

The Interim Management Statement at 31 March 2024 is made available by today through the authorised storage mechanism 1Info (www.1Info.it), on www.mondadorigroup.com (Investors section) and at the registered office.

The presentation of the results at 31 March 2024, approved today by the Board of Directors, is available on www.1info.it and on www.mondadorigroup.com (Investors section). A Q&A session will be held in conference call mode at 4.00 pm for the financial community, attended by the CEO of the Mondadori Group, Antonio Porro, and the CFO, Alessandro Franzosi. Journalists will be able to follow the meeting in listening mode only, by connecting to the following phone number +39.02.8020927 or via web at: https://hditalia.choruscall.com/?calltype=2&info=company.

The Financial Reporting Manager – Alessandro Franzosi – hereby declares, pursuant to Article 154 bis, paragraph 2, of the Consolidated Finance Law, that the accounting information contained herein corresponds to the Company’s records, books and accounting entries.

Annexes (in the complete pdf):

1. Consolidated Statements of Financial Position
2. Consolidated Income Statement
3. Group cash flow
4. Glossary of terms and alternative performance measures used
5. Information pursuant to Schedule 7 of Annex 3a to CONSOB Regulation no. 11971/1999

Mondadori Store, the most extensive network of bookshops in Italy, is opening a new bookshop in Alessandria on Corso Roma, providing the public with a centre entirely dedicated to books, culture and entertainment on one of the city’s main streets.

The new Mondadori Bookstore — managed by booksellers Veronica and Matteo Fusetti — expands the already extensive network of Mondadori Stores in the area, in line with the network’s strategy of spreading culture and promoting reading in our free time, creating an interactive place to meet and a true cultural centre in one of the most important industrial and commercial areas of Piedmont.

‘For about 30 years, my sister and I have worked passionately as booksellers, with the conviction that culture should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their background,’ says Matteo Fusetti, a Mondadori Store franchisee. ‘Turning what you love into a profession is a privilege that should not be wasted, but rather put at the service of the public. We also like to think that anyone who comes into our bookshop can find something they weren’t expecting and be happily surprised,’ Fusetti says.

The new bookshop covers 200 square metres and offers a selection of 15,000 titles, from the great classics to best sellers, including fiction, non-fiction and other genres. Special attention is reserved for younger readers with the We are Junior format — which includes educational games and picture books to stimulate their imagination with the most engaging stories — and the department dedicated to manga and comics, Just Comic. The store also has areas dedicated to #BookTok, for new generations of readers, local publishing, stationery, toys, gift cards and gift boxes.

The Mondadori Bookstore in Alessandria also serves readers online: customers can keep up to date through the Facebook and Instagram pages. They can also contact the store through Mondadoristore.it digital services to check if a book is available, order it and pick it up in store, choosing from a catalogue of over 1 million titles.

Mondadori Store, the largest network of bookstores in Italy, will have a new store in Aprilia (LT) from 30 April 2024. A landmark for all lovers of culture, reading and entertainment at the Aprilia2 shopping centre, one of the liveliest and busiest areas in the Lazio province.

“We are happy to announce the opening of our bookstore under direct management in Aprilia, which cements the Mondadori Group’s commitment to spreading culture and promoting entertainment and reading. This continues the broader strategy of continuous renewal, enhancement and development of our network of bookstores in Italy, which are increasingly attractive in their role as cultural strongholds”, said Carmine Perna, Managing Director of Mondadori Retail.

Located in a strategic position and nearby the entrance of the shopping centre, the new bookstore — with an area of 170 m² — offers modern, innovative spaces with a layout and furnishings that enhance and emphasise the vast product range of Mondadori Store: a catalogue of more than 11,000 titles — from best sellers to the great classics, including fiction, non-fiction and miscellaneous topics — e-readers, stationery products, gift boxes and gift cards. There is also a We are Junior area specifically designed for young readers. In this section, even the youngest readers can find a rich selection of books, illustrated fairy tales and educational games. The bookstore also houses a wide selection of comics and manga in the dedicated Just Comics department, with superhero comics and graphic novels.

The store also serves readers online: customers can contact the store, follow initiatives and events on its Facebook and Instagram pages and use the digital services at Mondadoristore.it to check the availability of books from the catalogue of more than 1 million titles, order them and pick them up in store.

Mondadori Store, the largest network of bookstores in Italy, is launching an initiative aimed at anyone who wants to dive into the world of the Internet’s most beloved dog to celebrate the release of Francesco Taverna’s second book – A tutto Chico (Fabbri Editori) – and share their love for their four-legged friends.

From 6 to 12 May, Mondadori Duomo will be Chico’s home: it will host a pop-up store dedicated to the world of the irresistible little blonde dog that has conquered the Internet, where fans will have the chance to buy not only pre-sale copies of the book but also exclusive products: from dinner sets to collars for little four-legged friends to cute gifts like t-shirts, mugs and beach towels designed especially for their owners. The corner shop will also be livened up by engaging activities so fans can dive into the special world of Chico: they’ll also be able to leave a letter for the adorable little dog and take funny photos for social media. There will also be a machine for customising dog tags that can be used as key rings or gift ideas.

“Chico and I are excited to open the doors of our house to fans for the first time: everyone will be able to experience the place where our adventures happen. It’ll be a cosy and familiar place, where you’re sure to meet many other like-minded enthusiasts”, said author Francesco Taverna. “Inside the pop-up store, you’ll be able to experience the A tutto Chico world: take a photo in the Chico Giangol, relaxing in our little garden and…well, I won’t say another word, except to say that you’re all welcome”.

The author and father of the irresistible little dog, Francesco Taverna, will be there every day, at different times, at the Mondadori Duomo bookstore, to share stories and fun facts about the world of Chico and meet his fans. The unmissable and end event will be held on Saturday 11 May from 3 p.m. with a special book signing.

And for those who aren’t from Milan, exhibition corners just for Chico and his world will be set up in 6 other Italian Mondadori Bookstores from 7 to 31 May: those in Lombardy in Arese CC Il Centro, Lonato CC Il Leone Shopping Centre, Rozzano CC Fiordaliso, Vimercate CC TorriBianche and those in Romea CC Nave de Vero in Veneto and Florence CC I Gigli in Tuscany.