2024

Arma di Taggia (IM) is where Mondadori Bookstore | MA will plant its eleventh Italian flag, creating a new cultural centre with respect for eco-sustainability. The format is inspired by the Japanese philosophical concept of MA (間): “an undefined space between heaven and earth where man can empty his mind and nourish his soul“, where he can, therefore, free himself from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and rest his mind. A whole new way of creating, disseminating and promoting culture. The bookstore has a green, eco-friendly impact, from the materials used for its construction — marine poplar, recycled iron and sustainable water-based paints — to the design itself — tall, curved furniture reminiscent of tree trunks, bonsai trees and sansevieria and that will make its mark on the 170 m² surface area.

The new Mondadori Bookstore | MA offers future readers a choice of more than 14,000 titles, from the great classics to best sellers – including fiction, non-fiction and miscellaneous – with areas reserved for the youngest readers – We are Junior – featuring interactive books, educational games and illustrated fairy tales to stimulate their imagination and curiosity. The department dedicated to manga and comics – Just Comics – which gives a nod to Generation Z, is not to be missed. There is a space dedicated to photography for exhibitions, and at the opening, artist Silvia Nonnis will host an exhibition entitled ‘Explosion of Colours’. There is also a free co-working hub, guaranteeing comfort thanks to a special book buvette, a dedicated events forum ready to host talks and signings and a free reading zone.

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

Knopf publishing house has announced the publication of Alexei Navalny’s memoir, Patriot. The book will be released on 22 October and published in Italy by Mondadori.

Navalny started writing Patriot in 2020, shortly after he was poisoned. The book tells the whole story of his life: his youth, the time he felt the need to devote himself to activism, his marriage and family, his commitment to democracy, and freedom in Russia, which saw him stand up to a world superpower determined to silence him. Navalny was convinced that change could not be resisted, that change will come eventually, and these pages clearly express his message.

With a wealth of gripping details, including unpublished letters from prison, Navalny recounts his political career, the various attempts on his life and the lives of those closest to him, as well as the relentless campaign he and his team waged against an increasingly dictatorial regime.

Navalny’s widow, Julija Navalnaya, comments, «This book is a testimony not only to Alexei’s life, but also to his unwavering commitment to the fight against dictatorship, a fight for which he sacrificed everything, including his life. In these pages, readers will come to know the man I loved deeply, a man of absolute integrity and courage. Telling his life story is a way of honouring his memory and inspiring others to fight for what is right and to never lose sight of the values that really matter».

Written with the passion, acumen, candour and courage for which Navalny was rightly acclaimed, Patriot is his last letter to the world, a touching account of the last years he spent in the world’s most brutal prison, a reminder of why the principles of individual freedom are inalienable, a pressing exhortation to continue the work for which he gave his life.

The book is being published worldwide and will be released in hardback, e-book and audio book editions. The global release date is 22 October 2024. In the US, the first print run is 500,000 copies.

Peanuts 3D Collection, the must-have collection of the famous characters from the world of Peanuts, the historic comic strip published in the United States in 1950 starring Snoopy and Charlie Brown, launched on newsstands last December 2023 with Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni, wins in the Best Licensed Kiosk Product category in the Bologna Licensing Awards 2024, a prestigious award now in its 7^th edition.

The must-have collection of 30 3D figurines, which faithfully reproduce characters from the historic comic book, won a special award. The award is an integral part of the 17^th Bologna Licensing Trade Fair/Kids (BLTF/K), the only fair dedicated to children’s, teen and young adult brands, which will take place from 8 to 11 April as part of the 61^st Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF).

This year, the Bologna Licensing Awards 2024 has 13 categories in total, including two new ones – Best Sustainable Licensing Project and Best New Licensing Stars – and attracted no less than 182 entries from various European countries and other parts of the world, like the UK, the USA, Colombia and China. Five renowned international judges gathered in Bologna’s Salaborsa library to select the winners: Peanuts 3D Collection won first prize in the Best Licensed Kiosk Product category.

The Peanuts collection was created by Mondadori Media’s Joint Sales division, with the help of supplier Pea, a company that produces games, collectables, projects and innovative long-lasting products, both physical and digital, and WildBrain CPLG, a leading global brand, entertainment and sports licensing agency with offices in the UK, Europe, India, the Middle East, the US and Asia-Pacific.

The Mondadori Group reports today that it has signed an agreement for the acquisition by the subsidiary Rizzoli International Publications Inc. of 100% of the share capital of Chelsea Green Publishing Company. Founded 40 years ago by Ian and Margo Baldwin, the publisher is based in Vermont (USA) and in the UK through its subsidiary Chelsea Green Publishing UK Ltd. Its editorial focus is sustainability – particularly green, health and wellness issues – and promoting cultural diversity.

The Mondadori Group already has a presence in the United States through its subsidiary Rizzoli International Publications Inc., a leading publisher of illustrated English-language books on Lifestyle and Interior Design, which has also owned the historic Rizzoli bookstore in New York for the past 60 years.

With the acquisition of Chelsea Green Publishing, the Mondadori Group is taking a further step on its international development journey in English-speaking markets, which recently began with the establishment of London-based Rizzoli UK.

“The strengthening of the Mondadori Group’s presence in the United States and the United Kingdom through the acquisition of Chelsea Green Publishing, and the launch of Rizzoli’s new UK branch, are further steps on our growth path outside the domestic trade market. I am therefore delighted to welcome Chelsea Green Publishing, with whom we share a vision of quality editorial content focused on issues related to sustainability and lifestyles that respect ecosystems and nature,” commented Mondadori Group CEO Antonio Porro.

Consideration for the transaction, which will be paid fully in cash on the closing date – expected by the end of the first half of 2024 – is set at $5 million (on a debt-and-cash free basis) and will be subject to adjustment according to the NFP on the date of completion of the acquisition. In the last approved financial statements (2022), the company reported consolidated revenues of USD 8.1 million and an operating income of USD 1.1 million.

As part of this acquisition, Margo Baldwin will assume the role of Publisher Emeritus of Chelsea Green Publishing, guaranteeing the publishing quality and continuity of the company with her extensive experience. Stefano Peccatori will assume the role of CEO and President, leading the international development and strategic integration, working with the Rizzoli International Publications Inc. and Chelsea Green Publishing teams.

Yesterday evening The Beauty Revolutionwas held: the first  MypersonalExperience at the  Mypersonal space at Yogaessential in the heart of Milan, the exclusive event to celebrate the new beauty offer of Mondadori Media, the leading multimedia publisher in the social and digital area. A dedicated location for brand experience activities with partners; events, workshops, team building, fitness, yoga, wellness and beauty demonstration sessions involving talent.

Less than a month after the launch of MypersonalBeauty, Mondadori Media offers varied and flexible solutions capable of satisfying all business and communication needs in the beauty segment and of accommodating the growing demand for partnerships in the sector also in the field of events, thanks to MypersonalBeauty and The Wom Beauty. Two complementary editorial brands that dialogue with all generations: from the over-35, knowledgeable and high-achieving women of MypersonalBeauty curated by a team of professionals, including Medici, cosmetologists, researchers, wellness coaches and beauticians, to the young under-35s, whom The Wom makes aware, also through the authenticity of the creators of Power Talent Agency, of beauty looks, style inspirations and the latest trends, anticipating trends.

 THE BEAUTY REVOLUTIONEVENT

MypersonalBeauty and The Wom Beauty celebrated the beauty world at an exclusive event on 10 April at the newly opened  Mypersonal space at Yogaessential. It was an opportunity to experience an experiential journey dedicated to beauty, thanks to three special master classes involving guests and partners:

• FACE YOGA: a holistic practice involving facial massage to tone and brighten the skin, dedicating a moment of daily well-being. Teacher: Anna Kostina, bio cosmetologist, Yoga and Face Yoga coach and expert in rejuvenation techniques;
• MAKE UP LAB: tips from makeup artist and face of Power Talent Agency, Sara Dimastrogiovanni, and The Wom beauty contributor Nicole Spiga on how to best wear matte pencil and lipstick in the iconic MAC Cosmeticsshade Marrakesh;
• BODY BRUSHING: the best technique for exfoliating the skin and reactivating circulation by means of special handmade brushes. Teacher Davide Guzzoni: naturopath specialising in wellness disciplines, researcher of body brushing.

Also speaking during the evening were Power Talent Agency creatorsCamilla Mangiapelo and Elisabetta Rossi and MypersonalBeauty beauty trainerAngelica Amodei.

NEW FORMATS AND BRAND OPPORTUNITIES

MypersonalBeauty: exclusive partnerships for the Hub format

Among the big news is the Hub format, which is available for exclusive long-term partnerships, and which benefits from MypersonalTrainer ‘s search engine leadership and the authority of its content, guaranteed by expert support. It is a hub that will be dedicated to a particular topic from time to time, a comprehensive vertical guide on the subject realised cross-platform. A real informed journey that unfolds on the web, via social activation with posts and video reels, advanced smart search functionality. It may also include Test&Tell operations and product trials, with the subsidies of an interdisciplinary team, including fitness and wellness coaches.

The Wom Beauty: new social format and partnership with Deborah launched

Last night’s event was the occasion for the launch of new branded formats that have been added to the palette offered by The Wom Beauty, including The WOMderful Look with Camilla Mangiapelo who, together with a makeup artist, recreates the latest trendy looks, guiding users with tutorials on how to replicate them and delving into the characteristics of the products used.

Worthy of mention is the partnership with Deborah Milano, for the launch of the new Super Vinyl No Transfer Shake Lipstick, with the aim of increasing customer brand awareness and creating buzz on social media to support its campaign for the launch of the new product. The social activation includes the video Tried for you starring Anna Ianniello, creator of  The Wom Beauty and part of the Power Talent Agencyroster, launched both on her Instagram profile and on TikTok. Among the absolute novelties is the creation of an exclusive Instagram Rebus, an interactive riddle-style card that emphasises in a fun way the peculiarity of the product, namely the need to shake it before use, using the illustrative and visual language typical of GenZ.

AN EXCLUSIVE LOCATION FOR LIVE EVENTS

The  Mypersonal space at Yogaessential (Spazio Garibaldi 77) is the result of the strengthening of an already existing partnership between the two realities, which opens up to the realisation and offering of MypersonalExperience: a series of dedicated activities that may also include shootings and other experiences with Power Talent Agencytalents.

Mondadori Media is Italy’s leading social and digital publisher, with a distinctive positioning and audience on the publishing market. The Mondadori Group’s social multimedia company caters to the passions of the Italian people through its brands – food, beauty, fashion, health and wellness, science and tech – and reaches more than 27.8 million unique users every month (source: Audiweb Total Digital Audience January 2024) and over 106 million followers (source: Comscore Shareablee + Pinterest and Social Insight February 2024).

The Wom is the all digital, social first media brand dedicated to MillennialZ, a generation who sees uniqueness as a strength and an enriching value for themselves and others. The Wom is the benchmark for the younger generation on TikTok and Instagram, with a total fanbase of 9 million followers (source: Comscore Shareablee and Social Insights February 2024) and 10 million unique users on the Internet (Audiweb Total Digital Audience February 2024). The Wom Beauty: the first vertical channel dedicated to cosmetics for the young generation, under 35, Instagram and TikTok first with 1.2 million followers.

Mypersonaltrainer is Mondadori Media’s leading brand in the world of health, wellness, 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 March 2024). Mypersonalbeauty was created as a brand extension of Mypersonaltrainer and, with the experience and authority of the brand and the potential guaranteed by this synergistic combination, it completes its offer in the personal care and beauty sector, which is understood not only as an external objective to be achieved, but as an integral part of physical and mental wellness. Thanks to Mypersonalbeauty, which already boasts over 1.3 million followers on socials (source: Comscore Shareablee and Social Insights February 2024).

YOGAESSENTIAL / Spazio Garibaldi 77 is the multi-experiential place dedicated to wellness and practice, in an elegant and luminous environment, dedicated to welcoming and tranquillity promoting harmony of body and mind. YOGAESSENTIAL is the Italian athleisure brand that offers clothing and accessories inspired by yoga practice. www.yogaessential.com – www.spaziogaribaldi.com

Now in its 22nd edition, the renowned literary prize Il Battello a Vapore invites aspiring female writers to take part in the competition again this year, with publication of the winning novel in the famous series of books for boys and girls.

Sara Bongiovanni, with her book Ellie about a sorceress without magic, entered the prestigious Golden Roll of the prize in 2023, which includes some of the most prominent names in literature for young people.

For the 2024 edition, unpublished manuscripts can be uploaded online from 4 March 2024 to 30 June 2024 on the official website www.battelloavapore.it/premio. In the following months, entries will pass through three selection stages. The first is entrusted to professionals in the field, while the second will be carried out by the Il Battello a Vapore editorial team, which will choose the five best manuscripts. The final selection, which will determine the winner and rank the five finalists, will be entrusted to a special jury, which this year is composed of Alessandro Gelso, the editorial manager of Il Battello a Vapore, Sara Bongiovanni, winner of the 2023 edition of the prize, Alessia Gazzola, a best-selling author, Letizia Mazzanti (@prof.andthecity), a blogger and teacher, and Claudio De Signori, owner of the Libreria Jolly in Verona.

The award ceremony will be held in Verona in November 2024, date to be determined.

More information and complete regulations at www.battelloavapore.it/premio.

A long-standing market leader in paperbacks, Oscar Mondadori – now directed by Luigi Belmonte – has signed an agreement with the independent brand NN Editore – founded and directed by Eugenia Dubini – to publish Kent Haruf’s works in paperback. This forms part of a broader editorial policy aimed at reissuing important titles by independent brands in paperback, as is systematically done, for example, in the French publishing market.

«With admiration, I have followed the wise rediscovery and launch of Kent Haruf’s work carried out by NN Editore, along with the success it has achieved. And I dreamed», says Elisabetta Risari, editor at Oscar, «of one day being able to include his novels, with their profound humanity and sober writing, in the wide, varied panorama of modern and contemporary classics in the Oscar Moderni catalogue. Today we celebrate this achievement together with NN and we hope to replicate the experience again in the future.»

«Kent Haruf marked the birth of the NN publishing house and has been winning the hearts of Italian readers for ten years. As of today», says Eugenia Dubini, «Haruf will have two homes. Our editions will be flanked by the paperbacks published by Oscar, and this collaboration — reinforced by the presence of the NN brand on the cover — makes me happy and proud. First, for the author, who is now considered a full-fledged contemporary classic, and also for the readers of the paperbacks, who will meet Haruf in this excellent series.»

It all starts today, 2 April, with the arrival in bookshops of Kent Haruf’s “Plainsong Trilogy” in the new Oscar editions, the richest catalogue in Europe of 20th-century Italian and international authors. Through an agreement with NN Editore, which will retain the original editions, the three books in this highly successful trilogy — Plainsong, Eventide and Benediction — will be available in the “Oscar Moderni” series, followed on 7 May, in “Oscar Cult”, by the bestseller Our Souls at Night.

Often compared to Faulkner and Hemingway, his constant points of reference, Kent Haruf shares the rejection of any stylistic affectation and extraordinarily clean dialogue with another American literary giant, Raymond Carver.

Released by NN between 2015 and 2016, Plainsong, Eventide and Benediction have garnered a loyal and devoted audience, and more readers will now be able to travel to Holt County, smile at Addie Moore or meet the unforgettable McPheron brothers.

Mondadori Store, the most extensive network of bookstores in Italy, will inaugurate a new bookstore in Marina di Carrara, a Tuscan seaside resort and tourist destination in the province of Massa Carrara, on Friday 29 March, at 5.30pm, thus making a hub dedicated to the world of books, culture and entertainment available to the public.

The new Mondadori Bookstore – led by mother-and-daughter booksellers Elena Torelli and Giorgia Grasso, who also manage the bookstore in Sarzana (SP) – expands the already extensive network of Mondadori Stores in the area, in keeping with the network’s strategy of spreading culture and promoting leisure-time reading, creating an interactive meeting point and a true cultural organisation for locals and tourists.

The new bookstore covers 60m2 and offers a selection of around 7,000 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 their imagination with the most intriguing stories, and the department dedicated to the manga and comics phenomenon, 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 Marina di Carrara 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.

Il Mondadori Bookstore di Marina di Carrara è a servizio dei lettori anche online: i clienti potranno essere aggiornati attraverso le pagine Facebook e Instagram. Inoltre, potranno entrare in contatto con la libreria attraverso i servizi digitali di Mondadoristore.it per verificare la disponibilità di un libro, ordinarlo e ritirarlo in negozio, scegliendo da un catalogo di oltre 1 milione di titoli. 

The Mondadori Group announces that, through Mondadori Libri S.p.A., it has entered a start-up to develop the webnovel market in Europe.

The initiative, which involves an initial investment of € 1.5 million in 2024, and an additional € 1.5 million planned for 2025, stems from an agreement with Bookrepublic, an industrial partner with specific know-how and capable of supporting future operational growth. The company led by Marco Ferrario has been at the forefront of digital publishing in Italy for more than 10 years and has always been attentive to new literary trends.

The deal will come to fruition with the launch by the end of the year of a dedicated proprietary app – to be called Narae. Developed by an in-house team, initially with content in Italian and French, it will gradually expand its reach to encompass other European countries.

Designed to be read on a smartphone screen, webnovels are a form of serialised fiction of a highly innovative nature which, having started with great success in South Korea, has gained growing popularity and a solid fanbase in Japan and China as well. Content takes the form of series – primarily in the romance, fantasy, and crime genres – and is designed to originate and be enjoyed in other formats as well. Webnovels consist of a large number of short episodes, often more than a hundred, and, if successful, they can extend indefinitely.

After a recent launch in the United States and a successful debut in France, webnovels are now ready to conquer Europe, particularly following the global spread of Korean entertainment content in music, film, and comics.

«This investment reaffirms our Group’s willingness to look at what is most innovativein the international publishing environment. As it evolves, the world of webnovels is demonstrating creativity and the ability to feed other media as well, such as cinema, television series, and in many cases even book publishing itself» says Enrico Selva Coddè, CEO of Mondadori Libri.

«Webnovels are a very interesting and avant-garde model of digital publishing: they could be defined as the digital reinterpretation of serialised novels published in newspapers in the 1800s – says Marco Ferrario, CEO of Bookrepublic; and it is not surprising for it now to originate in an Asian country. The content is created specifically to be read on a mobile, borrowing techniques used in the production of video series and providing ways of accessing content that are inspired by gaming. Our challenge will be to find the route into Europe with this model», concludes Ferrario.

Bookrepublic was founded in 2010 by Marco Ferrario together with financial partners Gianluca Andena and Guido Paolo Gamucci (both former Permira partners), Marco Pittini and Guido Carissimo and has always been one of the leading players in the distribution and sale of ebooks and audiobooks in Italy. Over time, Bookrepublic has played a leading role in many digital publishing initiatives, including the organisation of IfBookThen, one of the most successful events in Europe on digital innovation in publishing, and the launch of digital-only brands such as 40K and emma books. In March 2024, the German group Bookwire, European leader in digital distribution, chose Bookrepublic as its Italian partner for its entry into this market.

GialloZafferano, Italy’s leading food media brand, continues its growth path in the United States with the launch of a new roster of Chef Creators, true ambassadors of Italian national culinary excellence, who are conquering New York City with their restaurants and cooking philosophy.

With almost 70 million followers on social media globally, GialloZafferano is now the fourth most important food media brand worldwide and the first player to promote the quality of Italian cuisine and products abroad with its content. The overseas presence represents an opportunity for Italian brands that want to strengthen their positioning in the American cooking market.

GialloZafferano landed in the US over a year ago with a strategy consisting of dedicated social media profiles, original content productions, iconic talent, and million-view results. It’s no coincidence that GialloZafferano Loves Italy, the social media account dedicated to internal audiences, has decided to promote the new wave of Italian cuisine, mixing tradition and modernity, which is a feature that’s necessary today in order to be able to communicate Italian products worldwide, especially to the US market.

This content offering is now joined by important new stars: Silvia Barban, Nicola Fedeli, Alberto Marcolongo and Riccardo Orfino. Together with GialloZafferano, four of the most successful and talented Italian chefs in New York will invent original recipes and content dedicated to the American market. Giallo ‘s communicative power and the chefs’ recipes will create an original mix of format and content capable of combining authority and quality with record-breaking reach.

From today, with GialloZafferano, Italian food brands will have a veritable food content factory of authentic and engaging content designed for an American audience at their disposal to promote their products.

And that’s not all: the project will also count on the involvement and passion for cooking of Cooker Girl, Aurora Cavallo, the food creator with over 2 million followers and the new brand ambassador for GialloZafferano in the United States, who in the coming months will be the star of GialloZafferano Loves Italy, the new English-language miniseries dedicated to the history and quality of Italy’s most iconic products.

THE CHEFS ON THE NEW GIALLOZAFFERANO ROSTER

Silvia Barban is the Executive Chef and co-owner of Larina Pastificio e Vino in Brooklyn (NYC). Her cuisine revisits local tradition with her energy, using seasonal and even unusual products from all over the world, which she combines with fresh handmade pasta. In the past, she has participated in several talent shows and TV programmes in the States.

Nicola Fedeli, with a series of experiences in the Tuscan region behind him, is Executive Chef at the Hotel Fasano in New York, now a standard for those who love classic Italian cuisine with a contemporary touch.

Alberto Marcolongo is the Executive Chef at Alain Ducasse’s Benoit in New York. After working at Davide Oldani’s D’O, and gaining experience in Paris, he landed in the US as sous-chef at Alain’s renowned bistro in Midtown (NYC). Alberto is considered one of the most promising Italian chefs, thanks to his ability to combine the use of excellent raw materials with international cuisine recipes.

Riccardo Orfino is the Executive Chef and partner of Osteria 57 and Alice in New York. After heading the first Bistrot di Aimo e Nadia in Milan – under the guidance of Chefs Fabio Pisani and Alessandro Negrini –, he moved to New York, bringing his experience with a new idea of contemporary, pescetarian and sustainable Italian cuisine.

GialloZafferano‘s new roster of chefs in the United States will be managed by Zenzero, Mondadori Media’s vertical food talent agency.

GialloZafferano is Italy’s leading food media brand on the Internet: every month 1 in 2 Italians cooks with GialloZafferano for a total of 19 million people (Audicom Nov 2023 – Jan 2024). It is the fourth largest food media brand in the world on social media, with a fanbase of 69 million followers (source: Internal Analyses and Shareableand Comscore Data 2024). Thanks to recipes within everyone’s grasp, it is available to people 24/7 on all channels: from the Internet to social media, from apps to smart devices, as well as magazines, books and local area events nationwide.

Zenzero exclusively manages the best food creators on the Italian digital scene. Created at the end of 2022 from the collaboration between GialloZafferano, One Shot Agency and 6 of the top food creators on the Italian digital scene, it has over 38 million followers and over 50 million video views. Zenzero Talent Agency represents a new point of contact between an extraordinary hub of creators and brand partners with the aim of setting up effective communication pathways that respond to the increasingly strong need of brands to tap into the passions, values and new languages of Generation Z as well.