In the first syndication deal of its kind for BBC Magazines, Norway’s car title Vi Menn Bil will carry syndicated TopGear content in a new co-branded magazine with a 50/50 split between content from both titles.
Under the five-year deal, a Vi Menn Bil/TopGear co-branded magazine (see mock-up on the left) will be published seven times a year by Hjemmet Mortensen, part of The Egmont Group. It will be sold poly-bagged with Vi Menn, the largest weekly magazine for men in Northern Europe, with a circulation of more than 75,000.
BBC Magazines’ Head of Licensing and Syndication, Joanna Marshall, said: “We are very excited to be working with the publishers of Norway’s leading men’s title to bring Top Gear magazine’s world-renowned content to Norwegian fans of the brand. We also hope this publishing model will interest other businesses around the globe.”
Assistant Vice President of Hjemmet Mortensen, Alexander Oysta said: “We are proud to have finalised a co-branding agreement with BBC TopGear Magazine that will be the first of its kind in the world. Top Gear enjoys a huge popularity in Norway, and we will work hard to try to capture the uniqueness of the brand in our new magazine.”
Vi Menn Bil/Top Gear will be edited by Vi Menn Bil’s current editor, Svein-Erik Hole. The first issue of the co-branded title is expected to go on sale in the first quarter of 2011.
