Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Norwegian fans of TopGear will be able to enjoy content from TopGear Magazine from early 2011 following a co-branding deal between Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Magazines and Hjemmet Mortensen.

In the first syndication deal of its kind for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ 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 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.

Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ 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 TopGear 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 Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ 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.

NOTES TO EDITORS
TopGear Magazine, published by Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Magazines, is the UK’s best-selling car magazine and the 3rd biggest-selling men’s monthly. It has a circulation of 190,375 (ABC January-June 2010).

Vi Menn, published by Hjemmet Mortensen, is the largest weekly magazine for men in Northern

Europe with a weekly circulation of more than 75,000, with 506.000 weekly readers. Vi Menn Bil (Cars) is Norway's second largest car magazine and is distributed with Vi Menn.

Top Gear fans in Norway can get a daily fix of the world's biggest motoring show on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Knowledge, Monday-Friday evenings at 19.30 CET. Top Gear is also aired on NRK and TV Norges channel MAX. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Knowledge showcases the very best of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's award-winning factual and nonfiction entertainment programming and is available on Canal Digital.

Sarah Williams-Robbins