Sale of l’Automobile Magazine to Webedia
Paris, June 5, 2023,
Webedia, a leading media company, has announced its acquisition of L’Automobile Magazine, a prominent automotive print publication and the leading digital advertising agency for the French automotive industry.
Founded in 1946, L’Automobile Magazine is the oldest monthly automotive magazine in France and the only independent automotive brand in the country. In 2018, the magazine was taken over by its management team and a financial partner, initiating its digital transformation with the acquisition of NewCom, an advertising agency, under the leadership of a digital-native management team.
Following a successful turnaround of its traditional business, the company transformed its business model by merging its advertising agency NewCom with its publishing activities, creating the leading Trading Desk in the automotive market.
Webedia aims to consolidate its position as a leader in the entertainment industry through three development strategies: geography, theme, and volume. The acquisition of L’Automobile Magazine allows Webedia to enter the automotive vertical which displays strong interest due to (i) the size and advertising needs of the automotive market, (ii) market specificities which allow the rapid establishment of a leadership, (iii) potential synergies with other products and offerings of Webedia, and (iv) international expansion opportunities.
Nicolas Le Gall, CEO of L’Automobile Magazine, stated, “The integration of L’Automobile Magazine into the Webedia Group is a unique opportunity to continue developing our digital presence and benefit from Webedia’s adtech platform. We will expand our audiences, increase our reach, and enhance our offerings by leveraging Webedia’s expertise, particularly in social media, influencers, video, and content-to-commerce.”
Guillaume Piette, Managing Partner at Financière de Courcelles, adds:
« We are delighted to have advised Nicolas Le Gall and his team in the course of this new stage of Automobile Magazine’s corporate history. This transaction showcases Financière de Courcelles’ know-how in managing deals with strategic partners and the unique value added of our advice, notably with former executives who members of our Club, notably Didier Quillot, a well-known executive in the Media sector. This new deal strengthens further our expertise in the digital and Media sectors. »
Press: HDemirdjian@FDC-International.com
About Financière de Courcelles
Financière de Courcelles (FDC) is an independent investment bank specializing in mergers and acquisitions advisory services. As a founding member of the Global M&A Partners network (comprising over 450 M&A professionals in more than 35 countries), FDC has a strong capacity to advise international transactions. FDC advises companies in mid-cap operations across all sectors of the economy through its dedicated teams of sector experts.
About Automobile Magazine
L’Automobile Magazine is the only independent automotive media brand in France, established since 1946. It produces premium content with passion and expertise and distributes 600,000 magazines per year, reaching 10 million readers. The brand also operates a website with over 30 million unique visitors (UV) and generates 165 million page views per year. With its historical publishing activities, L’Automobile Magazine successfully underwent digital transformation in just 18 months, turning a traditional press player into a profitable premium digital brand over the past two years.
About Webedia
Webedia is a media-tech company and one of the major global players in online entertainment. With 15 years of expertise in digital audience knowledge and media publishing (with 250 million unique visitors per month across websites such as AlloCiné, Xataka, Adorocinema, Sensacine, Filmstarts, GameStar, JV, MGG, Tudo Gostoso, 750g, Directo al Paladar, Minha Vida, etc.), the group brings together creators, producers, broadcasters, and brands to develop a unique content production and distribution process across all platforms. Operating in more than 15 countries, Webedia structures its activities around complementary divisions: content distribution, media networks, creator management, and production studios.
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