aufeminin

aufeminin

Type of site	Web portal
Available in	French
Owner	Axel Springer
Revenue	87,2M€ (2014) +45% (current scope), +16% (constant scope)
Website	aufeminin.com
Launched	1999 (1999)

Aufeminin is one of the leading worldwide digital media groups that achieved a turnover of 87.2M€ in 2014. The limited company is 80.8% owned by the Axel Springer group and is publicly traded by Euronext Paris in compartment B. (ISIN : FR0004042083, MNEMO : FEM).

Present in 21 countries, aufeminin publishes editorial and community-based content for women, with brands such as Netmums. Since its creation in 1999, the group has built itself around being a digital media that responds to the needs of women. In 2011, aufeminin launched Womenology, a research lab dedicated to marketing to women.

The group expanded its international development in 2015, with the acquisition of Livingly Media, a US based media group, including the sites Zimbio and Lonny. In June 2015, the group achieved close to 132 million unique worldwide visitors per month, and more than 7 million members on their social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest).^[1]

History and operations

In 1999, Anne-Sophie Pastel, Marc-Antoine Dubanton and Cyril Vermeulen created the website aufeminin.com. In July 2000, the company became publicly traded and launched Smart Adserver, an independent ad serving software. In 2006, aufeminin.com bought the N°1 French cooking website, Marmiton.org.^[2] On the 26th of June 2007, the founder and her two partners sold the company to Axel Springer,^[3] one of the leading media groups in Europe, which headquarter is in Germany. In 2008, aufeminin.com acquired Onmeda, Germany’s N°1 health site ^[4] Since the 1st of June 2010, Marie-Laure Sauty de Chalon has directed the aufeminin group as CEO,^[5] succeeding Bertrand Stephann. In 2011, the group strengthened its position in female media by purchasing Netmums,^[6] the N°1 parenting site in the UK, followed by EtoileCasting in 2012,^[7] and also acquired 60% of My Little Paris in 2013.^[8]

In 2014, aufeminin removed the “.com” from its name and logo, in order to affirm the multi-device positioning of the group on the web, but also on other media (mobile, tablet, video, social networks, print) as well as in areas of brand publishing, e-commerce and events (competitions, exhibitions, trainings).

In February 2015, the group strengthened internationally by announcing its acquisition of the Livingly Media company,^[9] one of the top 25 digital editors of lifestyle content in the US, including the sites Zimbio and Lonny.

On April 21, 2015 the aufeminin group announced the sale of its subsidiary Smart AdServer to private equity firm Cathay Capital.^[10]

Brands and media

The group holds brands for women in France and internationally:

• aufeminin: the world leader of editorial and community-based content for women, present on all platforms (websites, mobile, tablet, TV, print) in 21 countries (France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Poland, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Canada, US, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Chile).
• Bildderfrau: a website from the N°1 German women’s magazine, Bild der Frau created in 2010
• EtoileCasting: a casting site acquired in August 2012
• Happy Happening, celebrating heroines: a social networking event dedicated to women, created in collaboration with Aude de Thuin, president of the ADT lab. Launched in 2014, this resulted in an aufeminin meeting event (“Les Rencontres aufeminin.com”), organised in 2013.
• Joyce: a site dedicated to luxury.
• Lonny: design and decoration media based in the US, which joined the aufeminin group in 2015, following the acquisition of Livingly Media.
• Marmiton: the N°1 cooking and recipe site in France, acquired in 2006. With over 60 000 recipes and comments proposed by internet users. Since November 2010, Marmiton has also been available in print with the bimonthly Marmiton Magazine, the 2nd most read cooking magazine in France. In December 2014, Marmiton expanded to Italy with Tutto Gusto.
• Merci Alfred: is a media for fashion and offers designed for men, aufeminin acquired 60% in November 2013.
• My Little Paris: is a media for fashion and offers, aufeminin acquired 60% in November 2013. My Little Paris publishes newsletters with a community of 1.5 million readers. Little surprise boxes are also distributed to more than 80,000 subscribers.
• Netmums: the N°1 UK parenting site, acquired in August 2011.
• Onmeda: the N°1 health site in Germany, acquired in June 2008. Onmeda was also launched in Spain in May 2012. The French health expert media Santé AZ became Onmeda.fr in April 2015.
• StyleBistro: a US beauty and fashion site, belonging to the aufeminin group since February 2015 following the acquisition of Livingly Media.
• Teemix: a site dedicated to teens.
• Zimbio: a US entertainment site, belonging to the aufeminin group since February 2015 following the acquisition of Livingly Media.

Events

The aufeminin group organises many events in order to bring itself closer to its communities and to surface young talent, notably with:

• The Literary Prize (aufeminin)
• The Marmiton Day (food & cooking day by Marmiton)
• Les Impertinentes, prizing female humour (EtoileCasting)
• Happy Happening, celebrating heroines; the first event took place from the 14th to the 16th of November 2014 at the Carreau du Temple, in partnership with the ADT lab group. Happy Happening formed an idea lab where training, conferences and workshops were offered to women. Aiming to encourage the empowerment of women and to inspire the younger generation, Happy Happening brought together almost 8,000 women. The event resulted in the launch of the event “Les Rencontres aufeminin.com”, organised in 2013. A second event is expected in November 2015 at the Carreau du Temple in Paris.

References