Interview with Mais Vinicio
How did the idea for this interview come about?
Many times, our visitors and clients, coming over for coffee and to discuss their projects, were captivated by the photographs lining the walls of our premises: photos of sketches and prototypes, legendary cars, and historic brands brimming with History. Vinicio Mais, the Company's founder back in 1967, is always ready to share a few stories and anecdotes about the company's past and the history of the Italian Automobile, which has also influenced our Company.
His sons Luca and Roberto saw a wonderful opportunity to relive and share this wonderful story, arranging the events in chronological order. Thus, in 2017, this interview was born, conducted "at home" thanks to the generosity of their father Vinicio, who made his memories available so they could finally be written down and read both by those who lived through the time and remember names and events well, and by those who want to experience the breath and soul of a Turin that no longer exists.
QUESTION: Good morning Vinicio, how did the idea of opening a Company like Pubblimais, which deals with graphics and advertising, come about?
VINICIO MAIS: Let's start from the beginning. First of all, with Sardinian pride, I like to remember that I was born in Carbonia, in the province of Cagliari. My father, a civilian accountant in the army in Cagliari, considering that his family was quite large (five children), requested a transfer to the mainland, hesitating between Rome and Turin. When I was about 14, the transfer was granted, and he chose Turin, an industrial city with Fiat and a fascinating setting, including the Basilica of Superga, the Po River, the Valentino Park, the white mountains, and above all, the Grande Torino football team (my father was also a Serie C referee and couldn't resist the idea of being so close to the Filadelfia pitch, once graced by those unbeatable champions who made football history). My father was thus hired as an accountant at the Turin School of Weapons Application at Via Arsenale 22, across from the old RAI italian television station, and my three sisters, my brother, and I ended up spending our youth in the Regio Parco area of the Piedmontese capital.
Vinicio, who arrived in Turin from Sardinia at a very young age and grew up in the Regio Parco area.
Q: At what age did you realize you were particularly gifted at drawing?
VM: From a very young age, I showed precocious talent for freehand drawing, but after finishing the Dalmazio Birago Professional Training School at 15, I was still unsure whether to continue studying or look for a job. One day, I realized I didn't have the money to buy a small tent and go to the beach with friends in Albisola Marina, Liguria. So, I looked through the ads in "Stampa Sera" and found one that read: "IPAI artisan Company seeking talented artists for work on advertising lettering on vehicles." The owners of IPAI were Alberto MININNI and Piero CASETTA, and their workshop was in the Santa Rita area at Via Mombarcaro 92, Turin. I introduced myself to the two owners, was accepted on a trial basis, and after just two months, I had enough money to buy a mini tent and go on holiday with friends! Among my colleagues were Michele MININNI, very gifted in drawing and artistic brush painting and nephew of Alberto MININNI, Aldo MININNI, son of Alberto MININNI, and Sergio DE GREGORIO, nephew of Alberto MININNI, figures we will talk about later because they will play an important role.
Q: How long did you have to wait before you started working "seriously"?
VM: Very little. Upon returning from vacation, I was hired by IPAI, began my apprenticeship, and simultaneously attended a state evening school for graphic design on Via San Francesco da Paola in Turin with Aldo MININNI my peer. There, we studied Art History, created tempera sketches, and made pencil copies of still lifes and live models.
Vinicio at 16, apprentice.
Vinicio during his military service in the Alpine military corps
Q: And then?
VM: And then... I worked for this Company continuously until mid-1967, with the only interruption being my military service in the Alpine corps in 1961. Among other things, during my military service I did not completely give up my passion for painting; in fact, at the "Beltricco" barracks in Dronero (Province of Cuneo), I hand-painted the bas-relief coat of arms of the Alpine corps and various friezes and capitals.
Q: In an era without machines and printers where the type of work was typically manual, how important was it to know how to paint well by hand?
VM: It was certainly a decisive aspect that always made the difference. The graphics, logos, coats of arms, and characters were always drawn by hand on the drawing board, and the outlines of the drawings on plain or glossy drawing paper were always punched out by hand using the same process used by Michelangelo and Leonardo in the Renaissance: a small stick with a needle at the tip, which we call a "spuntino." These punched-out drawings, called "spolveri," were then beaten with a cloth filled with talcum powder. This cloth, passing through the holes, defined the outlines to be painted with a series of appropriate flat and round brushes.
Q: What memories do you have of your teachers and of that period in general?
VM: In an era when very few firms were capable of performing manual and artistic work, the few "Masters" in the field jealously guarded their art and knowledge. There was no alternative, also due to the lack of specialized schools and academies, but to observe them with curiosity and attention and "steal" their craft. Furthermore, it was a forced choice for us apprentices to purchase the various types of brushes required at our own expense: these, in fact, reached optimal condition for masterful painting only after extensive use and thus became essential and invaluable.
Q: The era of the paintbrush was fascinating! And how long did it last?
VM: It didn't last long. The IPAI Company almost suddenly abandoned the paintbrush to invent a method of carving tinfoil (applied to the cars) using a scalpel. This allowed them to create spray-painted masks, saving considerable time and achieving astonishing results in terms of precision of detail and color uniformity. The discovery of this process, which our competitors later copied, coincided with the beginning of our long collaboration with the famous ABARTH, a company located at Corso Marche 38 in Turin, founded by a young engine technician from the prestigious CISITALIA named Carlo ABARTH, an Austrian-born Italian citizen who became very popular in the world of motorsports and racing. It was precisely from this collaboration between Abarth and IPAI that practically all the graphics on the first Abarth sports cars, which held numerous records in speed races, were born. Fate basically meant that for a while, at a very young age, I found myself working as an apprentice at Abarth. I often went there, always with Aldo or Michele MININNI, to apply various paintwork and logos. Naturally, this fortunate experience had an indelible impact on my entire working life. Subsequently, as everyone knows, at the end of 1971 the ABARTH Company was purchased by FIAT (the LANCIA Brand had already been acquired 2 years earlier), and I began a new long period of collaboration with FIAT, which was just then starting to collect all the series of amazing victories and records in the World Rally Championships until the year of the LANCIA brand's withdrawal from racing in 1993. Even today, having in possession of the original drawings of the graphics of almost all the cars, my company Pubblimais is able to satisfy the requests of dozens of enthusiasts and collectors from all over Europe who require graphics faithful to the official cars of the golden age of rallying.
The Abarth factory in Corso Marche in Turin and the owner, the legendary Karl Albert Abarth (original images taken from these links: photo1 and photo 2 ).
Q: Any particular anecdotes for enthusiasts from the time you worked for Abarth?
VM: As mentioned, I often worked at the Corso Marche office. Thanks to my precision and attention to detail, I had earned the good graces of Karl ABARTH, who would often take me to his private office, where a basket of beautiful apples of various types and colors always stood out. Karl encouraged me to eat as many as I wanted, explaining that they were good for my health, prevented many diseases, and that by doing so, I would live a long and healthy life. It was his way of thanking me for the work I did, and even today, at 75 years old (born 1941), I enjoy excellent health and vitality, and I haven't lost the habit of eating 3-4 a day!
I also still remember that Karl often kept me working past closing time, and I tried every possible way to find excuses. The exchange went something like this:
Me: "It's late, I should go get my mother's medicine!"
Karl (with a strong German accent): "Well, give me the prescription, I'll send you to buy medicine!"
Me: "Thanks, but I also have to pick up my girlfriend who's waiting!"
Karl: "No problem, you give me the address and I'll send the girl to pick it up. She'll sit comfortably on the couch and wait, while you finish the work first."
Q: Let's go back to our story: You, DE GREGORIO, CASETTA, Michele, Aldo and Alberto MININNI at IPAI
VM: Agreed. In 1958, due to some work-related issues that created some discord, the young DE GREGORIO was removed from the IPAI and went to work at the SALETTA body shop, which also worked for ABARTH.
After some time, DE GREGORIO set out on his own, founding his own Company, which, thanks to his close collaboration with Abarth, became well-known in the automotive world. This Company was called PUBBLI AUTO.
Q: And Pubblimais? It was born during this period…
VM: Calm down, calm down, the birth of my own Company hadn't even been conceived at that time.... Several more years had to pass before the time was ripe.
Q: Let's continue the story of his working life from where we left off.
VM: Agreed. In 1962, I returned from military service and, to my surprise, Alberto MININNI and Piero CASETTA's IPAI company no longer existed but had split into two entities. I chose to work with Alberto MININNI at new premises very close to the old IPAI. My team also included Michele and Aldo MININNI. It should be noted that several years later, Michele MININNI, whose profession was called "letterist painter," resigned from Aldo MININNI's IPAI and joined DE GREGORIO's Pubbli Auto as an employee.
I worked with Alberto MININNI until 1967, then I carved out a freelance position and started my own sole proprietorship. The founding deed for the sole proprietorship PUBBLIMAIS di MAIS VINICIO dates back to April 5, 1967, even though my company didn't actually have a physical headquarters yet.
One day in 1968, my career path began to take shape. I received a call from CASETTA, who had a large backlog of cars to decorate and deliver, and Piero CASETTA's workplace was at Strada della Pronda 135/9 in Turin.
I agreed to help him and immediately stood out because I was faster than the other workers; by the time the others had finished decorating one vehicle, I had already done 3 or 4!
One day, CASETTA, now close to retirement and seeing my passion and skill as a letterpress painter, offered me the opportunity to continue working at his office full-time in his place. I enthusiastically accepted and laid the foundation for a profitable business, supported for a year by CASETTA himself, who further introduced me to his clientele and significantly helped me perfect my craft. Finally, Pubblimais had a home!
The location where Pubblimais still operates today deserves a few words. The company is located on an ancient noble street, Strada Vicinale della Pronda, which, then as now, is marked at the entrance to the alley by a large brick arch or gateway. The road originally led to a farmhouse owned by a renowned family. Later, the road was split in two by the passage of the railway and underwent numerous aesthetic changes due to the opening (and closing) of new businesses and the construction of a few apartment buildings. Since 1967, our Company is among the few that have remained unchanged and still present.
Vinicio at the beginning of Pubblimais in the Company's internal courtyard
Q: How did the business continue in the following years?
VM: I'd say very well. The workload was so high that I had to hire several apprentices to help me with the work. I remember very well that one of the main sources of work was CARROZZERIA AMANDONICO, which brought me countless cars to decorate. Naturally, I also received many commissions from ABARTH and FIAT. In addition to advertising vehicles, I received many proposals for the world premieres of various rally and racing cars.
It was in my company that the first creations of some famous liveries saw the light of day at the end of the 70s and the beginning of the 80s: MS ( Fiat 131 Abarth), Olio Fiat ( Fiat 131 Abarth ), 4 Rombi VS Olio Fiat ( Fiat 131 Abarth and Fiat Ritmo ), Alitalia ( Fiat 127 ), Marlboro ( Lancia Stratos Silhuette ), Abarth livery ( Iveco 55 Officine Abarth ) and many others whose names I don't remember or which have been forgotten (some of these historical documents have recently been recovered thanks to the patient research and cataloguing work of my son Luca).
I must emphasize that the real turning point in my career came in 1985 when DE GREGORIO's PUBBLI AUTO suddenly closed its doors. This was a real headache for ABARTH management and industry insiders; they were all in great turmoil because production of the race cars was in full swing, and the paintwork for the liveries could only be done by those who possessed the artisanal secrets of the time as well as the manual skill required for such extremely difficult tasks. I was therefore urgently contacted by ABARTH to begin a much more continuous relationship, particularly for the development of the Martini Racing liveries for the cars that shortly thereafter began racking up a string of sensational victories and records in the World Rally Championships until Lancia's withdrawal from competition in 1993.
Our commercial aired in the 1980s on the Videogruppo and Telemontecarlo italian channels.
Curiously, the address and telephone number have remained the same since then.
Q: Can we say that in a certain sense Pubblimais inherited the legacy of Pubbli Auto?
VM: Yes, that's certainly true, and I'd like to add at least two considerations to support this view.
The first is that the working methodologies, the tricks and the secrets of the trade that DE GREGORIO and I shared were the same ones that had been learned many years before at the "school" of our mutual great masters Piero CASETTA and Alberto MININNI were the same.
The second is that, as the owner of Pubblimais, I hired my youthful mentor, Michele MININNI, now known to all as the great letterpress painter who, over the many years he worked at PUBBLI AUTO, had made a name for himself by contributing to all the liveries of the Lancia Stratos. In 1985, Michele, with whom I have always remained in touch and friendly despite no longer working together, confessed to me that he was no longer comfortable at Pubbli Auto (which would soon close permanently) and that he was looking for another job. Knowing his value and dedication, I was happy to offer him a job at my company, and so Michele happily joined my team, bringing with him the experience and knowledge he had gained at Pubbli Auto. I feel confident in saying that Michele was very happy with us; he even had his own space to paint (he was also an excellent landscape painter), and he continued to work in a stimulating and promising environment until he reached retirement age. Michele came to us right in an unrepeatable period of new projects and innovations, in fact we are in the second half of the 80s which coincided with the unforgettable and unrepeatable successes of the Lancia Delta Integrale in the World Rally Championships.
Among the cars of this period we mention the first ever versions of the Martini liveries on the Lancia ECV and Lancia ECV2 , Lancia Delta 4WD, Lancia Delta Integrale 8v, Lancia Delta Integrale 16v '89 (with the famous chequered livery, the only car in Lancia history to race on a red base), Lancia Delta Integrale 16v '90 .
Even today we still retain a vast amount of material such as drawings, dustings, templates and measurements and exclusive photographic material that allows us to satisfy the demanding requests of hundreds of amateurs and collectors from all over the world who require graphics faithful to the official cars of the golden age of rallying.
Michele Mininni and Vinicio celebrate Pubblimais' 30th anniversary.
Q: Abarth, Lancia, and Pubblimais. Were they just liveries for Rally cars, or were there also liveries for different types of vehicles?
VM: We also worked with other types of cars, and you give me the opportunity to point out that the new Martini Racing livery for the enlarged Lancia LC2 was developed and created right here in our workshop. Even today, it fills me with pride to know that one of the LC2s we built, which competed in the World Sportscar Championships of the time, is preserved in a spectacular collection at the HERITAGE HUB (Stellantis, formerly Fiat) in Turin, which is open to the public.
Q: Any other things to remember, perhaps related to the people you met during the golden age of the Rally and with whom you collaborated?
VM: A special thought certainly goes to Giorgio ROSSOTTO, a brilliant and highly talented graphic designer at Abarth, with whom I created some of the most important graphics in the history of rallying and track racing. He used to give me his characteristic drawings reproducing the hand-drawn graphic sketches colored in with a marker, and these drawings were the only reference I had for tracing the lines and creating the actual painted graphics on the cars. I had a special relationship of understanding and trust with Giorgio, and I was deeply affected when he passed away about ten years ago.
Among the people I met from that era, the BALDI BROTHERS, former Abarth team members during the golden age of rallying and master mechanics, couldn't be missed. I even created a paint job for their Fiat Ritmo, and they still compete in many races today with the same car and livery! ( link )
I'd also like to mention our collaboration with the historic Abarth paint shop known as NITRO. At that time, we often discussed and exchanged the graphic materials we had in our possession to best meet Abarth's numerous requests.
Q: Any other things to remember, perhaps related to the people you met during the golden age of the Rally and with whom you collaborated?
VM: A special thought certainly goes to Giorgio ROSSOTTO, a brilliant and highly talented graphic designer at Abarth, with whom I created some of the most important graphics in the history of rallying and track racing. He used to give me his characteristic drawings reproducing the hand-drawn graphic sketches colored in with a marker, and these drawings were the only reference I had for tracing the lines and creating the actual painted graphics on the cars. I had a special relationship of understanding and trust with Giorgio, and I was deeply affected when he passed away about ten years ago.
Among the people I met from that era, the BALDI BROTHERS, former Abarth team members during the Rally's heyday, are master mechanics. I even created a paint job for their Fiat Ritmo, and they still compete in many races today with the same car and livery!
I'd also like to mention our collaboration with the historic Abarth paint shop known as NITRO. At that time, we often discussed and exchanged the graphic materials we had in our possession to best meet Abarth's numerous requests.
Q: Pubblimais is best known to enthusiasts today for its work on historic rally and racing cars. But we know that Pubblimais was actually much more...
VM: Indeed it is! One of my greatest satisfactions and passions has always been decorating Company vehicles. Once upon a time, the amount of work was truly impressive, all the most important Companies and the most well-known brands competed to come to us to paint their vehicles, especially in the 90s it can be said that in the field of vehicle decorations we were a leading company in Italy. Among the largest car and industrial vehicle brands, FIAT and VIBERTI must be mentioned, and among the well-known companies of the time, we must absolutely remember RAI, PANNA ELENA, CASA DEI CAPPELLETTI, TORTELLINI RANA, GODINO GIOCATTOLI, CAFFE' COSTADORO, GALUP. LOACKER, LATTE ABIT and many others. I'm sure I've forgotten many... ( link ) .
Also particularly valuable were all the mixed brush and paint executions for the most important beer brands (FOSTER's, BULLDOG, BECK's, GUINNESS) both on the wooden signs of the Turin pubs and on the vehicles which were completely decorated.
Some historical works made in paint in the 80s and 90s
Q: We arrive right at the beginning of the 90s and the advent of new technologies such as computers, printers, plotters, and laminators: how did Pubblimais deal with the major changes that affected your business and the entire working world?
VM: There wasn't much choice, after all, the whole world was modernizing in the early 90s.
We were forced to equip ourselves with computers and graphics programs. I personally remember being very resistant to abandoning the old, traditional work methods because I was fond of them and because they allowed individual talent and skill to emerge. With the spread of new machinery among graphic design firms, the leveling of these individual values is undeniable, but it's also true that in recent years, new technologies have made it possible to achieve extraordinarily precise and accurate workmanship.
There is a little less poetry and creativity than before, but there has been gains in speed, organization, and precision.
Q: Specifically, what equipment does Pubblimais have today?
VM: We currently have various graphics stations, plotters, laminators, and modern printing technologies that allow us to reproduce any type of logo or photographic image on advertising vehicles, signs, and banners. This ensures strong visual impact and excellent durability thanks to special inks and UV-resistant hot lamination. My son Roberto has also introduced new equipment to handle specialty and niche projects.
Q: Have you ever thought, just for fun, about calculating how many cars Pubblimais has created graphics for from its origins to the present day?
VM: Assuming a minimum average of around 2-3 vehicles per day, it is not an exaggeration to think that Pubblimais has produced something like 15,000 – 20,000 advertising vehicles to date.
Q: Let's talk about works unrelated to the Rally, since we've already discussed those. Of all the projects completed, there will be some that remain particularly special, whether because of the prestige of the clients or the exceptional quality of the workmanship...
VM: Well, if I try to list the most representative works, and I'm sure I'll forget some, I can't fail to mention the completely brush-painted graphics on Carlo ABARTH's CISITALIA, later owned by COUNT ZANON. Then there's the historic ITALA with its original brush-painted "Paris Peking" lettering, and the OSELLA Formula One car (driven by CHEEVER), which received the "Most Beautiful Formula One Car" award in America. And then there's the paint job of the black and blue stripes that characterized all the cars in the fleet of Gianni AGNELLI and Umberto AGNELLI. And then there's the MARTINI graphics, done entirely in paint at the Viareggio shipyards on the AZIMUT group yacht that participated in the attempted crossing of the Atlantic Ocean without refueling, carrying such an illustrious passenger as billionaire Rockefeller ( link ). For this last project I received written compliments and thanks from the ROSSI DI MONTELERA couple who commissioned the work.
Q: Can you tell us a principle or value that has remained alive and inspiring throughout your career as a craftsman, and which you have also passed on to your son Roberto, who inherited the leadership of the Company in 2010?
VM: I have tried to pass on all my experience and knowledge to ROBERTO, and there is no greater joy for a father than seeing his efforts rewarded. Fortunately, my son is gifted with great creativity, good taste, and excellent knowledge of computer graphics programs, allowing him to brilliantly meet the needs of a wide range of clients, from large corporations to rally collectors from all over the world, from Europe to America, from Australia to Japan ( link ). So, if we really wanted to, we could identify some common threads within the history of Pubblimais: the commitment and courage to always maintain high quality of service and materials used, without ever giving in to the temptation, in a time of manifest employment and economic crisis, to transform ourselves into a printing or copy shop that derives its profits from quantity rather than excellence. But values such as courtesy, a friendly, family atmosphere, professionalism, and punctual delivery of supplies are also strong points of our team, which for several years has also benefited from the help of my other son, Luca, who possesses excellent aesthetic sense, organizational skills, and a desire to improve his work environment.
Prima riga: Roberto Mais in posa con 3 vetture all’epoca in cui lavorava per Pubblimais come dipendente.
Second row from left to right: Vinicio and Roberto, Graziella, Vinicio's wife, Vinicio.
Q: In 2007, Pubblimais was awarded the "Loyalty to Work and Economic Progress Award " by the City of Turin . How did you experience this public recognition?
VM: Receiving the award directly from Mayor Sergio CHIAMPARINO and Alessandro BARBERIS was truly gratifying. It was the icing on the cake of a life dedicated to work, which has always been a passion. Luckily, living right above the company headquarters means I can come down whenever I want and enjoy all the company activities, and even try to make myself useful if necessary. My love for the Company, which I consider my own creation, will never end.
Vinicio awarded by Mayor of Turin, Sergio Chiamparino
Other little anecdotes and stories
Still not satisfied and would like to read more? We actually have a lot more material to add to this page and tell you about the many curious things that have happened in over 50 businesses, but... for reasons you can imagine, not everything can be reported online!!!
But we still have a little gem to offer you: some little anecdotes taken directly from Mais Vinicio's historical memory!