Emap's celebrity-led Grazia plans to rival Glamour in UK

by Colin Grimshaw,, Marketing 16-Nov-04, 14:00

LONDON - Grazia, Emap's weekly fashion glossy, will have a heavier celebrity focus than had first been thought, throwing the title into competition with Conde Nast's hugely successful Glamour.

It was assumed that Grazia would have a high fashion focus, similar to the Italian magazine that is licensing the name to Emap. This would have meant its main UK competition would have been Elle, Vogue and In Style.

However, Marketing has learned that Grazia's content will be much broader and more populist, with celebrities featuring on the cover and throughout the magazine, including in the fashion coverage.

It will launch next March with a cover price that will be competitive with Glamour's price of £1.90.

Emap is investing £17m in the launch, a record for the UK magazine industry, and has set an ambitious sales target of 150,000.

This week Emap named Abby Carvosso, former commercial director of New Woman, as Grazia's publisher. It has also poached InStyle's fashion manager, Becky Gee, who has been appointed international fashion director. Charlie Miller, former divisional director of The Communications Store, has joined as executive fashion and beauty director.

Jane Bruton was last week named Grazia editor.

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