ACP Magazines is on the verge of signing a deal that would bring Grazia magazine to Australia, B&T can reveal.
A Europe-based source said that although a legal agreement had not yet been finalised, it was extremely close. Grazia is a glossy, fashion-led weekly owned by Italian publisher Mondatori. It already has several successful franchises around the world including the UK, Greece, Portugal, and the Middle East.
Earlier this year ACP acquired Emap Australia in a move which brought it closer to Mondatori, as Emap UK runs the British editionof Grazia.
When Grazia launched in the UK in 2005 it was a huge editorial and commercial success. Emap identified that the opportunity lay slightly downmarket of its Italian cousin’s high fashion offering.
Jackie Edwards, Initiative’s national buying director, believes the magazine will make waves locally as it has done overseas: “I think it is a really different proposition, and I am really excited by it. Fashion changes so quickly, we always see fashion monthly. I think the market has been crying out for this title for years. And, it is finally coming.”
She added that its success would be in spite of the downturn the women’s weekly market has experienced in the latest Audit Bureau of Circulations results.
Among those most hit in the three months to September this year was Pacific Magazines’ Famous which fell 16%. The publisher’s other titles including New Idea also saw a significant decline posting a 9.7% drop. Similarly, ACP’s NW and Woman’s Day titles suffered falls.
The local launch of Grazia would be a direct challenge for not only the weeklies but also monthly fashion titles such as News Magazines’ local edition of Vogue which in the year to June 2007, recorded a 13.17% decline, compared to the previous year under the old measurement system.
A spokeswoman for ACP declined to comment, although sources claimed that if it did happen a launch would not be until the second half of next year.
However, office building work at ACP’s premises in Park St, Sydney, has led staff to speculate that this could be for a new magazine.
Australia’s larger publishers often opt for international franchises rather than local products because they get the support of big advertisers, including the Italian fashion houses. ACP would also be able to call on the editorial and commercial expertise contained within its current portfolio, including market-leading titles such as Harpers and Madison.
