Emap's research into The New Alpha Woman and How to Reach Her, presented at an advertising seminar in London last week, claimed that Grazia is read cover to cover and the reduced amount of advertising pages ensured impact for the advertiser.
However, media agencies at the event were worried about the true value of its advertising.
Ian McCrea, communications senior executive at Manning Gottlieb OMD, said: "What you're delivering and what you are purporting to be, are at odds. It was very much dressed up as this premium product and, as a buyer, you do have to question the validity of that. The value of the pages is my main concern and how your readership is responding to those."
While Paul Keenan, chief executive of Emap Advertising, hailed Grazia as a new media form, most agency people saw it as akin to a weekend supplement or a "read-and-bin" weekly like Heat, rather than a monthly that people are likely to pass on.
"They are a bit more upmarket version of the weeklies that are out there, like ES magazine, Saturday Telegraph magazine or The Sunday Times' Style," said Hannah Murphy, press manager at Vizeum Although agencies recognise it is still early days for Grazia, they are worried the magazine's focus is too broad.
The £1-off offer in the Daily Mail last Thursday prompted many to question where Grazia's target market is.
"They might go the wrong way by going too broad, they can't be all things to all people," Vizeum's Murphy said.
Sam Griffiths, associate director at Carat, said: "They don't know who they are trying to hit at the moment – they are trying to hit as many people as possible."
Aida Muirhead, head of research at Emap Consumer Media, said the magazine was only three months old and it was still unclear whether people would pass it on or throw it away.
Muirhead told Media Week: "We need to avoid trying to pigeon hole this product as it is completely new."
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