A year and half after Hotel Gansevoort first opened, NJFPR was tasked with creating a publicity campaign for its new spa, the Gansevoort Spa & Lounge, that would generate the same amount of media interest and excitement as the opening did. The challenge of making the Gansevoort Spa stand out in a city with more than 5,000 day spas-and of securing coverage in publications that had already covered the hotel-was considerable.

NJFPR decided to focus on the dual nature of the lounge: by day, a full-service luxury spa in a tranquil yet social environment; by night, a chic, exclusive bar. Relying solely on PR to generate awareness and bookings, the agency embarked on an intensive media relations campaign to showcase the social nature of the spa as well as its high-end treatments. The campaign included targeted mailings and pitches, compelling press materials, hard-hat and post-opening tours, invitations to media to experience treatments, production of compelling photography, and exclusives in influential publications like The New York Times, USA Today, Travel + Leisure and New York magazine.

To date, the Gansevoort Spa & Lounge's media relations campaign has reached in excess of 14 million readers and viewers and the spa enjoys significant name recognition. The Spa now boasts a healthy revenue of between $12,000 and $18,000 per week, 75 percent from hotel guests. 50 percent of its bookings are groups of three or more people who are looking to experience the social atmosphere promoted in the NJFPR campaign. The spa also does brisk business in the corporate world, with clients coming in to conduct business over manicures.