Urban Refuge

An unexpected oasis amid New York’s hustle and bustle set up shop as The Spa Experience for four days last month at Grand Central Terminal.

Weary commuters were treated to free massages, facials, skin treatments and product samples, among the sweet aroma of flowers and herbs.

The sight of bathrobe-clad women might have been a little disconcerting to unsuspecting passersby, but not all. “Ooh, they’re giving out facials over there,” a woman exclaimed, tugging her friend toward a booth.

SpaFinder, a spa marketing and media company, conceived and recruited 50 spa, travel destination and beauty firms for the happening. EKS Events oversaw the logistics as producer, while Event Central executed the plan.

“When you are working in an industry that is fundamentally about touching people’s lives, the best way to experience it is through an experiential event,” says SpaFinder COO Sallie Fraenkel.

New York’s busiest train station may be one of the last places people visit to unwind — an estimated 750,000 people pass through the terminal every day. But SpaFinder chose the spot for one main reason: To capture a large audience.

It worked: participating vendors distributed close to 500,000 product samples.

In July, SpaFinder hosted a similar happening in Aspen, CO, where it drew more than 2,500 people and plans to return next year.

As commuters rush to catch their train, Fraenkel admits, “The last thing they are thinking about is getting a massage or a treatment. But this gives people a respite, a chance to take a quick break.”

“We wanted to put SpaFinder’s name out there,” she says. “We also wanted to educate the public about what spa life is all about.”

One of the biggest misconceptions is that spas are nothing but fluff and pampering, Fraenkel says. But that’s not the case. Beyond relaxation, the facilities offer everything from health and wellness education to physical fitness and cosmetic care.

On a nearby stage, a woman dressed in spandex swung from a trapeze bar. She then twisted her body, flipped over the bar and landed on her feet, smiling. It’s all part of Circus Sports, a class offered at The BodyHoliday At LeSport in St. Lucia.

Spas are big business. About $9.4 billion was spent by consumers in 2006 at spas in the U.S. and Canada, says the International Spa Association.

Grand Central retailers also joined in the festivities. Stores offered discounts on a variety of food, beauty products and other items. Visitors also could buy SpaFinder gift certificates, redeemable at nearly 4,000 spas across the globe, or book a spa getaway.

Street teams passed out postcards to alert people to the event. SpaFinder used catchy taglines to send people to its booths. One read, “Relax, you just missed your train.” Another said, “Miracle at 42nd Street.”

People waited in line for free services. Therapists, courtesy of the Red Door Lifestyle Spa at Hyatt Regency Bonaventure in Fort Lauderdale, FL, rubbed the tension away with hot-stone hand, neck and shoulder massages.

New York City’s own Oasis Day Spa offered pumpkin facials and pumpkin cream pie hand treatment to refresh the skin.

Others put their names on waiting lists of up to one hour. Visitors with extra time on their hands sought out the Spa Retreat Centers, sectioned off private areas that offered longer-term beauty treatments, including skin treatments and massages.

Samples also were a big hit. Visitors walked away with everything from CDs, sprays and lotions. For instance, The Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa handed out mini bars of lemon and mint soap, while the Miraval Life in Balance resort distributed samples of chocolate and cards with good-for-you recipes. Reps from Nutrisoda and SoyJoy handed out full-sized samples of their products.

If that wasn’t enough, SpaFinder hosted 14 different sweepstakes offering 33 prizes at the event. Prizes included trips to destinations ranging from the Caribbean to Israel.

SpaFinder plans to pass along the data it collected from sweepstakes entrants (names, e-mail addresses, postal addresses and phone numbers) for future marketing. Names have been added to the company’s database. Event visitors are to receive SpaFinder’s bi-weekly e-newsletter.

SpaFinder’s main target was women 25 and older who are somewhat affluent. But men, too, dropped in for some pampering.

David Fein, of New York, says he’s not a regular spa-goer, except for the occasional massage. But he took advantage of a free hand massage.

Did the event sway him?

“It feels great,” Fein said wiggling his fingers. “I may change my mind.”

For more articles on events go to promomagazine/eventmarketing