Four months ahead of the opening of its long-anticipated first hotel, Equinox is debuting a new ad campaign to build buzz. On Monday, the New York-based fitness brand released a long-form video starring supermodel Naomi Campbell.
"Hospitality in general is in a good spot," says Christopher Norton, chief executive of Equinox Hotels, who joined the business three years ago from Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. "Health is the new wealth and this new generation is more interested in an experience."
Equinox, which was founded in 1991 as a health club operator, first announced it would enter the hospitality category four years ago. Its first location will open in New York City's new Hudson Yards neighborhood on June 15. A second location is planned for Los Angeles. Norton says the brand will eventually have some 30 properties over the next decade.
As wellness trends accelerate on a global scale, many hospitality brands are trying to get a piece of the pie, says Norton, who notes that only Equinox is well-positioned in the space because of its history as a fitness club operator.
"The brand is going to be at the forefront of this," he says. "We authentically own our 25-plus year success."
The new video, which was shot by Nick Knight, offers an abstract look at the themes of movement, nourishment and dreams. Campbell moves through a fluidly changing backdrop that explores the themes. "For those who want it all," reads text at the end of the spot, which will appear on digital channels. In the coming months, Equinox will continue to add content to its web site.
The brand worked with RanaVerse on the new campaign. Rana Reeves, RanaVerse's founder, says Campbell, who first rose to fame in the late 80s, was a good fit to represent the brand because of her "high performance" lifestyle.
"She felt like a great muse to evoke the brand," he says. He notes that the new work is meant to suggest the same energy and aspirational style of the Equinox fitness brand.
"Equinox has a certain customer and the new work needed to keep pace with them," says Reeves.
