HOSPITALITY MARKETING
Circa & Upstairs at The Gwen
new on the scene
As the flagship restaurant and lounge at The Gwen, Circa was designed to be a comfortable yet elegant place for hotel guests to gather. Its seasonal counterpart, Upstairs at The Gwen, is an outdoor rooftop concept serving small plates and hand-crafted cocktails, surrounded by sparkling city lights and sweeping views of Chicago. I oversaw the creation of both brands from the ground up, including the design of logos and menus, as well as the crafting of all messaging.
To celebrate the debut of the two outlets, we hosted a launch series during the month of June. Each week we targeted a different audience and invited them to experience the new spaces. The events ranged from intimate media and influencer dinners to blow-out parties for the community in partnership with both The Magnificent Mile Association and Michigan Avenue magazine. The result was a successful summertime launch for the duo, which garnered mentions in outlets such as Zagat, Eater, the Chicago Tribune, and Urban Daddy.
social-media sensation
Not only did Upstairs at The Gwen receive immediate acclaim, but it also proved to be a social media darling. Its photogenic collection of cocktails — from large-format drinks, called Social Sips, to the ever-popular Poptail, a fruit-kissed popsicle served in a glass of prosecco — were the stars of social media, consistently generating buzz and plenty of likes throughout its debut summer season.
PHOTOS BELOW ARE FROM AN ARCHITECTURAL SHOOT I LED, FOCUSING ON THE GWEN’S NEW FOOD & BEVERAGE OUTLETS’ INDOOR & OUTDOOR SPACES
