  We propose a general correspondence between gravity and spin models, inspired
by the well-known IR equivalence between lattice gauge theories and the spin
models. This suggests a connection between continuous type Hawking-phase
transitions in gravity and the continuous order-disorder transitions in
ferromagnets. The black-hole phase corresponds to the ordered and the graviton
gas corresponds to the disordered phases respectively. A simple set-up based on
Einstein-dilaton gravity indicates that the vicinity of the phase transition is
governed by a linear-dilaton CFT. Employing this CFT we calculate scaling of
observables near T_c, and obtain mean-field scaling in a semi-classical
approximation. In case of the XY model the Goldstone mode is identified with
the zero mode of the NS-NS two-form. We show that the second speed of sound
vanishes at the transition also with the mean field exponent.
