Win $1000.00 On 4.8 - Enter The #AILAchallenge!
Who would like to win $1000.00 cash on Monday, April 8th from Thompson, the manufacturers of my AILA sink, the world’s first kitchen and bath product manufactured from an AI generated image? And, if you’re the winner, have a feature in Thompson’s newsletter, with links to you?
It’s such a fun and easy challenge to participate in, and anyone in the US or Canada, 18 years of age or older, can enter!
If you’re a designer reading this, and going to #HPMKT next month, the Thompson team is thinking an extra $1000.00 might come in handy for your hotel room, car, meals or flight, but it comes with no strings attached so, if you win, you can use the $1000.00 for anything your heart desires.
Why is Thompson doing this?
1. To help everyone see how the AILA sink can look in different environments and, of course, to help encourage sales of the sink, too, for anyone interested in purchasing one. [ On that note, Thompson is offering 10% off the purchase of any AILA sink to anyone with a trade account through the end of 2024 ].
2. To help you learn how to use augmented reality [ commonly known by the abbreviation, AR ] so you can see products in your own environments or show your clients those products that you [ or they ] might be interested in purchasing.
Below are some of the entries received as of the date of this post, [ Monday, March 25th, 2024 ] so you can get an idea of what to do.
The first image is from interior designer, Lisa Peck, principal of Minneapolis based Lilu Interiors. Lisa is also the owner of the very popular to the trade only rug and textile brand, Sylvie and Mira, named after her two daughters.
Lisa used the View In Your Space AR button on Thompson’s AILA product page to place the AILA sink in one of her client’s bathrooms. Lisa has two entries, though, and you can see the other one in the AILA challenge HIGHLIGHT at the top of my IG feed, here.
If you’re an interior designer reading this, using AR to help your clients visualize how various products they’re considering purchasing is such a smart idea.
Boston based Interior designer Linda Merrill also entered twice. Linda’s creativity in placing AILA in the dollhouse bathroom she’s building was a fun idea, as you can see below. See her other entry in my IG Challenge highlight at the top of my IG feed, here.
[ Linda also wrote a wonderful blog post about AI [ not AR ] featuring AILA, after it debuted at the National Kitchen and Bath Show, and I invite you to read her post, here. ]
Bend, OR based kitchen and bath designer, Emily Cathcart, was the first designer to enter the #AILAchallenge. Emily plans more entries, too, when she travels to San Diego, as you can enter as many images as you want.
{Notice how Emily has this image collected in her own IG Highlight, titled AI asst. Design. Emily is a pro at using AI to help her potential clients visualize concepts for their kitchens and bathrooms. See all of her AI images in her HIGHLIGHT here. ]
Last but not least, Greenville, SC based architect and interior designer Kimberly Kerl, principal of Kustom Home Design, also submitted two beautiful entries. Besides being a fellow Design Hound, Kimberly has recently been appointed to the National Chapter Leadership committee of the National Kitchen and Bath Association.
Here’s one entry and you can see the other one on my IG Highlight named AILA Challenge, here.
All of these entries are SO good and Thompson [ and I! ] hope there will be many more before the challenge ends on Friday, April 5th at midnight EST.
Here’s HOW TO ENTER in 3 easy steps.
1. Go to the View My Space AR button on the AILA product page on Thompsons’ site:
https://www.thompsontraders.com/product/aila
If you have any issue with opening the View My Space link, use the SAFARI browser if you’re currently using Chrome or Firefox or another browser.
2. Place the AILA sink image you will see pop up on your mobile phone anywhere it makes sense. Scale it accordingly by using your fingers to move, pinch or expand the image. Tap the phone screen once it’s placed where you want it and take a screenshot by clicking the white button you will see at the bottom of your screen or record a video by pressing the white button you will see at the bottom of your screen.
3. Share the image in your Instagram Story, on your IG Feed, or in an Instagram Reel, and live tag: @thompsontraders @lesliemcarothers and use the hashtag #AILAchallenge.
That’s it, you’re entered!
Here’s AILA resting on my computer monitor as I type…LOL!
I have to admit, I’m not as good at placing AILA in situ as the designers who’ve already entered are, but I will get there..and so will you if you’re just learning how to use augmented reality to see how products will look in your own homes.
After all, that’s part of the reason for this challenge.. to have fun and to learn!
THE FINE PRINT
As with any design challenge, there is always additional important information to heed and here that is, as shared by Thompson.
If this is the very first time you’re hearing about the AILA sink, and you’d like some more background, I invite you to read this post I wrote, summarizing the introduction of the AILA sink by Thompson in their exhibitor space at the National Kitchen and Bath Show in Las Vegas in February of 2024.
Below is Alejandra Thompson de Jordan. Thompson’s Vice President of Marketing and Sales, holding my Midjourney AI image, next to the real AILA sink.
For all who enter between now and April 5th, 2024 at 12 midnight EST [ the close of the challenge ], Thompson and I can’t wait to see and reshare your entries to highlight you!
Your creativity is encouraged, multiple entries are encouraged, but most of all, if you’re a designer, we hope you have fun playing and learning how to use augmented reality so that you’re a total pro when seeing products via augmented reality becomes simply part of what people expect to see with your presentations.
A note: Thompson’s official brand name is now THOMPSON, but they still go by @thompsontraders on all of their social channels.
Lastly, for any of you that are in love with the real AILA sink, and have no desire to take part in the challenge, but would like to purchase an AILA sink for yourselves or a client, your contact is Thompson’s National Director of Sales, Andrew Holben, who can lead you to the distributor closest to your location.
You can reach Andrew at afh@thompsontraders.com.
To the Thompson team: thank you for this great #digitaldesign challenge idea — I can’t wait for you to announce the recipient of your $1000.00 cash voucher on Monday, April 8th on your Instagram feed!