Gigantic Contest-Winning Backlit Mural Unveiled at MGM Grand, Las Vegas

 

The unveiling of the gigantic, robot-produced, mosaic mural at MGM Grand’s Las Vegas “Wet Republic” day club during HD Expo turned out to be one of the most successful and certainly, grandiose, marketing exercises ever to be experienced within the architectural & design (A&D) community.

For more than six months, partner companies Bostik (www.bostik-us.com) and Artaic Innovative Mosaic (www.artaic.com) had been deftly planning the event, and that included trumpeting it via a focused advertising, public relations and social media program to a very precise demographic. “We wanted to get the most enthusiastic mosaic design people, both those who work professionally with these materials… and also, those who are simply mosaic aficionados, to enter the competition,” stated Scott Banda, Director of Marketing & Business Development for Bostik. “So together with Artaic and our ad/public relations agency, Communicators International, Inc., we communicated at optimal levels internally before we launched our communications program externally. This strategy ultimately proved to work out very well!”

Contestants were asked to create designs to be produced using glass mosaic tiles, robotically assembled using Artaic’s patented Tessera™ robotics and Bostik’s state-of-the-art, translucent Dimension® RapidCure™ glass-filled grout. “The only creative parameter was that the design had to embody the theme, “Essence of Las Vegas,” stated Dr. Ted Acworth, Founder & CEO of Artaic. “We wanted contestants to let their imaginations run wild.”

Run wild, indeed. Hundreds of talented designers submitted some of the most creative designs that could ever be conceived. These ultimately were presented to a handpicked panel of judges consisting of well-known architects, designers, trade magazine press and tile industry professionals. The plan was for the top ten finalists to be selected… and the winning mural design to be produced and then installed on an outside wall of the MGM Grand, Las Vegas and finally… unveiled right at HD Expo’s legendary “Party By The Pool” celebration in front of thousands of hospitality design professionals.

Dr. Ted Acworth, along with Scott Banda, co-emceed the unveiling ceremony, which included introducing all the finalists. At sunset, the winning design was finally displayed, and quickly backlit to further exhibit all of its amazing artistic and unique visual characteristics. The winning designer, Nicole “Nikki” Kohri, was there in person to receive her grand prize: a round-trip vacation for two to Paris. Ted Acworth commented, “We work with some of the most advanced architectural design professionals across the globe, and clearly, Nikki is one budding star!” Joyen Vakil, Senior Vice-President of Design & Construction for MGM Resorts International added, “Ms. Kohri’s design creation fits in perfectly with the overall design theme of our Wet Republic. It’s visually engaging, fun, and very innovative!”

Elated and somewhat humbled, Nicole Kohri stated, “I cannot express how grateful I am for this opportunity. I cannot stop smiling and am still shocked to have won. It was so magical watching everyone look up at the mural and touch the tiles with a big smile.”

Ms. Kohri intends to take her sister, Rachelle, along with her on the grand prizewinner’s Paris sojourn. “My family is so proud; we really had a wonderful time at the Party by the Pool Celebration. The Bostik and Artaic teams are amazing, and made us feel so welcomed and appreciated. Hearing all those compliments just melts my heart… and, motivates me to pursue my true passion, which is mosaic design. This wonderful experience has definitely opened a window of opportunity for me, and I will always be grateful!”

Scott Banda added, “As most people in the A&D community now know, together with Artaic, our main goal with the Design ‘N Gather competition is to bring back the ancient, time-tested art of mosaic mural design and celebrate the many talented design professionals that greatly contribute to the aesthetic world around us. But in doing so, if we can discover a bright, young talent such as Nicole Kohri, someone who has the potential to make a difference within the design sector moving forward, it is our honor, pleasure… and, commitment to do so!”

During HD Expo show hours, Bostik actually had an enormous blimp flying over the city of Las Vegas proper, to reinforce the company’s strong, global branding program. Additionally, at the Party By The Pool, Bostik leased out the VIP section of six bungalows, complete with closed circuit TV showing both Bostik and Artaic focused videos.
The show must go on! Next week (May 19 – 21) Ms. Kohri will join the Bostik team at the AIA show in Philadelphia for further recognition of her achievement. She will be formally recognized at the Party In The Market event which will take place Friday evening, just prior to the introduction of the Bacon Brothers band’s musical set. Bostik will again feature the works of the top ten finalists at its Gallery Lounge inside the exhibit hall. Banda concluded, “This contest is an industry first, and the enthusiasm for it amongst the design community is amazing. People loved our gallery in Las Vegas and we are excited to show everyone this truly innovative mosaic design gallery again in Philadelphia!”

About Bostik, Inc.
Bostik is a leading global adhesive specialist in industrial manufacturing, construction and consumer markets. For more than a century, they have been developing innovative adhesive solutions that are smarter and more adaptive to the forces that shape people’s daily lives. From cradle to grave, from home to office, Bostik’s smart adhesives can be found everywhere. With annual sales of $1.63 billion, the company employs 4,800 people and has a presence in more than 50 countries. Bostik is a company of Arkema. Visit bostik-us.com for more information.

About Artaic Innovative Mosaic
Artaic designs and fabricates custom, award-winning tile-work. Combining modern technologies with an established art form, Artaic modernizes the creation of architecturally compelling mosaics. Through fast design iterations, free sampling and robotic production in the USA, the process of customization is made as simple and painless as possible. Artaic’s Tessera™ software enables their skilled design team to easily collaborate with the robotic manufacturing systems, easing the creation of modern mosaics by increasing design flexibility and decreasing lead times and costs. Artaic’s Mass-Customization technologies enable the production of large-scale, American-made works right from their studio in Boston’s Innovation District.

Contact information
Chris Eichman
Marketing Communications Manager, Consumer & Construction Business Unit
Phone: 414-607-1265 Email: christopher.eichman@bostik-us.com www.bostik-us.com