fabMAP Used as Handbag and Dog Scarf Take Top Honors
SKOKIE, Ill.- -Rand McNally today announced the winners of its photo and video contest for the fabMAPr, the company’s popular microfiber fabric map. Frannie Murillo of Milwaukee received a $500 Visa Gift Card for her first-place photo, Map Purse, which shows a fabMAPr sewn into a purse and wallet. Dan Whalen of San Francisco received a Buddy Scooter for his first-place video, FabMAPSF Map to Your Heart, the tale of two people brought together by a fabMAPr. The winners and other entries are on display at Rand McNally’s iNeverGetLost community. The fabMAPr contest ran from October 31, 2008 through December 31, 2008.
"The contest was great fun and showed tremendous creativity," said Andrzej Wrobel, Rand McNally president and chief executive officer. "Using our fabric maps for a lamp shade, a hot drink holder, an umbrella and more, people really got into the spirit of demonstrating the flexibility and durability of the fabMAPr. We are very excited by the tremendous interest in this new map format and plan to produce a variety of new editions."
Made of microfiber, the fabMAPr is waterproof and can’t be torn or wrinkled. It folds easily into a purse or pocket and is perfect for cleaning eyeglasses, camera lenses, binoculars and computer screens. Maps are available for more than 24 locales including Downtown Chicago, Las Vegas, Manhattan, the New Orleans French Quarter and Waikiki. Rand McNally is currently planning to release new maps for the Atlanta and Manhattan subways and the campuses of the Big Ten Conference. Last month, Rand McNally introduced a limited-edition President Barack Obama Commemorative Inaugural Souvenir fabMAPr of the Washington D.C. Mall area and parade route.
Frannie Murillo, an attorney by day and wannabe seamstress by night, used a fabMAPr of Chicago to sew a large purse, complete with shoulder strap and leather bottom. She also turned a fabMAPr of Washington D.C. into the accompanying wallet.
Said Frannie, "I love the fabMAPrs and had so many ideas for them that I was glad to have to opportunity to share my ideas and see others’ ideas as well! Not only are the maps super useful, but they are pretty cool looking too."
Dan Whalen, an animator and web designer, shot his video in San Francisco and wrote and performed the music for it. In the video, a single woman takes her dog for a walk and encounters a man whose dog is wearing a fabMAPr around its neck. After a brief conversation, they go their separate ways, but after going into a café for a cup of coffee, the woman comes out to find a fabMAPr tied around her dog’s neck. She then follows the map back to the man, who is waiting for her with a large pink heart.
Said Dan, "In the video, I play the guy who meets the single woman – in reality my wife – with the help of the Rand McNally fabMAPr and a couple of dachshunds. We had a blast making the video. I’ve been making these short films for friends and family for a while. It’s great to actually win a prize for something I love to do."
A city fabMAPr retails for $5.95. The maps can be purchased at Rand McNally’s Online Travel Store, Amazon.com and select Wal-Mart, Target, Borders and CVS locations.
About Rand McNally
From America’s number-one-selling Road Atlas, The Thomas Guider, fabMAPr and Goode’s World Atlas to StreetFinderr Wireless and IntelliRouter trucking software, Rand McNally has been an industry leader in the mapping, routing, geographic reference and trip-planning tool marketplace for more than 150 years. With More Roads-Better DirectionsT, the company’s products are sold in more than 50,000 retail outlets, directly to business, and are distributed to 98% of schools across the U.S. Rand McNally is the premier resource for online travel planning as well as maps and directions. For more information, please visit www.RandMcNally.com, call 800-333-0136 or buy maps and travel gear online at http://Store.RandMcNally.com/
The Thomas Guide, StreetFinder, IntelliRoute, FabMAP and More Roads – Better Directions are registered marks and/or trademarks of Rand McNally. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
