NEW Year & NEW 5th edition Mail-It Map about to be published

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Today I signed off the proofs for our new

5th edition Australia Mail-It Map.

Its a point of no return when you’ve made what feels like a million decisions, and there’s no turning back as the printing plates are produced and the press starts to roll ;)

Each edition develops a character of its own as it evolves, responding to suggestions and input from *YOU* our end users, whilst keeping it accountable to our values and so reflect the heart of ‘why’ we do what we do.

This edition has happily reverted to being more environmentally conscious :)

Our first edition (which sold 50,000 copies) had no packaging! The envelopes were popped in the back of the display box, and the maps sat at the front… Sadly, a lot of customers only picked up the map at the front leaving a pile of envelopes accumulating at the back without a home.

We therefore relented to retailers’ demands when publishing the third and fourth editions, (read the Story so Far to find out what happened to the second edition! :) ) inserting the map + envelope into a clear cello bag to keep the product together and pristine.

This time around, as you can see above the…

  • Packaging has been reduced to just a translucent paper band to keep the Mail-It Map and the envelope together until purchased

You may also notice just visible behind the map the enviro coloured envelope, which is 100% recycled, and hidden from view the printed image on the front that enhances the address.

Australia Mail-It Map 5th edition

There’s also:

  • Extra space for writing on the back of the A3 (42cm x 29.7cm) sized map…

in between the pointers of how to use it ~

i.e. Dotting your route on the Map… arrowing in where you’ve been and

 

…notating highlights in the jotting boxes

And if you’re familiar with our previous editions, you’ll have noticed we’ve broken away from the A3 folding down to a squarish A6 size, to an oblong presentation influenced by the old fashioned aerogramme shape.

We’re also really proud that not only are all of our products Australian Made, but like the 100-Mile Diet, in a bid to minimize our company’s ecological footprint we manufacture all elements of our products within 100 miles, which is great for the planet as well as  being good for local Brisbane businesses :)

 

But, more on that and the environmental measures our wonderful  printer takes another time…

At the moment I’m just looking forward to seeing and hearing what you all think of the new features ;)

Year at a Glance – October 2010

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Each month I take a highlight from the goings-on at Journey Jottings and put it in a box on a Map Journal that I’m creating called ~

Year at a Glance 2010 ~

so come December I’ll have the year simply summarized on a single sheet showing where we’ve come from and where we’ve got to ;)

This month was pretty auspicious in that in the throws of reviewing our Mail-It Map ready for the 5th edition, we suddenly realised that to date,

we’ve published and sold 100,000 Mail-It Maps.

October 2010

Click here to see my other highlights for 2010

What was your *highlight* for October?

 

Its good to reflect and acknowledge what you’ve achieved,

so please add it in the comments below

before it gets overlooked and forgotten ;)

The Mail-It Map Story… so far

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We’ve now sold 100,000 Australia Mail-It Maps :D

And we’re getting ready to publish the 5th edition!

It’s been through a few metamorphoses – some planned and some due to circumstance – but it certainly is a highlight of the year to reach 6 figures of sales ;)

Mail-It Maps keep family and friends posted with where you are on the map, and what you’ve been doing in the boxes around the outside ~ Its more than a post card, but less laborious than a letter!

We printed the first edition on a cream coloured paper, which went out with gorgeous rusty red and ochre coloured envelopes that had speckled flecks in it.

Australia Mail-It Map 1st edition

I loved those envelopes – They conveyed the rustic Australian landscape and were 100% recycled.

However, the paper supplier, in their wisdom descided to discontinue it :(

So when we came to publish the second edition, we had to look elsewhere.

Now you’d think getting some earthy coloured, recycled envelopes would be a cinch … Think again.

I therefore decided to go in the opposite direction with more of a Ken Done approach – super colourful ~ And selected 8 rainbow colours -

I also wanted to illustrate on the cover just what it was, as being a new idea, not everyone immediately understood their concept -

Mail-It Map 2nd edition

The image above, is the revamped version but the immediate response was that it was too busy!

Then the printer had a problem with his press, resulting in them all having to be re-done.

I grabbed the opportunity to whip up another design using the upper right portion of the map to illustrate more literally what you were getting -

Journey Jottings Mail-It Map 3rd edition

I thought the wonderful peacock array of coloured envelopes looked such fun…

But sometimes too much choice is more confusing than helpful and shop keepers conveyed stories of their customers’ dilemma in trying to select which ‘one’ to go for ~ I’d say, what a great excuse to take two – but maybe I’m biased ;)

Wishing to oblige, for the 4th edition, we reduced the 8 colours back down to just four, keeping them more reflective of the Australian landscape.

And I also put a different section of the map on the cover.

Australia Mail-It Map 4th edition

Plus, on the back, illustrations showing you how they could be used

How to Use your Mail-It Map

So… where will the 5th edition go?

What would *YOU* like to see?

Do help by telling us in the comments below…

Then watch this space for first news of when its published ;)