Since customers have had the ability to upload their own cover images to Ordnance Survey’s custom made maps, there has been a battle going on to establish which is the most popular cover image. The national mapping authority pioneered the process last year and has been pleased at how popular the maps have become. Customers simply go online to select the centre-point for their map from anywhere in Great Britain, chose the scale, the title and upload their own cover image. The custom made map is then professionally printed to the same high quality as the popular OS Explorer and OS Landranger maps and posted directly to the customer.
Staff at Ordnance Survey were initially surprised to discover a high volume of customers loading pictures of their dogs onto the covers, but explained it as walking enthusiasts and dog owners using the custom made maps to discover new dog walking routes close to home.
During the run up to Christmas, pictures of landscapes proved popular and would no doubt have been a popular stocking filler and talking point – perhaps with landscapes highlighting our desire for better weather and a hope that the winter would allow time to plan walks to discover the beautiful countryside in Great Britain. However, the overall winner has been images of friends and families.
Nick Giles, General Manager at Ordnance Survey Leisure commented, “Many people will create a custom made map to take with them on weekends away or holidays. Others are creating them as gifts for the people they went on holiday with. To produce your own map and upload your own image as the cover is a great idea and means that customers can have a lasting memento of their holiday as well as a practical tool to help them make the most of their time away. I hope this means that our customers are enjoying the countryside and their leisure time with their families and friends and will use their custom made maps to plan their next trip or walk.
“Another interesting and recent development is the number of custom made maps being produced as a gift for couples getting married. Either showing their home or their honeymoon destination, it makes a unique and thoughtful gift and can make an interesting change to the standard gift-list presents. We are really looking forward to seeing what other images our customers will use to create a unique and individual map in the future,” Nick continued.
To create a custom made map simply go to http://www.oscustommade.co.uk
