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| Vol. 18, No. 8 | Oct. 22, 1998 |
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| Vol. 18, No. 8 | Oct. 22, 1998 |
YoUDee, President David Roselle and Tiny Reamer, general manager of NuCar Middletown Chevrolet, with the YoUDeeMobile (Pictured below is Monroe Givens)
The jazzy, snazzy YoUDeeMobile, fit for a supersized, superstar mascot, is decorated with YoUDee sports logos, athletes in action, the UD Marching Band and cheerleaders. It delivers YoUDee to appearances- football and basketball games, other sports competitions, campus activities, charity benefits and other special events.
"The van is a standout work of art on the road and promotes Blue Hen sports and the University," Richard Ruggerio, public relations and YoUDee manager, said. "YoUDee is a busy bird, greeting and meeting and performing on campus and throughout the state, and we are grateful to NuCar Middletown Chevrolet and its manager, Tiny Reamer, for donating the van to the University to facilitate these appearances."
The artist who designed the van's special look is Monroe Givens, media services. For his design, Givens features the UD logo on the front of the van. In the rear, the theme is football. One side panel represents men's and women's basketball and the Marching Band, while the other portrays baseball and cheerleading, with Delaware Stadium in the background. YoUDee logos for Delaware's intercollegiate sports are displayed overall, representing golf, swimming, baseball, soft ball, cross country, crew, volleyball, basketball, football, tennis, soccer, field hockey, lacrosse and indoor and outdoor track.
"The theme was sports and spirit," Givens said, "and we decided to focus on images, rather than words. At the same time, we wanted to recognize the sponsor, NuCar Middletown Chevrolet, in the overall design and placed its name on the football and basketball."
Creating and applying the artwork to the van was a highly complex operation, Givens said. After selecting the images, he then made small-scale versions of the graphics on his computer, involving as many as 20 layers for a single design. After completing the models, the full-scale graphics were printed, using an electrostatic process, on a weather-resistant vinyl material that was then affixed to the van.
Although the entire van, except for the top, is "wrapped" with the artwork, the process allows passengers to see out the windows as though they were not covered.
YoUDee showed the van off on the Mall, inviting students and staff to share its excitement and delight. At football games, the YoUDeeMobile is a big attraction, with crowds of football fans surrounding it get an up-close look at Givens' design.
-Sue Swyers Moncure
Photo by Robert Cohen
