Event Promotion Guidelines

The purpose of this policy is to set promotional standards for Mount St. Mary’s University with an aim to ensure appropriate content, means, and aesthetics for all promotional efforts in order to uphold the Mount’s integrity.

All administrative offices, department heads, and advisors of clubs and organizations, etc. are ultimately responsible for the appropriateness of the material that is endorsed by their respective departments, offices, and student groups.

Note about External Audiences

All advertising, promotional products, publications, and other printed materials that go to an external audience must be approved by the Office of University Marketing and Communication to ensure compliance with the University Brand Standards. This includes any materials containing the Mount St. Mary’s University, Seminary and athletics logos (i.e.: t-shirts, brochures, pop-up signage).

Standard Marketing Means

All of the following standard marketing means do not require prior approval but should be reviewed by the sponsoring office, department, or advisor.

Website

• Public events must be added to a department calendar or submitted to the calendar online. Public events include any event open to either the entire Mount community and/or the general public. If an event is canceled, it should be updated as "canceled" and not removed. If a request has been submitted through the online calendar please email the webmaster with updates.
• Press releases for campus events should be sent to news@msmary.edu.

Mount Digital Sign Channel

The content on the Mount Channel screens is displayed at the discretion of the Office of Marketing, with these basic guidelines for submitting content:

• Marketing materials should be submitted to digital signs online at least two weeks prior to the event/promotion date
• Each slide may contain only one event promotional message and one call to action
• Only a limited number of slides are displayed at any given time - not all submitted slides will make the cut - slide content will be evaluated based on visual quality and effective marketing style, audience appeal, expected attendance, and number of slides in the queue at the time.
• Materials must be in .JPEG format (all other forms will be rejected)
• Materials must be designed in accordance with a widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio (1920x1080px) and have a professionally polished appearance (Hint: create slides in PowerPoint – Under “themes’ select slide size 16x9. Once your slide is ready save as .JPEG.)
• Stay visual with the Content – viewer time is limited to five seconds, use one large photo or image with concise text and minimal details to get your point across (30% or less text in a readable font size, sans serif fonts are best for readability, solid text without outlines works best, it is unnecessary to use the Mount logo)
• If an event is canceled, contact digitalsigns@msmary.edu as soon as possible to update the event listing on the displays.

Emails

• For student “Clubs and Organizations” only advisors are authorized to send emails to the entire campus. The appropriate distribution lists should be selected for dissemination; if directing to the Senior Class, send to that distribution list, not “All Students”

Flyers

• Flyers can be made using the Print Shop located in the Physical Plant
• Flyers must be hung with masking tape! All other types of tape are prohibited
• Flyers cannot be hung on glass, wood, doors, lamp posts, building exteriors, or trees
• Flyers may be hung in:
  • Academic buildings – in hallways, stairwells and on tack boards
  • McGowan Center – no flyers allowed (see napkin holders below)
  • Residence Halls – currently 45 copies of flyers may be given to the Office of Residence Life so that RAs can post them on their hallway bulletin boards. (door hangers and sliding flyers under doors are not allowed)
• Flyers MUST be removed within two days following the event

Banners

• Banners are only to be hung along the atrium in the Academic Center. They are not to be attached to ceilings, hang across hallways, or doorways
• Banners are to be hung using masking tape only, all other types of tape are prohibited (supplies are located in the Campus Activities Office)
• Banners must be taken down within 2 days following the event

Posters

• Posters may be printed at the Center for Instructional Technology office in the Academic Center or the Office of Campus Activities (full color for $5)
• Posters must be submitted as a .JPEG image (hint - create in Microsoft Publisher on a 24” x 36” template and save as a .JPEG image file)
• Posters can be placed in windmasters with confirmed reservations. Use of the windmasters must be requested through the Event Services form (medium is very limited – it is recommended that requests be arranged at least two weeks in advance)

Napkin Holders

• Napkin holder marketing spaces are reserved in one week periods only, for a maximum of two weeks if available
• Napkin holder reservations are requested through the Event Services form (space is very limited – it is recommended that requests be arranged at least two weeks in advance)
• The individual office or group is responsible for placing the information in all of the napkin holders
• Slot size is 4 1/2” high by 6” wide, and there are roughly 125 napkin holders

Information Tables

• There are three information tables available for reservation in Patriot Hall, and two in the Academic Center.
• To book a table fill out the Event Services form. (With the limited supply of tables, recommended reservation time is at least two weeks in advance)Tables are booked in time slots for lunch and dinner, on a daily basis and MUST be staffed during the time slots the group has booked
• Any flyers or banners must be taken down when the time slot is over.