8.0 Digital Signage Guidelines

All users of Chapman University’s Digital Signage system must observe the following guidelines. Failure to adhere to a guideline will result in a request to conform to the guideline you’re violating and, if you do not comply, eventual removal of the web entity and (potentially) your system access.

8.1. Introduction

The Digital Signage guidelines concern the display of content on the public television screens found around the Chapman University campuses that use the signage.chapman.edu system. Signage.chapman.edu is a custom-built content management system (CMS) that allows users to build slides and manage their screen from any computer. Slides are the individual ads that will display on the television screens.

8.2. User Levels

8.2.1 Slide Creators: Every member of the Chapman community (with login credentials) has access to the Digital Signage system to create slides that will potentially appear on different screens. When you select a screen for your slide to be on, it gets submitted to the Screen Owner for approval. Slide creation does not guarantee it will be approved for display on screens.

8.2.2 Screen Owners: Each public sign is owned by a school or department. The role of the Screen Owner is to be the approver and manager of their signs. They have complete control to approve or deny slide requests that are submitted to their signs. Exceptions are made for Institutional slides dictated through Strategic Marketing and Communications (SMC), which can appear at any time. Sign Owners can also create slides to appear on signs, including signs they do not own.

PLEASE NOTE: Slides are created by the requestor (Slide Creators), and not by the Screen Owner. Slide Creators will submit their final slide to the Screen Owners for approval.

8.3. Training and Access to Digital Signage

8.3.1. Slide Creator Training: Training is recommended for all users but not required. All users can access the digital signage CMS (signage.chapman.edu) without training to create slides, but proper design guidelines and system processes (explained below) must be followed to continue without a training session. Training for digital signage can be triggered through our self-service training form.

8.3.2. Screen Owner Training: Since this job requires approving and denying slides and system cleanup, we require training of Screen Owners with our digital marketing team. Please reach out to Tod Brewster at tobrewster@chapman.edu. If a new screen is being implemented, failure to go through training will result in no connection of the Digital Signage CMS to your device.

8.3.3: Screen Permission: Once you are the owner of a screen, you can grant owner permissions to any other Chapman community member.  You can do this through the specific screen’s edit mode. These individuals will have all the rights you do to approve and deny slides. You are responsible for the individuals you grant permissions to.

8.3.4 New Screen: If you would like to use signage.chapman.edu on a new device on campus, please work with Tod Brewster, at tobrewster@chapman.edu, to get it set up. The physical devices and attached computer are not supplied by SMC.

8.4. Approval Process

8.4.1. Screen Owners’ Rights: Each screen is owned by a specific school or department. It is their prerogative to approve or deny slides that are submitted to them through the system.

8.4.2: Notification Response Timeliness: As a Screen Owner, you will receive slide notifications for approval or denial of slides. Screen owners must approve slide requests within three days of submission. Failure to keep on top of these notifications will result in a review of your access with your supervisor. Don’t leave people hanging.

8.4.3. Approval Harassment: Any harassment by slide creators toward the screen owners for approving or denying slides will not be tolerated. SMC reserves the right to remove your access if harassment is being reported. Please be respectful to the sign owners. If you would like to report harassment as either a slide creator or sign owner, please contact Tod Brewster tobrewster@chapman.edu.

8.4.4. Slide Relevance: Each screen is located in a prime area for that specific school or department. When requesting your slide on a sign, please be respectful to the location and audience that the screen serves. Do not select all the signs when asking for exposure. Continuing the habit of selecting all screens without consideration will be considered harassment, and proper steps will be taken to remove your access after review.

8.3.4: Institutional and Emergency Slides: As noted above, SMC and Public Safety (in emergency situations) reserve the right to add a slide or take over the screen completely as needed. This privilege will be used with respect to the current slides on the sign, but can be implemented without approval or notice.

8.5. Content Guidelines

8.5.1. General Content Rules

8.5.1.1.  Copyrighted Materials: All content must abide by copyright standards, including images, audio, and video. Don’t steal.

8.5.1.2.  Content Relevance: Do not use materials created for print directly on the screen. This is a different medium and should be design as such. The colors, fonts and text sizes on print materials are not optimized for sign viewing.

8.5.1.3.  Stale Content: It is the responsibility of the screen Owner to keep the content up to date. SMC suggests using the scheduling feature to ensure that slides enter and exit the rotation at the appropriate times. All time-sensitive material should be removed no more than a day after the event.

8.5.1.4. Inappropriate Content: No negative or offensive content is allowed on the screen. It is at the discretion of the screen Owner and SMC to remove the sign if they deem the content offensive. Please use your best judgement and be respectful to all people.

8.5.1.5. External Advertising: No slide should promote an external event, product or service. Only                               Chapman sanctioned and connected products and services should be promoted on the digital signage                        screens.

8.5.2. Design

8.5.2.1. Text

8.5.2.1.1. Text Length:  Slide messages should be designed to be read in roughly 10 seconds. Keep text limited to title, Subtitle, location, time, and simple call-to-action. Paragraphs are not going to be read, so don’t use them.

8.5.2.1.2. Overlapping Text: Text should not run into any of the wayfinding design elements (aka the red bar at the bottom). If the text bleeds into the red bar it becomes illegible and will be asked to take down.

8.5.2.1.3. Sponsor/Host Text: Above the red wayfinder bar on the left side of the slide is a gray box displaying the slide sponsor or host. Many departments are repopulated to be selected in the backend, but if your department is not, please either choose the general “Chapman University” or request for your department to be added through Tod Brewster at tobrewster@chapman.edu

8.5.2.1.4. Text Legibility: If slides contain text that is illegible on a screen, SMC will reach out to the slide owner and ask them to rework or remove the slide. If you use the built in insertion points, this will not be an issue. If you design slides separately, please keep legibility from afar in mind.

8.5.2.2 Images and Video

8.5.2.2.1 Low Res Images: Do not use low res images in the slides. Proper dimensions for the slide “background” is 1920 x 1080 px and for the “foreground” image is 912 x 1080 px. Smaller images may be used but not stretch in their spots. Check your preview to verify before submitting.

8.5.2.2.2. Designed Background Images:  Any slide using only a full background image should be no more than 40% tex and the design should represent Chapman and the department appropriately.

8.5.2.2.3. Video: Videos should be under 12 mb and be in .mp4 format. Audio on video is optional, but know many of the screens do not  have audio playing on the screen.

8.5.2.2.4 Bad Design: Please do not create slides with ‘bad’ design.This usually includes cluttered designs, too many fonts used, too much text overall, low res images, and general layout on the screen. These are public facing screens and represent Chapman University. If you are not familiar with design principles, please review our design guides. SMC reserves the right to take down a slide if it is deemed poor design. We will work with you to correct the slide.

8.6. System Cleanup

8.6.1. Old slides: In order to keep the system running smooth and the backend not to clutter, we request you delete your slides after use, unless you plan to use them again in the future.

8.6.2. Yearly Cleanup: Every year at the beginning of the summer, SMC will delete all the slides in the system that are not in use that are old. This will be done with notice to the clients.