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 Carousel digital signeage system. Carousel is a content management system (CMS) that allows users to build bulletins and manage their screen from any computer. Bulletins are the individual ads that will display on the television screens.
8.2. User Levels
8.2.1 Bulletin Creators: Every member of the Chapman community (with login credentials) has access to the Digital Signage system to create bulletins that will potentially appear on different screens. When you select a screen for your bulletin to be on, it gets submitted to the Screen Owner for approval. Bulletin creation does not guarantee it will be approved for display on screens.
8.2.2 Bulletin 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 bulletin requests that are submitted to their signs. Exceptions are made for Institutional bulletins dictated through Strategic Marketing and Communications (SMC), which can appear at any time. Sign Owners can also create bulletins to appear on signs, including signs they do not own.
PLEASE NOTE: Bulletins are created by the requestor (Bulletin Creators), and not by the Screen Owner. Bulletin Creators will submit their final bulletin to the Screen Owners for approval.
8.3. Training and Access to Digital Signage
8.3.1. Bulletin Creator Training: Training is required for all users. Training for digital signage can be triggered through our self-service training form.
8.3.2 New Screen: If you would like to use Carousel on a new device on campus, please submit a service desk request to servicedesk@chapman.edu.
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 bulletins that are submitted to them through the system.
8.4.2: Notification Response Timeliness: As a Screen Owner, you will receive bulletin notifications for approval or denial of bulletins. Screen owners must approve bulletin 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 bulletin creators toward the screen owners for approving or denying bulletins 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 bulletin creator or sign owner, please contact digitalmarketing@chapman.edu
8.4.4. Bulletin Relevance: Each screen is located in a prime area for that specific school or department. When requesting your bulletin 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 Bulletins: As noted above, SMC and Public Safety (in emergency situations) reserve the right to add a bulletin or take over the screen completely as needed. This privilege will be used with respect to the current bulletins 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 bulletins 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 bulletin 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: Bulletin 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. Text Legibility: If bulletins contain text that is illegible on a screen, SMC will reach out to the bulletin owner and ask them to rework or remove the bulletin. If you use the built in insertion points, this will not be an issue. If you design bulletins 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 bulletins. Proper dimensions for a bulletin are 1920 x 980 px Check your preview to verify before submitting.
8.5.2.2.2. Designed Background Images: Any bulletin using only a full background image should be no more than 40% text 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 bulletins 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 bulletin if it is deemed poor design. We will work with you to correct the bulletin.
8.5.2.2.5 Scheduling: You must set a start and end date for your bulletin. Failure to do so will result in your bulletin being declined.
8.6. System Cleanup
8.6.1. Old bulletins: In order to keep the system running smooth and the backend not to clutter, we request you delete your bulletins after use, unless you plan to use them again in the future. Every year at the beginning of the summer, SMC will delete all the bulletins in the system that are not in use that are old. This will be done without notice to the clients.