Section 2: Communication Standards for Digital Signage

Communication Checklist

Keeping in mind the following considerations will help to ensure that content is fair, relevant and appropriate for digital signage at UBC. Content should support the values of scholarship and service reflected in UBC’s status as a Tier One research-intensive university, and be appropriate to the specific program, service, event or product that is being advertised.

Consider this communication checklist when publicizing and promoting UBC products and services.

  • Target audience(s) and signage screen locations
  • Clear messaging
  • Alignment with the UBC Brand and communication objectives
  • Relevance and accessibility of the information
  • Design and aesthetic integrity
  • Alignment with UBC’s Tier One status


Content Review for the UBC Main Channel

All content submitted for circulation via the UBC Central Channel is subject to the following:

  • Only unit-approved content submitted to the UBC Digital Signage Coordinator (Jamil Rhajiak) will be considered for display on the UBC Central Channel
  • All content is subject to editorial review by the UBC Digital Signage Coordinator (Jamil Rhajiak) and limited to UBC-related issues and events
  • Digital signage system content should be relevant to the UBC community as a whole
  • Content that is directed towards small interest groups may be posted at the discretion of the UBC Digital Signage Coordinator
  • Third-party advertising is not permitted on the UBC Digital Signage network at this time. Advertising must be approved by the UBC Naming Committee

Content Review for Unit Channels

All content submitted for circulation via Unit Channels is subject to the following:

  • Content review for individual Unit Channels (department/unit specific channels) is subject to the discretion of respective unit Content Managers.
  • Units using the UBC Digital Signage Network for internal unit use are not required to submit content to the UBC Digital Signage Coordinator for editorial review.
  • Best practices require that a maximum of 5% of the total content pieces in rotation on Unit Channels reflect UBC Brand content and that this content be shown for ~10-15 seconds.
  • In order to easily fulfill the 5% UBC Brand requirement, Content Managers can: 1. Subscribe to the campus-wide content playlist (UBC Central Channel) or 2. Use the UBC Brand Digital Templates to create “branded” content.
  • New UBC Brand motion assets including the signature and tagline are currently under development by Public Affairs and will be added to the playlist in coming months.


Eligible Authors

Content can be submitted for display on individual signs located throughout the campus digital signage network as well as the central UBC central channel. Unit content submissions must be approved by whoever the head of unit designates while content for the central UBC channel must be submitted to the UBC Digital Signage Coordinator (Jamil Rhajiak) for review and approval. 

These guidelines are intended and written to support the following roles involved in creating and managing content for digital signage:

  • Content Creators (faculty, staff or students who create content for display on signage)
  • Communications Cardinals (professional communication and design staff at UBC)
  • Signage Managers (professionals who manage content on the signage systems)
  • Signage Owners (locations and places where a series of digital displays are installed)


Permissions

It is the responsibility of content creators to ensure that any words, images or video used for content design are:

  1. Royalty-free, or
  2. Media royalty has been paid for, or
  3. Written permission has been obtained from the creator of content, (i.e. writer, illustrator, designer, photographer or videographer)
  4. Any individuals visible in the images have signed a consent to use of image form

Digital Signage is governed under UBC’s Policy of Responsible Use of Information Technology Facilities and Services

Compliance

All users of digital signage must comply with all generally applicable UBC policies and all applicable contracts and licenses. Examples include, but are not limited to, the laws of privacy, 
copyright, and trademark. 
Content authors must familiarize themselves with these rules and will assume full responsibility for ensuring that the rights of the materials, imagery, and artwork used in their content have been cleared prior to posting.

Communication Integrity

Digital signage is intended to display content that is relevant to and supports the mission of the University as a Tier-One institution. The use of digital signage, like the use of any other University resource or activity, is subject to the normal requirements of legal and ethical behavior at UBC.  Content should be appropriate for viewing in a public space.

A Content Framework

UBC’s digital signage network is a highly visible broadcast medium that displays content from a wide variety of content contributors and signage owners. The complexity of multi-user-generated content, combined with the multi-location and temporal nature of the medium, has galvanized a need to curate and organize content on a high-level. The digital signage system provides a communication framework to organize content.

Content Categories [links to expanded category examples] 

Content submitted to the UBC central channel is organized by category. Filtering content through this lens provides a logical structure and an opportunity for Content Creators to think strategically about how and where content is displayed so that it is both meaningful to target audiences and consistent with UBC’s strategic communication goals as a Tier One institution.

There are seven content categories in the digital signage system:

  1. Events
  2. Announcements
  3. Campus Updates
  4. Community Content
  5. Emergency Broadcasts
  6. News
  7. UBC Brand Content


Place and Promise Messaging

When creating any communication for UBC, content creators are encouraged to visit the Place and Promise website in order to become familiar with the overarching communication goals of the university. The university’s core commitments are to student learning, research excellence and community engagement. The remaining commitments have been chosen to support UBC’s core mission, capitalize on strengths and focus attention on where the university most needs to grow. 
Strategic pillars that Place and Promise messaging supports are:

  • Student Learning
  • Research Excellence
  • Community Engagement
  • Aboriginal Engagement
  • Alumni Engagement
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • International Engagement
  • Outstanding Work Environment
  • Sustainability

Expanded list of content categories