Digital Signage

Digital signage lets you promote short and simple messages about services, events, contests or other updates to campus audiences.

UBC Okanagan uses Yodeck as its primary digital signage platform, and University Relations leads the broadcast of messaging to more than 16 public-facing screens in all major buildings on campus.

Overview

Who are the audiences?

UBCO current students are the primary audience, and faculty and staff are secondary audiences for digital signage. Any content submitted should be relevant to one or all of these audiences.

Who can use digital signage?

All UBCO departments and units can use digital signage, via the University Relations supported screens.

Why use digital signage?

Digital signage offers a number of benefits for communicating with the UBCO community. Digital screens:

  • use captivating visuals to capture attention and deliver messages in a dynamic and engaging way.
  • provide a platform for sharing time-sensitive announcements, event details and campus updates.
  • enhance the visibility of programs, events and initiatives, helping provide broader exposure to the campus community.

Permitted Content

Events

  • Promote upcoming events and activities from your unit.

Promotional campaigns or contests

  • Encourage students, faculty and staff to participate in a campaign or contest in your area through effective visuals.

Program or course promotion

  • Promote one new course and one low-enrolment course per faculty or school on the screens at any given time.

Announcements and campus updates

  • University Relations coordinates all campus-wide announcements and updates that appear on the digital screens.

Review

All content submitted for rotation on UBC Okanagan digital screens is subject to the following:

  • Only unit-approved content submitted to University Relations will be considered for display on the UBC Okanagan digital screens.
  • All content is subject to editorial review by University Relations and limited to UBC-related issues and events.
  • Third-party advertising is not permitted on the UBC Okanagan digital screens at this time. To find out more, read Board of Governors policy UP10.

Run-time

  • Submitted content will normally run for a maximum of two weeks to ensure that the screens continue to engage students.
  • Content is reviewed and launched on an ongoing basis (normally within 1-3 business days).

Content specifications

UBC Brand elements

  • All UBC Okanagan digital signage must use follow the UBC visual identity guide and use official UBC fonts and colours.
  • Using UBC branding effectively and consistently helps enhance UBC’s profile and reputation.
  • The core of the UBC identity is the existing UBC logo and our name. These elements are packaged into easily recognizable formats that are called Brand signatures.

cOPY AND readability

  • Content on all UBCO digital signage needs to follow the Editorial style guide for UBC communicators.
  • Because the nature of digital signage is dynamic and fast-paced, content on digital signage requires different legibility and readability principles than print or web.
  • Messages should be as short and clear as possible so audiences can read and remember the information as quickly as possible.
  • Best practices for digital signage include clear messaging, limiting the number of characters per slide and using short URLS.

Vanity URLs

  • A vanity URL is a unique web address created for marketing purposes that’s short and memorable.
  • Digital signage will use vanity URLs as a way to help audiences get to their desired location as easily as possible.
  • To create a vanity URL for digital signage and other advertising purposes, contact your website administrator.

QR codes

  • QR codes are permitted on digital screens, however free, self-serve QR code generators are not recommended as the codes can expire.
  • If you have an event, program or initiative you’d like to see promoted on UBCO digital signage with a QR code, contact wiesje.stoneson@ubc.ca to get started.

Creating a digital screen

University Relations designed

  • Most digital signage is part of branded campaigns for specific units and departments.
  • If you have a campaign or initiative that you’d like to bring to life on digital signage, please contact your unit communicator or University Relations.

Self-serve templates

  • University Relations has self-serve templates available for short-notice events and notifications on digital signage. The templates include required brand elements, fonts and colours in a text-based format.
  • Please do not modify the self-serve templates by adding images or altering content sections.
  • Download a self-serve template and get started right away.

New digital signage equipment

Any department or unit that is considering digital signage in its area(s) may request a consultation on Yodeck usage from University Relations.

Requests for new digital signage installations are subject to approval by University Relations, in partnership with UBC Okanagan IT and Infrastructure Development. University Relations and UBCO IT will find the best location and setup for your digital screen(s). Once a location and costs have been established, UBCO IT will provide training for using Yodeck.

Points to consider about using digital signage:

  • Common spaces of buildings (e.g. foyers and high-traffic corridors) are reserved for UR-managed screens with campus-wide messaging. Unit-specific installations may only be permitted in the primary location or lobby of the unit. For example, Residences Services screens in residences.
  • Using and maintaining separate unit-designated digital signage comes with equipment costs and requires staffing resources to keep the content on the signs updated.
  • If you are unable to maintain your own signage, you can still provide content for the University Relations campus-wide digital signage network. See the self-serve section of this page to get started.
  • University Relations can also support geo-targeted content to screens in specific buildings via unit-developed playlists within the Yodeck system. Contact University Relations for support in creating customized event and location-based experiences.