Office of Communications

• Strategies
• Design of print and digital marketing pieces (brochures, postcards, flyers, invitations, posters, etc.) plus writing and/or editing of copy per the University’s editorial style guidelines
• Advertising*
• Content management for VPA’s social media channels
• Branded premiums (promotional products)**
• Website content management and development of vpa.syr.edu and college microsites
• Digital signage administration and content management

*Advertising refers to paid promotional messages or listings in print and digital publications, online, or on billboards, radio, or television that utilize the college and University name, logos, trademarks, images, or URLs referring to any program, initiative, service, or operation of VPA. All college advertising materials, as well as advertising purchases and contracts, must be coordinated through and approved by the college’s Office of Budget and Operations and the Office of Communications.

**A branded premium is a custom-imprinted item that utilizes the college and/or University name, logos, trademarks, images, or URLs referring to any program, initiative, service, or operation of VPA. All branded content purchases and contracts must be coordinated through and approved by the college’s Office of Communications. Many college and University marks are considered trademarks or registered trademarks, and improper use of them can result in personal or institutional legal liability.

• College image collection
• Professional head shots for new faculty and staff
• Photography and videography vendor referrals

• Press releases
• Faculty, staff, and student news announcements
• Story placement on VPA and Syracuse University News websites
• Postings of college-sponsored events on VPA’s online calendar and Syracuse University’s online calendar
• Media relations and faculty media training (in collaboration with the University’s news team)

• Our services are free
• We are experts in our field
• We understand college brand identity and college/University brand requirements
• We are knowledgeable about University policies regarding advertising and vendor contract approvals as well as logo/trademark use
• We work with media, vendors, design software, and website content management and development tools so you don’t have to

We can work with you to customize your communications strategy and craft materials that

1. adhere to college and University brand requirements
2. offer appropriate and consistent messaging
3. are timed and targeted to get maximum visibility

Consistency in visual identity helps drive a unified college vision and strengthens the power of our individual units.

Before contacting the Office of Communications, it helps to have a general idea of the scope of your project. If there is a cost associated (for example, for the production of print materials or advertising), you should secure permission from your chair/director. The Office of Communications can only pay for college-wide projects approved by the dean at this time; however, if requested, the communications team can assist you in securing vendor cost estimates and working with the vendor on your behalf.

Before you request our services, please consider:

• What is your objective?
• Who is your target audience?
• When do you need delivery?

Other important questions:

• What format will best meet your needs? Print? Digital? Both?
• What is your budget? (Be sure to account for bulk or first-class mailing or shipping costs if applicable.)
• What quantity of the item will you need (if applicable)?
• Where will this be distributed?

Timeline

The time required to effectively complete your project will vary depending on 1) its complexity; 2) the timeliness and completeness of the content provided; and (3) the number of priority projects in our queue. Three weeks’ notice is ideal for most press releases and design projects (not including time needed for any printing/production); however, complex design projects will require more time. Please note these tips:

• Work backward from when you want the piece displayed/distributed, not the date of the event.
• The period between Spring Break (mid-March) and Commencement (mid-May) is an especially busy time for our office. Please plan your requests accordingly.
• If for any reason we are unable to assist you with your request due to the number of projects in our queue or your deadline, we will let you know right away and recommend other Syracuse University-approved resources.

Design Requests

Please fill out and submit our brief design project initiation form.

Website Requests (vpa.syr.edu)

Email vpa-webmaster@syr.edu. Be sure to include the URL of the page to which you are referring.

News Items and All Other Requests

Email Erica Blust at esblust@syr.edu. For press releases announcing an event, be sure to include event title, date, time, location, event description, and admission fee (if any). Please also indicate to which audience* you would like to publicize the event (VPA only, the University community, local media etc.). If your event features a guest artist, please provide the artist’s bio and a high-res head shot or image of the artist’s work. If this information is available on the artist’s professional website, you may provide us with the link instead.