How do I start a new project?
That’s
easy. Just fill out the Office of Communications and Marketing (OCM) online intake form.
The form will guide you through some
basic questions about your project such as goals, target audience, and deadlines.
Or, you can contact your client manager [please link to marketing client manager/marketing staff list
that are in the Marketing FAQs], who can help you start the intake
process.
What type of publication is best?
Your client
manager will work with you to determine your message, target audience, and
goals. The answer to those questions will largely determine whether a poster,
brochure, postcard, or other publication or approach best meets your needs.
How long does it take to design and
print a piece?
We
typically ask clients to allow us four to six weeks to complete a project
through the printing phase, beginning from the time we receive the final,
approved text. It certainly doesn’t take that long to design and print a postcard,
but keep in mind that OCM can have as many as 70 projects in various stages of
production during peak periods. Similarly, annual reports, viewbooks, and more
complex pieces will take longer than six weeks to produce. Consider, too, that
you will typically want to send out invitations four to six weeks before your
event.
For certain
projects, OCM may coordinate with one of our freelance designers and/or
creative agencies to complete your project — overseeing the project at every
step.
Can I hire a freelance designer for
my project?
Yes; you
are free to use a freelance designer for your project. All USF publications
(print and electronic) must adhere to the university’s graphic standards
regardless of who created the design, however. OCM is required to review all
publications in advance of printing to assure graphic standards compliance and
overall quality.
If you’re
interested in hiring a freelance designer or creative agency, we can connect
you with one of many that we maintain working relationships with from around
the Bay Area. Contact Eugene Vinluan-Pagal, publications production manager, at
(415) 422-5539 or vinluanpagal@usfca.edu, to get started.
Will OCM write the text for my
publication?
In most
cases, the answer is “No.” Clients submit their own copy. We will copy edit most
text for
grammar, syntax, usage, sense, length, and USF style. We may also perform some rewriting as necessary
to align the text with USF’s mission, branding elements, and editorial quality
standards.
How long does it take to design an
ad?
Advertisements
can often be done quickly, in as little as two weeks. OCM has developed
advertising standards that bring consistency to the USF family of ads while
allowing flexibility for different schools, colleges, and programs.
How do I receive a copy of the USF
logo?
Contact Dale
Johnston, creative director/director of university identity, at (415) 422-2691 or
johnstond@usfca.edu.
OCM is able
to provide a variety of USF logo options, depending on your specific needs. Among
the logo options available are color, black and white, negative-read, and various
vertical and horizontal applications. We can also create a custom logo for your
particular college, school, unit, or branch campus.
How do I receive a copy of the USF seal?
The USF
seal is retired from general-purpose use.
What are USF’s graphic standards?
Graphic
standards ensure that the
university uses consistent messaging and graphics when announcing itself. Just
as you can tell at a glance if a friend is carrying a Starbucks coffee cup, our
friends and colleagues should be able to tell at a glance that a document, T-shirt,
or poster is from the University of
San
Francisco. The Graphic Standards Manual is an essential tool to help make that
happen. Using the manual will provide a consistent impression while enabling
all of us to tailor our communications to the specific audiences we need to
reach.
Review
USF’s Graphic Standards Manual.
If you have
questions about graphic standards, contact Dale Johnston, creative director/director
of university identity, at (415) 422-2691 or johnstond@usfca.edu.
I need photos or images for my
publication. Can you help?
Yes; OCM
maintains a collection of campus, student, and other shots. This collection is
available for your communications needs at no charge. In addition, we maintain
working relationships with several Bay Area and national freelance
photographers. Good photography is not cheap. But image quality in publications
is so critical that it is well worth the price. Photographers typically offer full-day
rates or half-day rates.
Additionally,
OCM offers royalty-free stock art image services. If existing imagery is not
available for your project, we can search for appropriate stock art to
incorporate into your layout.
Does OCM charge for services?
Yes and no.
We charge $45 an hour for print design services, the same rate we have charged
since 1993.
The $45 an
hour rate is at the low end of the design spectrum to encourage our campus
clients to use OCM rather than freelancers — most of whom charge more and are
unfamiliar with USF’s graphic standards.
Our email
outreach, marketing, media relations, social media, copy editing, and web
services are offered free of charge.
Can you help me with my website?
Web Communications and Services is USF’s
source for web design assistance.
Who prints my project?
OCM has
working relationships with many Bay Area and regional printers. We’re
experienced at managing print projects from simple postcards and invitations to
catalogs, booklets, magazines, banners, and everything in between. We can also
secure competitive bids for your printing projects.
Who mails my printed piece?
OCM has
working relationships with mailhouses that can handle the distribution of your
pieces both domestically and internationally. There are countless U.S. Postal
Service (USPS) regulations regarding mailed pieces. In concert with our
mailhouses, we stay abreast of the latest USPS regulatory changes to ensure
that your piece will reach its intended destination in a timely and
cost-effective manner.
What if I have other questions?
Contact
Eugene Vinluan-Pagal, publications production manager, at (415) 422-5539 or vinluanpagal@usfca.edu.
