Marketing and Advertising

students creating posters

Your guide to shameless self promotion

There are many ways to promote your organization and its events. For example, you can advertise online and in student publications or you can pitch a news story to the student radio station. You can even have your message printed on the BuffBus.

Whether you are hanging posters in the UMC or just starting to create them, be sure to read our helpful guidelines below.

What should I include on my marketing?

  • Basic info (event name, date, time and location)
  • RSO name and contact information, including email or phone number
  • Funding sources (if you received funding from a board, the funding entity must be clearly identified)
  • Other important information:
    • Cost or if it’s free to attend or participate
    • Details for attending (for example, free for CU Students with Buff OneCard; open to everyone; must register in advance; first-come, first-served, etc.)
    • Other logos (including the CU logo)

​Where and how to advertise

The traditional, tried and true methods of advertising usually work the best. Check them out below.

Online in the CU Events Calendar

Always post your events as early as possible on the CU Events Calendar. The calendar provides room for details, an image or photo, and contact information. It also provides an event link useable in your other advertising.  Once you are on the events calendar, navigate to Search/Browse Events > Login with Identikey > Fill out form.

University Strategic Relations often pulls from this list for events featured in CU Boulder Today.

Posters, flyers and handbills

Printed materials may only be posted on authorized kiosks, bulletin boards and other designated areas. Prohibited areas include light posts, windows, private residence hall areas, trash cans, building exteriors, trees, restrooms, parking lots, cars, signs, doors, classrooms, sidewalks. You can find a comprehensive list of the postering locations here (updated annually). 

Things to consider:

  • Most CU buildings have designated areas set aside for the display of print materials. It is your responsibility to ask individual building personnel where display areas are located, and you must get approval for posting materials from the individual building proctors. 
  • CUSG’s Materials Use, Printing and Posting Policy requires the use of recycled paper (minimum 35% post-consumer content) and the use of “readily recyclable paper” for all RSO postings. Papers to avoid that are not recyclable are astrobrites, neons and very dark-dyed papers. Unsure whether your postings are recyclable? Call CU Recycling at 303-492-8307.
  • Major printing jobs (consisting of 50 copies or more and/or any bound or multiple page projects) must be easily recyclable and contain the highest possible post-consumer or tree-free paper content possible that is both readily available and cost effective.
  • Materials must be removed within 48 hours after the event has occurred.
  • The university may ask your organization to pay repair costs and other fines, perform community service and eventually forfeit university scheduling privileges for repeated posting violations.
  • For more information on campus posting regulations, contact the CSI Resource Center at (303) 492-1633 or stop by UMC 330.

Display cases in the UMC

The UMC has display case locations in various parts of the building. Your RSO can schedule one display case per semester for four non-consecutive weeks. Contact CU Events Planning & Catering at 303-492-8833 or visit them in UMC room 140 to reserve a display case.

Digital signs on campus

Chalking

The Campus Use of University Facilities (CUUF) policy states, the term “chalking” refers to using chalk on sidewalks for messages. The university restricts chalking to concrete or asphalt exterior sidewalks that are exposed to natural elements.

Chalking is prohibited in the following locations:

  • ​​building exteriors including walls, doors, windows, facades, roofs, retaining walls, exterior vertical surfaces, benches, surfaces intended for seating and horizontal surfaces under overhangs or roofs
  • inside buildings
  • patios, plazas or terraces
  • within 10 feet of any building entrance or doorway
  • in the UMC arcade

Chalking must be done by using stick-chalk that quickly fades away with the natural elements within a few days. The use of spray paint and/or spray chalk is not permitted. The university may erase any chalked messages that do not comply with university policies or regulations.

Chalking may only be used to promote university programs or student activities. Chalking may not be used for commercial purposes, including advertising or other promotion. Existing chalked messages that otherwise comply with this policy may not be erased, overwritten, altered, defaced or otherwise removed except by university personnel.

Any person or organization found to have violated the chalking section of this policy may lose chalking privileges, be subjected to disciplinary action and/or be required to pay the cost of removal.

If you need chalk, stop by the CSI Resource Center in UMC 330 to pick some up!

Buff Bus advertising

Did you know nearly one million passengers board the Buff Buses each year? These passengers include CU students, faculty, staff and dignitaries. Take advantage and promote your organization, more information can be found on the Parking & Transportation Buff Bus site.

News releases, print advertisements (Colorado Daily), public service announcements on radio and TV

These are great additions or alternatives for your advertising. Your group may receive free publicity for your event, and the newspaper, radio or TV station may want to do a special feature about it. To advertise in the Colorado Daily for your organization, find contact info for the advertising sales representative.

 

    Questions? Contact your liaison for information on how to plan events, market your organization, SAFE meetings and more.