A good promotional campaign is essential for the success of any program. Since the right type of publicity depends on the program you’re planning and the audience you are targeting, it is important to be creative and think about the issues discussed in this chapter before you plan your campaign.

In this chapter, you will learn:
-where to hang posters
- various ways to market your events
- how the student media can help your campaign.


Publicity Guidelines
You are responsible for knowing and abiding by all campus publicity rules and regulations. Check with a program advisor if you have questions about any policies or procedures.

Publicity materials must follow the guidelines below:
• Who, What, Where, When: All publicity must include the name of sponsoring organization and contact info including phone, web site, and/or e-mail. Include any fees, prizes, date and time, location, rain location/date, etc.
• If funded by the Student Activity Fee (SAF), this must appear on materials.
• All publicity must be written in English. A foreign language may be used in the title as long as an English translation or description is included.
• Any contract(s) related to the program must be signed by both NU and the performer/agent  and complete before any publicity can begin. Take into account the considerable processing time line required (see Chapter 3, “Event Planning”). Also, be aware of any restrictions on publicity imposed by the artist, agent or organizing committee.
• NU/colleges only. Events sponsored by NU student organizations may not be publicized to the general public or in off-campus media (i.e. ads in local newspapers, commercial radio spots, on TV or radio interviews, the band’s web site) unless special permission has been granted by the One-Stop Suite. Any advertising materials and announcements must specify who can attend the event, i.e. “For NU students only” or any other restrictions discussed by your program advisor. Events may be advertised on other college campuses, through their legal posting locations and their campus media. Please work with your program advisor to discuss event admission criteria prior to advertising your event.
• It is illegal in the City of Boston to post fliers on city buildings and light poles. The Boston Housing Court will impose a substantial fine for fliers posted on any city-owned property.
• Consumption of alcoholic beverages may not be the focus of any promotional activities. Also, there may not be any suggestion of alcohol abuses in any form of publicity. Alcoholic beverage distributors may not co-sponsor NU student events. If your event includes alcohol, publicity must follow the guidelines specified in the Alcohol Policy (see page 18).
• Advertising must conform to the NU Code of Student Conduct and avoid demeaning or discriminatory portrayals of individuals or groups. Because your event is representing NU, your publicity must be in good taste and appropriate to the event and target group. If you are in doubt, ask your program advisor for help.
• Posters should be no larger than 18” by 24” and may be posted on most Student Center and other NU bulletin boards. Staples and tape destroy corkboards–secure posters with thumbtacks only.
• Your events should be accessible to all students, both in terms of physical location and communication. Be sure to make a request for interpreters (see page 46) and use the statement “For interpreting services, please contact SABO three weeks prior to event.” Be sure to include the ASL-interpreted logo on your publicity.
• You cannot advertise for solicitors, such as for Red Bull and other vendor giveaways.
• You cannot advertise off-campus.
• You cannot advertise without a signed contract.


Posters and Fliers
Posters and fliers are by far the most common method used to publicize events and meetings. Both can be easily designed on a computer, including those in the Student Organization Resource Room.

Think about designing fliers and posters that include graphics, photos and color or colored paper, and make some of the words bigger than the others to create emphasis.

Photocopying and printing services are available at NU Reprographics (Repro), located in Ell Hall (near the NU Bookstore) and in the Forsyth Building. Their services are charged directly to your account, through a form you first pick up at SABO. Repro also offers binding, graphic design, typesetting, fax and consultation on projects. Once your project is complete, return the receipt to SABO for account reconciliation.

Photocopies, color copies and faxes are also provided by Universal Shipping Pros (USP), located in the Student Center. If you wish to use USP or a photocopying service outside of NU, you should first obtain a purchase order from SABO. See Chapter 7, “Finances & Fundraising.”

Also consider handbills, bookmarks or wallet cards to place on tables and other common areas, and doorknob hangtags.

Your program advisor can also refer you to some well-known companies that specialize in college and university publicity.

Posting Locations
Fliers and posters can only be hung in the following officially designated areas (please check with each building’s front desk for drop-off, locations, or further guidelines):

• Curry Student Center: Information Center (ground floor) accepts 13 fliers/posters at least three days in advance. Posters are displayed up to two weeks. Unapproved and out-of-date posters are removed daily from the boards, as well as from nondesignated posting areas including bathrooms, elevators, doors, entrances, hallways and staircases.
• John D. O’Bryant African-American Institute, 40 Leon St.: one poster and/or up to 10 fliers or postcards.
• Latino/a Student Cultural Center, 104 Forsyth St.: three posters/fliers, and stack of fliers/cards.
• Marino Center: 2 posters or fliers for two glass cases.
• Residence Life Office, 4 Speare: 60 fliers/posters, for display behind glass. All items must be affiliated with a registered student group, and include NU phone (373-xxxx) and/or NU e-mail address. No self-promotions, such as for SGA elections. Allow three days for posting. For door hangers or club cards call (617) 373-7515.
• Snell Library: Post to 30 classroom boards
• Snell Engineering: Post directly to the boards on floors 2, 3 and 4, near elevators and in floor lounges.
• Shillman Hall: Post directly to 5 classroom cork strips on floors 2, 3 and 4.
• Dodge Hall: Front desk accepts fliers and posters at several boards per floor, and drop off two at 20 Dodge (Disability Resource Center).

Front desks at these locations accept the following number of posters and fliers:
• Ryder Hall: 6
• Nightingale Hall lobby: 2
• Behrakis Hall lobby: 1
• ISSI, 206 Ell: 3
• OSCCR, 202 Ell: 3
• Health Center, 135 Forsyth: 3
• Student Affairs, 104 Ell: 3
• Registrar, 120 Hayden: 3
• Financial Aid, Richards: 3  
• Chicken Lou's, Forsyth St.: 1
• Career Services, 101 Stearns: 3
• College of Arts and Science, 1 Meserve, ground floor: 3
• College of Criminal Justice, 204 Churchill: 3


Publicity Ideas

Display cases
Display cases along the first floor hallway between Ell Hall and CSC are available for use by your group to promote events and membership drives. Call Scheduling at (617) 373-2632 to reserve.
• Reservations for a two-week display should be made at least one month in advance.
• All materials must be removed by 2 p.m. on the last day of the reservation to prepare for the next scheduled group.
• If a reserved display case goes unused for several days, Scheduling has the right to release the display case for another student group’s use.

Signs and banners
The University Sign Shop, located on St. Botolph Street (upper level Gainsborough Garage), can create banners, award plaques, tabletop tents, event easels, and sandwich boards (the sawhorse-shaped signs used around campus) to advertise your event or organization. Call the sign shop at (617) 373-2725, or www.facilities.neu.edu/sign.html.

• Banners hung inside the Curry Student Center can range up to 3’ high by 10’ wide. Contact Scheduling to hang and remove banners.
• Larger event banners–4x20 feet–can be hung on the Ell Building, across Forsyth Street, on Dodge Hall, the back of the Student Center, or Ryder Hall. The cost of these banners starts at $400, except for Forsyth Street, which requires a double-strength banner, starting at $500. The Sign Shop reserves these spaces for you.
• Ask the Sign Shop to place some of your A-frames/sawhorse signs near the parking garage and T stops. This is one way to attract commuters and co-op students.

Residence hall mass mailings
• Each mass mailing must be approved by the manager or assistant manager of Residence Postal Services.
• Provide a target date and a digital copy of the fliers.
• Each student group is allowed only one mass mailing per semester, unless given specific permission by the Residence Postal Services Management.
• Due to hiring schedules and move-ins, no mass mailings will be approved for the first two weeks of any semester.

For more information, call the Residence Postal Services customer service line, (617) 373-5108.

E-mailing students and student groups
• To put a message on the Student Activities infochannel, contact (617) 373-2642.
• To send campus-wide e-mails, request a form at help@neu.edu. NU does not provide lists of
e-mail addresses for group e-mail purposes.
• To post an item on the NU calendar, fill out a publicity form on www.curry.neu.edu. This form will also go to student media, Co-op Connections, ResLife, NU Marketing and Communications, and the NU Voice.
• Explore your Club Manager features for publicizing your event among fellow student groups.

Plasma boards in Curry Student Center
There are four plasmas in the Student Center: near elevator doors on the ground and third floors, by the ballroom stairs, and next to the info desk on the ground floor. Create your horizontal poster as a JPEG or PowerPoint, and submit it via e-mail to studentcenter@neu.edu, or in person on a CD to Operations & Services during business hours (8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday–Friday).

A plasma screen TV in the Marino Center lobby offers a similar chance to advertise campus events. Contact the Marino Center at (617) 373-8590 or stop by the Campus Recreation Office in Marino for approval and specifics.

Electronic scroll at Shillman and Stetson
To have your short message scroll here, e-mail it to your program advisor at least three days prior to your desired posting date at SALS@neu.edu or call (617) 373-2642.

Other publicity ideas
To attract more attention to your cause, think beyond the flier or poster. In each publicity campaign, try to include something that will make it different from the last one. If your goal is to reach a wide variety of people, consider the following:

• Do not forget the single most effective form of publicity is word of mouth. Once you have put together a publicity committee, the committee must “sell” your event to the campus. If everyone talks up the event in classes, at parties and at dining spaces, people will become interested.
• Create curiosity teasers (sneak previews, clues to an event, video previews at a table in the Student Center). Performers may be willing to give a sample for 5-10 minutes in a busy location earlier in the day to generate interest.
• Even if you aren’t promoting a performance, stage skits and/or stunts with costumes to get attention. Krentzman Quad and Indoor Quad have ideal visibility.
• Create logos for your group and events in order to build your message and brand.
• Order sandwich boards for organization members to wear while walking around campus.
• Set up an information table in the food court,  indoor quad, or in one of the outdoor quads. Contact Scheduling for table reservations.
• Pass out free tickets (even if you are not charging for the event!)
• Promote prizes and competitions aspects of the event.
• Ask to speak about your event or group at classes and major events.
• Write on classroom boards.
• Order event T-shirts to wear weeks before and on the day of the event.
• Post events, create groups and buy ads at web sites where NU students exchange information, such as Facebook and LiveJournal. (Note: Think about safety and reputation and post on the web only the personal information and photos that you wouldn’t mind being viewed by your parents, potential employers and not-so-nice strangers.)
• On all advertisements and announcements, include any admission policy on your advertisement so you do not attract people that will be unable to gain admission.
• Collaborate and co-advertise with other student organizations to get maximum exposure.
• Chalk a brief message along campus paths.


Student Media

NU’s recognized student media is a good way to get your message heard, whether it be through a pre-event story, asking for photos and a reporter, submitting a calendar listing, or buying an ad. Contact media groups as far in advance as possible to publicize your event, as coverage is not guaranteed. NU recognizes the following mediums:

The Cauldron Yearbook
434 CSC
(617) 373-2646
www.cauldron.neu.edu
nucauldron@yahoo.com
• annual yearbook for graduating seniors
• accepts story ideas, ads, photos
• anyone can contribute content; organizations encouraged to send high-resolution digital photos of events
• schedules senior photos
• does NOT do cap and gown photos or diploma photos
• does NOT sell class rings, etc. See commencement office for graduation information.

The Northeastern News
232 CSC
(617) 373-2648
www.nu-news.com
news@nu-news.com
Advertising (617) 373-4343 or    
advertising@nu-news.com
News editor (617) 373-2648,
news@nu-news.com
• publishes twice a week
• accepts story ideas, letters to editor, ads, calendar items
• free space ads for up to three NU organizations a week--bring vertical 8 1⁄2” x 11” copy-ready flier on white paper to 434 CSC by noon Friday before publication (Do not give ads to NU News or you may be charged for them.)

NUTV
330 CSC
www.nutv.neu.edu
nutv@neu.edu
• webstreamed TV
• accepts story ideas and calendar items for online on-demand TV programs
• NUTV does not loan out equipment to non-members or staff. Please inquire at Infocommons for camera equipment and other A/V items.

The Onyx Informer
328 CSC
www.onyx.neu.edu
onyxinformer@yahoo.com
• magazine published several times a year by and for students of color
• covers campus, area and national events
• accepts story ideas, ads, letters to editor, and calendar items

NU Patriot
328 CSC
www.nupatriot.neu.edu
thenupatriot@gmail.com
• conservative student paper
• accepts story ideas, ads, letters to editor, and calendar items

NU Times New Roman
328 CSC
www.nutnr.neu.edu
e-mail@Thetnr.com
• humor and satire magazine published in fall and spring
• accepts ads and letters to editor

Spectrum Literary Arts Magazine (NU S.L.A.M.)
328 CSC
www.spectrum.neu.edu
spectrum.magazine@gmail.com
• literary arts magazine published three times a year
• accepts poetry, prose, artwork, photos, and any other written or artistic creations

Tastemakers music magazine
174 CSC
www.tastemakersmag.com
tastemakersmag@gmail.com
• covers local and national music
• accepts story ideas, ads, letters to editor, and calendar items

WRBB-FM
174 CSC
(617) 373-4338
www.wrbbradio.org
wrbb.boston@gmail.com
Student-run radio station broadcasts 24 hours a day
• accepts talk show appearances, sports show guests, event announcements, public affairs programming, underwriting
• Announcements should be typed or neatly printed and submitted to the WRBB public service director. WRBB also accepts pre-recorded
30-and 60-second announcements.
• The station reserves the right to reject announcements, shows, etc. on the basis of quality and good taste.

For Media Complaints
If you have a complaint about the behavior of a member of the student media or story content, contact the editor or station manager, and write a letter to be published in the newspaper or magazine. Corrections may be made online to a story, or perhaps a follow-up story may be warranted. If you still are not satisfied, contact the Student Media Board about making a formal or informal complaint, at (617) 373-4379.

Send a Press Release
Help get your message across by sending a formal press release that articulates why the media may be interested in doing a story about your organization. Fill out the simple publicity form on www.curry.neu.edu/media, or you can write up a one-page press release. Here’s how:

• Think about what you want to say, and especially if there’s a “news hook” that would be of special interest to each medium/their readers. A “hook” can be an anniversary, successful alumni, special guests, free stuff, or a member who has an interesting story connected to the event/group.
• Include all the information YOU want to get across, such as who is participating, history, tickets and prize info, how-to instructions, directions, etc. Do you have background information that would be helpful to the person writing the story? Help the reporter with math, history, charts, etc.
• The student media advisor is available to help with questions about publicity. However, the advisor does not influence the student media’s choice of what to publish or air. Contact the media adviser at (617) 373-4379 for advice.