New web site: live and campus-wide
Creative Services’ new web site, creativeservices.osu.edu is now live. Check out our services, view our portfolio, and find links to our editorial style guide, the university’s visual identity guidelines, and all the offices within University Communications. We welcome your comments and suggestions.
Go to creativeservices.osu.edu
The curious case of print + web
How can you tell the world is changing? Your mother just “friended” you on Facebook, the School of Journalism—where you got your degree—is extinct, and complete strangers are following you on Twitter. What’s a communicator to do?
Find some balance. There’s no need to switch everything online overnight, but it’s a good time to re-evaluate your communications based on message, audience, and budget. Karin Joly of collegewebeditor.com recommends an integrated approach using digital and print as complementary but distinctive components of your communications.
Consider your constituents. Do some research to find out how your audience wants the message delivered. In an article on digital media in Currents magazine, one college’s attempt to move its alumni mag online failed to inspire its tech-savvy alumni who, when surveyed, reported online fatigue. They wanted to read their magazines at leisure—not at the computer.
Create a consistent look. Both your print and digital communications should share a consistent visual identity, which means looking critically at both print and electronic materials. In many cases, it also means more collaboration between the designers and the tech professionals.
Get your online in shape. Before you send your readers online, your web site needs to be updated and offer dynamic information. Once that’s done, you can send web pointer postcards and HTML e-mails to drive traffic to your web site.
Start small. If you don’t have the time, staff, or budget to develop new online content, make small adjustments. If you typically post a PDF version of a printed piece, switch to an interactive PDF file, which allows viewers to turn pages and respond online. Or try an HTML e-mail invitation or a printed postcard that points to online registration sites.
Want more on print and electronic communications?
Read “Five Questions to Ask Before You Hit Send,” MarketingProfs.com
Portfolio: The Kirwan Institute
Project: Print and electronic versions of Kirwan Update, a newsletter from the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity
Client: Kathy Baird, director of Communications at the Kirwan Institute
Design team: Print designer Ed Maceyko, web designer Kevin Miller, editors Pam Hill and Frankie Jones-Harris
Background: The print newsletter accommodates longer, in-depth articles and has an established mailing list. The electronic version (Kirwan eUpdate) was added to provide more frequent updates and opportunities for the audience to link to online information.
Frequency: Three print and three online versions per year (alternate versions every two months)
View the Kirwan eUpdate (HTML newsletter)
View the Kirwan Update (PDF of printed version)
Photo op
 Need a photo of a graduate in cap and gown, the Oval in the spring, or Orton Hall at night? Photo Services maintains a large collection of digital university images available for purchase at $10 per image. To make an appointment to browse through the Photo Services database, call (614) 292-8414 or contact Donna Fahner.
A greener shade of print
Budget and environmental considerations have both had a major impact on print communications. Here are a few ideas to help cut costs and make your message a little greener.
Don’t print what you don’t need. Divining a print quantity is something of an art form. Take inventory of your supply and keep careful records. New digital printing methods make it easier to utilize smaller print runs to decrease waste and cost.
Choose printers and vendors certified as responsible producers by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). More than 90 percent of UniPrint’s products are FSC certified, recycled, post-consumer recycled, or both. Ohio State’s stationery is FSC certified, 30 percent post-consumer recycled. And UniPrint’s process inks are being switched to soy inks with no cost effect to consumers.
Design a project so it can be printed more efficiently. Talk to your designer early in the process about greener design options. For example, printing two to four pieces to a standard sheet size uses less paper and minimizes waste.
Make it smaller. Scale down full-size print pieces and point readers to the web for more information.
Print invitations on recycled paper or send them electronically. Work with your designer to choose an appropriate recycled paper. Or send electronic invitations to save on printing and postage costs.
Print on uncoated paper, which is easier to recycle. Paper doesn't have to be glossy to be sophisticated. Be selective about when to use coated paper, UV coatings, and varnishes.
Recycle what you don’t use. Once an event ends or it's time to update your communications, be sure to recycle any extras. Join Ohio State's efforts to reduce waste 40 percent by 2010.
Learn more about green design from UCDA
Contact UniPrint at Ohio State
Find out more about Ohio State’s sustainability initiatives
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