Best Practices – Marketing & Communications

Color

Background and font colors used in digital signage must be chosen carefully. Insufficient contrast between text and background color or using very bright colors can make reading difficult. Ensure high contrast between text and background images/colors (i.e., white text on dark colors, dark text on light colors). The use of solid red backgrounds in digital slides and digital video is reserved for emergency communications only.

Text and Fonts

Font selection is important and needs to be readable. Use large fonts so the text is readable on large and small digital signage screens. Use operating system-standard, sans-serif fonts such as Arial, Geneva, Helvetica, Verdana or Open Sans. Serif and/or decorative fonts are not recommended. This includes fonts contained within an image. Use a minimum 28 pt font size. Forty characters or less is the preferred line length, and a maximum of ten lines per asset. Due to resolution limitations, avoid font sizes smaller than 20 points and light, ornate fonts.

Readability

Content is displayed for 10 to 12 seconds at a time; limit text and images accordingly. The text should be clear and concise and follow the Texas A&M University editorial style guide.

Logo

When designing content for digital signage, do not include the university or school’s logo, as it is already part of the screen layout that your content will be displayed. Please do not create logos for your area; only use approved logos. Visit the Marketing and Communications Brand Toolbox for more information.

Content Assets Final Requirements

Content must meet digital content accessibility requirements
Content must be neat, legible and free from spelling errors
Image sizes should adhere to the standard aspect ratio of 16:9 or 9:16
Use simple images and graphics
Avoid complicated backgrounds
Include a call to action (e.g., QR Code for further information)
Direct viewers to a website for detailed information when possible
Videos produced for digital signage must be captioned or contain subtitles within the video content