Marketing Requests

Request a project from the Marketing and Communications team; requests include creating/modifying print material, brand review/approval, social media posting, press releases, advertising campaigns, swag and giveaways, website updates/new pages, website forms, web analytics, document/digital accessibility, photography, and more!

Note: all requests must be submitted via the project request form. This helps the department track all incoming requests. Thank you!

Project Request Timelines

Project requests are accepted during specific dates each quarter.*†

Quarter Project Cycle Period Last Day to Submit PROJECT Requests
Fall 2022 September 19, 2022 - October 10, 2022

October 10, 2022

Not accepting new requests for Fall quarter.

Winter 2023 December 5, 2022 - January 13, 2023

January 13, 2023

Not accepting new requests for Winter quarter.

Spring 2023 March 6, 2023 - April 10, 2023

April 10, 2023

Not accepting new requests for Spring quarter.

Summer 2023 July 3, 2023 - July 14, 2023

July 14, 2023

Not accepting new requests for Summer quarter.

*Web update requests are accepted all year. Please note some web update requests may be classified as a project request. Meeting requested deadlines will be dependent on project queue. 

†Marketing will accept COVID-19 communications/marketing project requests for Instruction and Student Services.

Marketing and Communications Project Process

Learn about the processes of a marketing project from start to finish.  Download the chart(s) below.

Terms and Definitions

Concept/Rough (RGH):

Abstract idea/theme that will direct the project. In the design phase, some concepts will be presented as roughs (Note filename will end with _RGH) to make sure the designer is on the right track with the creative (see creative). After establishing approval, direction is solidified to establish the direction to move forward with.

Proof:

The following work that is based on the approved concept. There can be 1-3 proofs depending on the complexity of the project.

  • First proof’s goal is to catch all the errors and changes that need to be made to content (see content).
  • Second proof’s goal is to confirm changes from proof 1 and make refinements.
  • Third proof is the final proof that confirms all changes and that it is approved to move on to the vendor or the outside world.

Pink Areas/Pink Text:

In a proof, pink areas indicate a designer’s calling out of problems that the proof readers/content owners need to address and fix. This is usually overrun text that needs to get cut, incomplete information that needs to be provided, etc.

Content:

All elements to be used together to relay the message: copy, images, etc.

Copy:

The text

Visual Asset:

Photos, charts, visual representations of concepts, comics or annotated screenshots used to make a point. Visual assets complement a story rather than telling the story entirely like an infographic does

Creative:

Relating to or involving the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work; the process to arrive at the concept.

Graphics/Images:

The pictures being used to help represent the message, brand, etc. Everything not Copy.

FPO:

For Placement Only (FPO) is a term designers use to communicate to others that something, usually a graphic, is placed in a layout as a place holder for future graphic; or for placement reference.

  • An example of placement reference is putting the logo on an object that has a defined imprint area (see imprint area). To show how it would be placed within the imprint area, a box is drawn to only show the logo orientation–it will not be printed in the final print.

Greeking:

If text has not been provided, but the design concept needs to move forward, the designer will insert nonsensical text, that usually (but not always) looks Greek/Latin, called “Greeking” to fill the void and help determine a rough word-count.

Logo/Bug:

LWTech has a full logo, which is the logo graphic and the logotype (name) spelled out (for more exciting and in-depth information on logo anatomy, check logo section of our brand center: LWTech.edu/brand. LWTech also has an abbreviated logo, better known as the Bug. The “Bug” is an industry term from designers, most notably, when TV station’s graphic logo would appear in the corner of the display to announce their station throughout a broadcast, like a bug on the screen.

Layout:

How content is displayed on the object (flyer, book, website, whatever)

Crop Marks:

Trim lines at the corners of the page where it is going to be trimmed from after printing; the intended edge of the final printed piece.

Bleeds:

Related to Crop Marks, the bleed is the area past the crop marks (usually by .125 inches) in which what you want (usually an image) to go to the very edge of the page. This much “bleed” overlap is included to allow any paper shift that might occur during printing so that when it is cut, no unprinted paper shows up in the final result.

RGB:

RGB deals with light, therefore deals more in monitors and devices that emit light (Red, Green, and Blue). RGB is an additive color model in which the colors added together will make white light, while the absence of these colors in light make black (no light).

CMYK/Process Inks:

CMYK consists of four main inks (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Key i.e. BlacK) and is used primarily in color printing and the printing process. CMYK is know as a subtractive color model because it takes away light, or as a print-analogy, covers the white of the paper, as ink is applied to it.

PMS and Pantone Colors/Numbers:

Pantone is a color-standards system for professional designers. Each color has a PMS (Pantone Management System) Number and consequential formula(s) assigned to it so that color is consistently recreated as best as possible. Refer to Pantone color books for exact color representation as all monitors are not universally calibrated. Always determine the color you want via Pantone FIRST then find the color’s formulas to use forevermore.

HTML and Hexcodes:

Another set of color formulas/codes based on RGB values, but for the web and its limited pallet. In a series of 6 numbers: RRGGBB, preceded by the # symbol, hexcodes provide a more consistent color experience for the web. White, or the full presence of RGB is #FFFFFF; Black, or the absence of RGB is #000000.

Raster versus Vector Images:

Put simply, photo subtleties versus shapely math precision:

Raster images are in the photograph category. Shadows and highlights and differentiations of color define the objects in a photo made up of a lot of tiny pixels (see DPI/Raster). Because there are only so many pixels to create an image, it is not advisable to enlarge an image too much because the pixels become spaced too far apart for the computer to regenerate a successful representation of the original.

Vector images are in the hard lined illustrated math shape category. Objects are defined by the outline of the object. These shapes are built by math formulas that easily allow for expansion/contraction with…mathematical precision. Logos and typefaces are prime examples of appropriate vector use.

Imprint Area:

When purchasing promotional items like pens, notepads, squeeze toys that will be branded for LWTech, they have specific areas that can be printed on. This area is called the imprint area. The size of the imprint area will determine the appropriate logo to be used. Please refer to C&M for guidance to provide/ensure the best logo for the job.

DPI (Dots per Inch)/Resolution:

DPI is used to measure the resolution of an image both on screen and in print. As the name suggests, the DPI measures how many dots (printed dots or displayed pixels) fit into a linear inch. Therefore, the higher the DPI, the more detail can be shown in an image. Web images are typically set to 72 dpi. Printed images should be 300 dpi (standard), or at least 150 dpi. Also see Raster.

Watermark:

Watermarks are intended as copyright detail, telling you who owns that picture and warns you not to edit/use such copyrighted images without the permission from the owner. Usually a graphic placed within an image that disrupts the original image to prevent unauthorized use.

Typography/Typeface/Font:

Typography deals with typefaces or more commonly known as fonts. Designers have to decide which font type, style, weight, and size suits the client’s brand the most.

Information from Crackit

AdWords:

This is an advertising service by Google for businesses wanting to display ads on Google and its advertising network. The AdWords program enables businesses to set a budget for advertising and only pay when people click the ads. The ad service is largely focused on keywords. See PPC.

Audience:

The intended target market for an advert, usually defined in terms of specific demographics (age, gender) and psychographics (interests, behaviors).

CPC

This stands for ‘Cost per Click.’ This is the price paid by an advertiser to a publisher for a single click on the ad that brings the consumer to its intended destination.

PPC:

Standing for ‘Pay Per Click’, this is a type of internet marketing in which advertisers pay a fee each time one of their ads is clicked. Essentially, it’s a way of buying visits to your site, rather than attempting to “earn” those visits organically. Search engine advertising is one of the most popular forms of PPC.

CPM:

This stands for ‘Cost Per thousand(M) impressions’ and is another measure of cost efficiency which enables you to compare the cost of this ad to other advertisements. CPM is calculated as the Media Cost divided by Impressions divided by 1,000.

Cross-Channel:

This relates to technology or media that applies across multiple formats and across multiple devices. This is different from “cross-device”, which implies only multi-device application rather than multiple formats within devices.

CTR:

This stands for ‘Click Through Rate’ and is a metric that measures the number of clicks your ad (s) receive per number of impressions. 

Display Advertising:

This is a form of online advertising where an advertiser‘s message is shown on a web page, generally set off in a box (also known as a web banner) at the top or bottom or to one side of the content of the page.

Frequency:

This is the average number of times the advertisement will be presented to the audience. One way to calculate frequency is to divide the number of Impressions by the Reach.

Geotargeting/Geofencing:

Showing ads to people based on their mobile device’s location, postal code information they submit when registering a site/service, or GPS coordinates collected by site/service. 

Targeting/Retargeting:

Targeting refers to the specific characteristics and demographic components that you choose to focus on in your ad or that you choose as criteria for showing your ad to users. Retargeting occurs when you choose to show your ad only to those users who have looked at your site or your products previously.

Retargeting is a highly effective for conversions because it acts as a gentle reminder to users for items in which they’ve already shown interest.

Impressions:

These are the total number of exposures to your advertisement. One person can receive multiple exposures over time. If one person was exposed to an advertisement five times, this would count as five impressions. Impressions are calculated by multiplying the number of Spots by Average Persons.

Reach:

This is the number of people (or percentage) in the market that will likely be exposed to one Spot of advertising.

OOH:

This stands for Out-Of-Home advertising, referring to any advertisement viewed in commercial, public locations.

Organic Marketing:

Organic marketing is all about generating results through your creativity and time. Anything that isn’t paid for, can essentially be classed as organic advertising. Organic advertising is akin to modern word of mouth. 

Spot:

This is a single broadcast of an advertisement. Typically, an advertising placement includes multiple spots.

Yield/Ad Click Rate:

The percentage of clicks vs. impressions on an ad within a specific page. Also called “ad click rate.”

Information from DesignInc

Website
A location connected to the internet that maintains one or more pages (webpages) on the World Wide Web.

Homepage
The introductory page of a website (e.g. www.lwtech.edu)

Webpage
Any page with content that is connected to the World Wide Web.

Content Management System (CMS)
A computer application that supports the creation and modification of digital content using a common user interface and thus usually supporting multiple users working in a collaborative environment.

OUCampus (OUC)
A website content management system (CMS) built by OmniUpdate. LWTech’s website is built in OUC.   

URL (Uniform Resource Identifier)
The generic term for all types of names and addresses that refer to objects on the world wide web, a.k.a. website/webpage address (e.g. lwtech.edu/page-name).

Hyperlink
A reference to data that a user can directly follow either by clicking, tapping or hovering. A hyperlink can point to a whole document or specific elements within a webpage/document (anchor link).

WYSIWYG
An acronym for “what you see is what you get” is an editor system in which content (text and graphics) editing appears in a form closely corresponding to its appearance when printed/published.

Landing page
Main page that leads to several other pages.

Child page
A page that is subordinate to another. When viewing any page, you can see if it has one or more child pages. All pages that follow the homepage (e.g. lwtech.edu/page-name) are child pages of the homepage. Pages that fall under the child pages of the homepage are known as grandchild pages. Note the reference to child and grandchild pages are relative. So a landing page may have child pages, but may be grandchild pages of the homepage.

Breadcrumb Links (breadcrumbs)

A type of secondary navigation scheme that reveals the user's location in a website or Web application.

Marketing Request Form