Digital Sign Screens Around Campus

The digital sign screens around campus are intended to promote campus events and provide important information (and reminders) to faculty/staff/students. The digital signs are not intended to promote commercial advertising, unless there is a direct affiliation to ESU associated with the message.

Sign Format Requirements

ESU now provides both landscape and portrait monitors on campus. When submitting a slide, please follow the instructions.

How to set the correct slide size in PowerPoint

Landscape (16:9)

  1. Open PowerPoint
  2. Go to Design → Slide Size → Widescreen (16:9)

Portrait (9:16)

  1. Go to Design → Slide Size → Custom Slide Size
  2. Under Orientation, set Slides: Portrait
  3. Click OK, then choose Ensure Fit
  4. Reposition your text and images for the portrait layout

If you are submitting an image or PDF instead of PowerPoint

  • Image (PNG/JPG): create two files at 1920×1080 and 1080×1920
  • PDF: export as a single-page PDF sized to 16:9 (landscape) or 9:16 (portrait). Avoid letter-size flyers (8.5×11) since they will not fill the screen correctly.

Quick check (no math)

If your file matches one of these, you’re good:

  • 16:9: 1920×1080 or 1280×720
  • 9:16: 1080×1920 or 720×1280

Recommended export size (best quality for digital screens)

  • Landscape: 1920 × 1080 pixels
  • Portrait: 1080 × 1920 pixels

Create and submit two versions of your sign: one Landscape (16:9) and one Portrait (9:16). PowerPoint is recommended, but image and PDF files are accepted if they match the required dimensions.

    • 16:9: width ÷ height = 1.78 (example: 1920 ÷ 1080 = 1.78)
    • 9:16: width ÷ height = 0.56 (example: 1080 ÷ 1920 = 0.56)
  • Both orientations will need to be submitted or the slide will not be displayed on campus.
  • Do not include the ESU logo, as it is already present on the digital signage template surrounding every slide.
  • Artwork or photographs may be used on slides as long as they relate to the message, are deemed appropriate content by the digital sign administrator, and do not cause any copyright infringement.
    • When selecting an image, do not stretch or skew the image to make it fit the space available. Shrinking proportionally, or cropping the image is fine.
  • The filename should not have the words "Digital Signage in it."

Approval & Timeline

  • Submit digital signs to the vice president of your division for approval, or the faculty or staff advisor for recognized student organizations.
    • If you have a residence hall-specific message, please contact the resident director.
  • Once approved by the appropriate party, submit to slabadie@esu.edu at least one week prior to the requested posting date.
    • Suggest a posting date and removal date with your submission. Signs will be removed based on the requested removal date or earlier.
  • The sign(s) will be reviewed and approved by the Web Manager of web services.
    • If the submission does not meet the approval of the vice president or designee and/or the Web Manager of web services, it may be returned to the individual submitting the material for edits.
  • The web team will post approved signs on all university digital signage players.

Keep it Brief and Readable

Slides rotate after 10 seconds. Don't give people a ton of details to remember.

  • Each sign/slide must have a title of no more than 25 characters and type size no less than 24 pt.
  • Body of the message should be in paragraph or bulleted format and should be no more than 50 words in length. Font size should be no less than 16 pt.
  • Colored font type must have sufficient contrast from background to be considered readable.

PowerPoint Templates

For your convenience, Marketing and Communications has created digital sign templates so employees may design their own signs with a uniform look.

Contact Us

Campus Address

Reibman Administration Building
(570) 422-3532
(570) 422-3846 (Fax)

Director, University Marketing & Communications

Elizabeth Richardson
erichard10@esu.edu
(570) 422-3139