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Marketing and Communications


Kindlon hall framed by BenU banner

Digital

For digital channels, content often needs to adapt for different media, devices and formats. While this can be a challenge, here are a few best practices to get you designing in the right direction.

Digital Color Palette

Our audiences usually first experience Benedictine University digitally. To translate our brand thoughtfully for digital communications, we have created web-specific values for our color palette using the HEX and RGB variations. They have been optimized for digital use and should not be altered in any way.

Design for Accessibility

We want our communications to resonate with all audiences. Our digital color palette has been optimized for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), an equal-opportunity law for people with disabilities, so that it is visually effective and functionally useful.

Provide High Contrast

Pay special attention when using neutrals. Check your contrast levels with the WAVE color contrast tool.

Do Not Rely on Color Alone

Since some users may override page colors, color should not be the only way information is conveyed. Make sure information is available even if colors are altered. This can mean adding another cue, such as an underline to show a link, or an icon to reinforce the meaning.

Primary Palette


Primary color palette for digital use

Secondary Palette


Secondary palette for digital use

Use primary red only for large text on white, and use lighter secondary palettes as background colors

Digital Typography

Our brand fonts may not always be available for use in Word documents, PowerPoint presentations and other digital applications. This page offers appropriate substitutes.

Primary Sans-Serif Substitute

Oswald is the acceptable substitute for Knockout. Oswald is available at no cost from Google Fonts.


Oswald type sample, showing light, regular and bold weights

Secondary Sans-Serif Substitute

Arial is the acceptable substitute for Avenir. Arial is a system font and should be a default font on your computer.


Arial type sample showing regular, italic, bold and bold italic styles

Sans-Serif Alternate

Use Oswald whenever available as a substitute for Knockout. If Oswald is not available, use Impact. Impact is a system font and should be a default font on your computer.

Impact type sample, showing regular weight

Writing Tips

People don’t read digital content the same way they read printed material. With print pieces, we can control the reader somewhat by carefully building arguments and presenting information in logical sequences, but this doesn’t often apply to digital applications.

Most readers skim content online, ignoring details to read faster and hunt down the exact information they need. Keep this in mind when carrying the brand voice through to digital channels. Here are some tips for keeping your digital content strong and concise.

Tip 1
Know Your Audience.

  • Ask yourself: What do they want to know? What are they trying to do?
  • People use the internet either to get information quickly or to dive deeper into a subject. In most cases, they want to get to the page with the information they need as rapidly as possible.

Tip 2
Tap the Power of Headlines.

  • Headlines should describe what the page is all about.
  • This is the opportunity to bring out the brand voice.
    Examples:
    “What if you found the cure?”
    “All the discoveries you’ll make.”
    “Imagine starting here.”
  • Use the words your target audience uses.
    Do: Financial aid.
    Do not: Financial assistance.

Tip 3
Include a Call to Action.

  • Be direct about where the link goes. We’re looking to getting people the information they need, smoothly. They shouldn’t have to hunt down the “apply today” option.
  • Voice up call-to-action buttons to draw attention and encourage engagement.
    Examples:
    “Discover how you could help others.”

Tip 4
Be Brief.

  • Less than 20 percent of web content is actually read.
  • Front-load the main points or key words in paragraph structure for better search engine results.
    Do: Artists and art historians reframe the ways we view and interact with the world.
    Do not: Reframe the ways in which we view and interact with the world through your work as an artist or art historian.
  • Use only one idea per paragraph.
  • Keep it short. Aim for these lengths:
    Headings: 8–10 words
    Sentences: 15–20 words
    Paragraphs: 40–70 words
    Pages: 500 words or fewer

Tip 5
Break Up the Text.

  • Divide the content into bite-size chunks, with lists, options, steps, items, stats and the like. This makes the information much easier to visually digest.
  • Readers are searching for facts, so they typically skip the intro text. If you do use intro text, keep it to one or two very informative sentences, like what’s on the page and why it matters.

Social Media

Consistency of the BenU brand is vital across all social media channels and accounts. Consult with the Office of Marketing and Communications before the creation of any new social media accounts. Do not use the banner by itself, crop or recreate logos in any way for social media. 

Below are high-level practices to keep in mind so that the appropriate content, crafted in the right manner, is effectively received.

Digital Examples

Online Ad Example


Example online ad

Website Example


Example of branding use on website homepage

Email Example


Marketing email example