Marketing Suite Guidelines

Accessible Promotional Design Guide

This guide was developed to support campus partners who create marketing materials.

To make these examples easy to understand and compare, we use a single sample event, Mindful Mondays, across all formats. Using the same content allows you to see how the message should adapt for different channels while still meeting accessibility standards.

You’ll find best-practice examples for LCD screens, printed flyers, Instagram stories and posts, web-based calendar listings, emails and newsletter articles. Each example includes a visual mockup, guidance on the appropriate amount of text, and notes on layout, color contrast and HTML requirements.

Our goal is to show not just what good accessible design looks like, but why these choices matter, so you can confidently create materials that reach students, meet legal standards and reflect our university’s commitment to inclusion.

Printed Flyer Example

Purpose

Printed flyers can hold the most information because people can stop and read them. They still need clear hierarchy and plenty of white space.

What this Example Shows

• Printed flyers can accommodate the most text out of all promotional channels
• Longer descriptions still use short paragraphs, headings and bullet points for readability
• Extras like free food or raffles can attract attention but must remain clear and not overwhelm the design
• A clear hierarchy organizes the text into sections (benefits, schedule, location, what to bring)
• A QR code supplements, not replaces, the printed information

Accessibility Features Highlighted

• Strong text hierarchy: headline > subhead > details
• Body text set in a readable size with comfortable line spacing
• High contrast between text and background
• Minimal fonts and colors, used consistently
• QR code as a convenience, not the only way to get information

Key Takeaway

The flyer can hold the most detail, but it should still be scannable with clear headings and white space.

Sample Content

Mindful Mondays
Weekly guided meditation

Take an hour to pause, breathe and reset. Join Student Affairs for a guided meditation session designed to help reduce stress, increase focus and build community. No experience is required and all students are welcome.

Each session includes:

• A 20–25 minute guided meditation
• A chance to meet other students
• Free snacks provided each week
• Monthly raffle for wellness prizes (water bottles, journals, aromatherapy kits)

Why join?
Regular meditation can help improve concentration, support emotional well-being, reduce anxiety and provide a much-needed moment of calm during a busy quarter. These sessions are designed for beginners and experienced meditators alike.

Mondays, 4–5 p.m.

Student Community Center, Room 203

What to bring
Comfortable clothing and an optional water bottle. Meditation cushions are provided.

Learn more
Visit sa.ucdavis.edu/mindful or scan the QR code.

LCD Screen Example

Purpose

LCD screens are glanced at quickly while people walk by. They should highlight only the most important information with large, high-contrast text.

What this Example Shows

• Background: High-contrast, minimal imagery (e.g., soft abstract texture or a simple photo with overlay).
• Big, clear event title at the top
• One short line that explains what the event is
• Date, time and location grouped together for easy scanning
• One simple call to action with a short URL and optional QR code
• Wordmark shows who is sponsoring or co-sponsoring the event

Accessibility Features Highlighted

• Large text that can be read from several feet away
• High contrast between text and background
• Fewer than 30 words so viewers can read it in a few seconds
• No important information placed only in a logo or small corner text

Key Takeaway

LCDs should answer three questions at a glance: What is it, when is it, where is it?

Sample Content

MINDFUL MONDAYS
Guided meditation for students

Mondays, 4–5 p.m.
Student Community Center, Room 203

Learn more at sa.ucdavis.edu/mindful

QR Code

Wordmark

Instagram Story Example

Purpose

Stories are posted for 24 hours and viewed quickly. Story slides should have limited text. If your story has multiple slides, the most important information should always be on the first slide, because viewership decreases with every subsequent slide. You do not need to include logos because the posts are coming from your university-branded channels.

What this Example Shows

• Minimal text per slides (no more than 30 words)
• Consistent colors and fonts across all frames
• The most important details (name of event, day, time, location) appear on the first slide
• Clear pointer to where to go next
  • Note: You can also use the link sticker in Instagram to add the clickable link directly.

Accessibility Features Highlighted

• Large text that can be read on a phone screen
• Short, scannable text ensures content is understood before disappearing.
• Strong color contrast between text and background
• Voice-over is required for any written text captions are required for an video with spoken words on Instagram story slides

Key Takeaway

Each Story frame should communicate one simple message. Viewers should not need to pause and zoom in to read.

Sample Content

Take a mindful break.

Mindful Mondays
Mondays, 4-5 P.M. SCC 203

• Weekly guided meditation
• All students welcome
• Free snacks

sa.ucdavis.edu/mindful

Instagram Feed Post Examples

Option 1 - Photo (Preferred Option)

Option 2 - No Photo

Purpose

The image should be clean and simple. The full event information belongs in the caption, which is HTML-based and accessible to assistive technology. You do not need to include logos because the posts are coming from your university-branded channels.

What this Example Shows

• Minimal text on the image (no more than 10 words)
• All details in the caption where they are selectable and searchable
• A short description that explains the benefit for students
• Clear “when” and “where” section in the caption

Accessibility Features Highlighted

• Image description clearly describes the image and any text
• High-contrast text on the image so it is readable without zooming in
• HTML caption that provides full event details and does not rely on the image text
• Hashtags are written in camel case, used sparingly and placed at the end

Key Takeaway

Treat the image as a simple sign and the caption as the full event listing.

Sample Image Content

Free Snacks. Mindful Mondays. Guided Meditation for Students

Sample Caption Content

Mindful Mondays 🧘

Take a pause from your busy week with a guided meditation session led by Student Affairs.

When: Mondays, 4–5 p.m.
Where: Student Community Center, Room 203

All students are welcome. No experience needed.

Link in bio

Image description (for option 1): the words “Mindful Mondays: Guided meditation for students. Free snacks!” over an image of students meditating.

Image description (for option 2): the words “Mindful Mondays: Guided meditation for students. Free snacks!” over a colorful background

#MindfulMondays #UCDavis #StudentAffairs

Web-Based Calendar Event Listing Example

Option 1 - Photo (Preferred Option)

View the example calendar listing here.

Option 2 - No Photo

Purpose

The calendar listing is often the most reliable source of information for event. This is the space where other materials should link. All key information should be in HTML text, not in an uploaded image.

What this Example Shows

• All event details entered into fields as text rather than uploaded as an image
• Optional image that supports the content but does not contain unique information

Accessibility Features Highlighted

• Fully searchable HTML content that works with screen readers and mobile devices
• Image with meaningful alt text that describes what is shown
• No flyer or graphic used as the only source of event information

Key Takeaway

If the image disappeared, the calendar listing would still give a student everything they need to attend. 

Sample Image Content

Take an hour to pause, breathe and reset. Join Student Affairs for a guided meditation session designed to help reduce stress, increase focus and build community. No experience is required and all students are welcome.

Each session includes:

• A 20–25 minute guided meditation
• A chance to meet other students
• Free snacks provided each week
• Monthly raffle for wellness prizes (water bottles, journals, aromatherapy kits)

Why join?
Regular meditation can help improve concentration, support emotional well-being, reduce anxiety and provide a much-needed moment of calm during a busy quarter. These sessions are designed for beginners and experienced meditators alike.

What to bring
Comfortable clothing and an optional water bottle. Meditation cushions are provided.

Newsletter Examples

Purpose

Newsletter items often appear in a grid or list. They need a clear headline, a short block of text and a decorative image that supports the story.

What this Example Shows

• A clear, descriptive headline that tells readers what the event is and who it is for
• A compact paragraph that explains the purpose and benefit
• Date, time and location broken out so they are easy to scan
• A descriptive link that tells users what they will get when they click

Accessibility Features Highlighted

• All important information in HTML text, not baked into the image
• Image used for visual interest only, with alt text that describes the scene
• Short paragraphs and adequate line spacing for readability
• Link text that is descriptive instead of “read more” or “click here”

Key Takeaway

The newsletter image is optional, but the HTML text is not. The text should fully stand on its own.

Sample Image Content

Weekly Meditation for Students

Take an hour to focus, breathe and reset. Mindful Mondays offers guided meditation sessions hosted by Student Affairs. Sessions are open to all UC Davis students and no experience is needed.

Mondays, 4–5 p.m.
Student Community Center, Room 203

Learn more about Mindful Mondays

Outlook Email Example

Purpose

Email is often used for direct communication and reminders. Because email content must work across devices, screen readers and different email clients, it should rely primarily on real HTML text rather than image-based graphics. This format prioritizes clarity, scannability and accessibility while still allowing light visual branding.

What this Example Shows

• A short, descriptive subject line that clearly states what the message is about
• A thin decorative banner used only for branding, not critical information
• All event details written in HTML text
• Headings and short paragraphs for easy scanning

Accessibility Features Highlighted

• Core information is real, selectable HTML text that works with screen readers
• Text resizes properly on mobile and when users zoom
• High contrast and legible fonts
• Banner image includes alt text (“Mindful Mondays branded header”)
• Links use descriptive text instead of “click here”

Key Takeaway

Email should be text-first. Use images only for light branding or decoration, never as the primary way to communicate important information. If images don’t load, the message should still be completely clear.

Sample Image Content

• A 20–25 minute guided meditation
• A chance to meet other students
• Free snacks provided each week
• Monthly raffle for wellness prizes (water bottles, journals, aromatherapy kits)