Advertising Placement Policy

Policy Summary

All departments at the George Washington University ("GW" or "university") that purchase advertisements in any format, including print, television, radio, out-of-home, digital banners, search engine marketing, and social media, are required to place those ads through the Office of Communications and Marketing (OCM). The only ads that do not require purchase through OCM are certain employment ads and ads paid for by a third party. The creative design and content for ads paid for by a third party must be reviewed by OCM before publication or broadcast by the third party to ensure adherence to brand standards and guidelines.

Who is Governed by this Policy 

• Faculty
• Staff
• Students

Policy

A. OCM/University Marketing

OCM includes an internal marketing agency responsible for promoting the university and its programs locally, nationally, and internationally, while serving as the central office for purchasing and coordinating advertising for schools, programs, and units. OCM’s internal agency has the capability to employ a multi-channel approach, which uses a combination of online and offline channels to target desired audiences through key touchpoints identified through data-based insights and research to promote the university’s offerings. OCM’s goal is to assist the university community, ensuring campaigns are developed through a strategic lens and align with the university’s brand standards and guidelines. OCM will assist with all aspects of a department’s marketing campaign, including but not limited to:

1. Volume discounts/lowest negotiated rates
2. Ad campaign consultation and media planning
3. Coordination with a central agency of record for digital advertising
4. Space reservations with the various media outlets
5. Verification of ad placement
6. Centralized payment services 

B. Advertising Requiring Purchase Through OCM

1. Advertising for GW as an institution
2. Advertisements recruiting applicants for a school or degree program
3. Promotions for open houses or information sessions
4. Advertisements seeking participants for a research study
5. Advertisements related to the promotion of academic and non-academic events and programs, including athletics, career services, Lisner Auditorium, etc.

Departments will be charged a commission for services provided by the external agency of record. The commission percentage will be set at the start of each fiscal year and communicated to schools and units.

If media sales representatives contact departments regarding matters pertaining to advertising in any of these areas (including matters such as placement of ads or invoicing), please direct these inquiries to OCM. 

C. Coordination of Employment-Related Advertising  

Classified advertisements announce job or employment vacancies, whether for faculty, staff, or research positions. Purchases of employment-related advertisements are made as follows: 

1. Advertisements for university positions at the director level or above are encouraged to be purchased through OCM.
2. University non-faculty positions below the level of director should be coordinated through Human Resource Management and Development.   
3. University faculty positions should be coordinated through Faculty Affairs within the Office of the Provost.
4. University researcher positions should be coordinated through Equal Employment Opportunity & Access.

Upon request, OCM will work with departments set forth in points 2, 3, and 4 above in coordinating purchase of employment-related advertisements.

D. Ads Paid for by a Third Party 

Advertisements paid for by a third party must be submitted to OCM before they are published or broadcast by the third party to ensure they adhere to university brand standards and guidelines.

Related Information

• Commercial Advertising Policy 
• Equal Opportunity, Nondiscrimination, Anti-Harassment, and Non-Retaliation Policy
• Human Resource Management & Development Manger’s Toolkit
• Service Centers and Recharge Centers Charging Sponsored Projects Policy
• Signing of Contracts and Agreements Policy
• The George Washington University Name, Wordmark, Seal, and Color Usage Policy

Contacts

Contact	Phone Number	Email Address
Office of Communications and Marketing		team_ocmgwu [dot] edu

Responsible University Official: Vice President for Communications and Marketing
Responsible Office: Office of Communications and Marketing

Origination Date: September 1, 2006 
Last Material Change: February 24, 2020
Next Scheduled Review: 2027-2028 Academic Year

To provide feedback on this policy, please contact the Responsible Office(s) listed above or the Office of Ethics, Compliance, and Risk. More information describing university policies is outlined in the University Policy Principles.
Noncompliance with this policy can be reported through this website.