WHARTON BRAND STANDARDS
WHARTON HOME VIDEO
Creating a video is easy, but creating one that effectively communicates the Wharton story and pulls in viewers is a challenge. Video has its own set of rules – but like all effective communications, it must have compelling content.
We recommend you consult with our team to discuss your project in its initial cycle so we can provide you with the correct framework and answer any questions you may have.
In This Section
Video Guidelines
Here are five guidelines to help you produce effective, brand-driven video communications:
1) Have a Strong Story to Tell
Every communication should begin with strong content and message, and video is no different. Decide what it is you’re trying to communicate, Check against the Wharton brand values, and be sure that it reflects the Wharton experience effectively online.
2) Make Sure the Audio Can Stand Alone
Oftentimes video viewers are multi-tasking, so it’s important that your audio can stand alone to communicate your message. Consider providing transcripts or a brief description of the video
3) Keep Production Quality High
Use professional equipment. Poor equipment and lighting can make even the most exciting content look cheap and, by extension , cheapen the brand.
4) Keep It Short
Deliver a brief and tight video with editing. The shorter the better. For promotional video especially, 2-3 min is effective.
5) Provide Context
Video can be served in many different contexts, including other websites such as YouTube, Google Video, etc. Be sure to label and tag your video appropriately including names of major participants (if faculty or alumni), dates, event, etc.
As with all official communication from the School,
consider if the video is appropriate for wider dissemination or if it is only appropriate for internal viewing.
FAQ
What video resources does Wharton offer?
The Wharton Video Network offers a number of services to Wharton faculty, students and staff through its Public Technology website. You can borrow equipment, request video services, or get copies of existing videos. See the Wharton Media Network for more.
What resources are offered by Penn?
Penn offers two video production units, as well as a fee-based video hosting service. See Penn Video Network for more.
Can I use other logos in the video?
- Always use the Wharton logo, and follow the customizing guidelines if you need to add any other logos. A simple rule to remember: other than official co-branded programs and initiatives with other organizations, the Wharton logo does not share space with other logos.
- Place sponsorship marks on a separate frame.
Where can I find a media release?
- If you focus on an individual, you will need their signed release.
- You can use the release form on this website.
- Keep a file of all release forms.
Where can I post the video?
- Wharton does not offer video streaming services, but the University does offer a fee-based service. (See other resources offered by Penn above.)
- It is possible to serve the video on your website in a compressed Flash format.
- If you use an external free website such as YouTube (see technology specifications) please consider if your video is appropriate for an external audience. Note: Wharton has guidelines regarding specific channels on YouTube.
If you would like to use YouTube, please check with us first.
What do I need to keep in mind when external organizations request a video?
- Remember to include a Wharton logo in the background, or add in the Wharton watermark to ensure that “Wharton” is in the video. Note: remember to work with the Media Relations team on any.
- Remember to get releases from the individuals featured in the video.
- Be sure you know how the video is going to be used before you release it – ask to see how the video is being used and request sign-off on the usage.
TECHNOLOGY SPECIFICATIONS
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Please add the following tags when you upload your video, along with any other specific ones for your initiative: “The Wharton School; University of Pennsylvania; Penn; Upenn” along with the “video title.” When you have faculty in the video, please add their names as well as any content-specific tags.
Internal Hosting
If you can host the video on your own server, we recommend that you use a compressed file format such as Flash.
External Hosting
Sometimes you may host your video externally and embed an external video player to stream the video, e.g. YouTube. Note: Wharton has guidelines regarding specific channels on YouTube.
If you would like to use YouTube, please check with us first.
YouTube - Use these specifications for hosting and streaming
- Compression Type: H.264, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 format; Frame rate: Current fps. (Can be lowered to 15 fps to make a smaller file size; Key Frames: Every 30 frames; 1280x720 resolution; 44.1KHz Stereo MP3 or AAC audio; Quality: Best.
- Keep videos under 10 minutes and under 1GB. Note: If video is longer than 10 minutes or larger than 1GB, you can upload in 10 minute segments or “Parts.”
- Provide all information in the required fields:
- Title: Make this explicit. Add “Wharton” to the title.
- Description: Make it easy for the user to understand what this is.
- Video Category (in our case, it will usually be “Education”).
- Add the relevant tags – tags are keywords used to help people find your video. Separate tags by a space (e.g., economics jeremy seigel wharton mba) .
- You should choose “Public by Default” under “Broadcast Options” if you want your video to show up in searches.
- Acceptable video formats (with the following file extensions):
- avi
- mov
- wmv
- mpg
Design GUIDELINES
The following graphics are available as an Adobe Photoshop template and are described below. If you create your own graphics, please follow the guidelines listed below.
Graphics
- Both aspect ratios, 4:3 and 16:9, are acceptable.
- Start the video with a title page that includes the Wharton logo. Remember to follow the guidelines for Wharton Logo use such as the open space on all sides, logo size, etc. Also read: Can I use other logos on the video? (above in FAQ).
- Place descriptive text in the lower third of the video frame. This band can change color/graphics, but should use standard fonts for text.
- Use the Wharton logo as a watermark that appears for a few seconds every 30 seconds of the video. We recommend you place it in the lower third of the video frame.
- End with a frame that contains the Wharton logo, the copyright information, and a call to action (whenever appropriate), e.g. the URL to the website or links to other videos. Where possible, this last frame should be on white or black.
- When you upload the video online, you should list the video with an image frame, not the
text entry slide. This ensures that all the videos do not look the same. When clicked, the
video should begin directly with the title treatment.
- Helvetica regular and Helvetica italic
- Helvetica Bold regular and Helvetica Bold italic
- Limit the use of serif fonts (e.g. Times, Palatino, etc.)
Color
- Use Penn blue or red in the information banner in the lower part of the video
- Use a lighter color (e.g. light blue) for solid blocks of color.
- Do not use a darker color as it produces "molting" and "smudging" in the video.
Please refer to the Color section for proper use of primary and secondary colors.
| Intro screen |  |
| Information banner The informaiton banner in the lower part of the video can be either a screened color of the Penn blue or Penn red. |
  |
Logo placement |
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| Outtro screen |  |
Titles/Nomenclature
- Title of the video must have the word “Wharton” in the title, and the entry text should be descriptive of the video content.
- Place any disclaimer text in the last frame of the video.
- Include Wharton affiliation of participants (e.g. WG’08 or official Wharton titles).
For additional information, concerns or support, please contact the Publications Office.
My Guidelines
