Publicity

Publicity

Events need audiences! One or more of the following vehicles may be appropriate for populating your event.

MIT Events Calendar

When your information is ready to go public, the MIT Events Calendar is a great first step. The events calendar contains many features, including an updated mobile-friendly interface, event filters, social media event sharing, and the ability to tag your event as “virtual” or “hybrid.” Questions? Please visit the Knowledge Base or contact the calendar administrators.

Email

There are almost always email lists comprising individuals who likely to be interested in your event. A few good practices at MIT:

  • Collaborate with colleagues and adhere fastidiously to the rules of use when given access to someone’s list
  • Try to combine the data of several lists to reduce duplicate messages
  • Think about whether it is more effective to use your MIT address or a third-party service (i.e. MailChimp, Constant Contact, Eventbrite) to market the event—and note that service is often free or offered at a reduced charge for non-profit organizations
  • Always remember accessibility: ensure all your information appears as text in the message, do not embed key points or meaning in an image, and make PDFs accessible
  • Offer a download or link to supporting information (such as a poster or agenda) rather than attaching a PDF

Infinite Corridor poster displays

In addition to posters on your own bulletin board(s), consider the fixed poster display cases in the Infinite Corridor. To request space, please complete the online application (MIT only—certificates required). Poster dimensions must be 11x17"; paper may be 65# or heavier cover stock. Please ensure that your design is in a portrait (vertical) orientation: landscape (horizontal) posters will not fit in these display cases. Questions? Please email us.

Note: for safety and accessibility reasons, easels are not permitted in the corridors or in high-traffic indoor intersections. Please see MIT Policies & Procedures for the Institute’s policy regarding bulletin boards, postering, and display spaces.

Infinite Display

Infinite Display Digital Signage enables the MIT community to promote events and publicize messages using digital displays located around campus, with free service to MIT student groups. Contact Copytech

Social media

MIT Communications Initiatives provides useful information, tips, and resources for using sharing content via social media. 

Students

Looking to publicize your event(s) to MIT undergraduate and graduate students?

  • The MIT Graduate Student Council (GSC) circulates The Anno, a weekly bulletin of activities and events that pertain to graduate students at MIT. Submit your event to the Anno
  • The MIT Undergraduate Association circulates The Byte, weekly newsletter. Submit your listing.

Guidelines for posters within Lobby 7

The entrance at 77 Mass Ave and Lobby 7 should be a welcoming environment for our community and visitors. On occasion, posters that solicit feedback may be permitted for a period of up to 48 hours if properly affixed to one of the columns leading toward the Infinite Corridor and not otherwise hung or displayed in the Lobby. Posters must adhere to these principles:

  • The issue in question should be relevant to the MIT community.
  • The question promotes a sense of healing and/or civil discourse as appropriate to the issue.
  • Words or graphics do not harm nor promote negativity of any individual or group within the MIT community.
  • An individual or group may post within Lobby 7 once per academic semester.
  • Information Center staff will remove items after 48 hours and retain for retrieval by the posting person or entity for 30 days.
  • Items must be affixed using an adhesive that will not damage the surface of the columns.
  • The preferred approach is a heavy-weight dark color paper with chalk, which will not damage the surface of the columns. If white paper and markers are used, the columns should be wrapped sufficiently (at least two layers) to ensure the writing instruments will not damage the surface.

For more information, see the Institute's policy on postering.

MIT Copytech’s Infinite Display Digital Signage can help you get the word out about your event.

Resources for communicators 

MIT Communications Initiatives offers tips, resources, and best practices to help position your events and projects for success. More

Contribute

Do you have insight into promoting events at MIT? We’d love to share your expertise with the community—please email us!

MIT logo

The MIT graphic identity site outlines branding best practices and offers downloads of the logo and of mascot Tim the Beaver (MIT certificates required; see these referrals for requests from beyond campus).