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Fontchoicescanmakegreatorbreakabrandidentity.Apasserbyfontcancausea tostopintheir mediatracks,orascrolleronsocial personality,topause.Fontsconvey meaning,history,fontsandcharacter.Essentially, makeabrandcomealive. Butwithmillionsoffontsdecideavailableonline,it’shardto buildingwhichonestousewhen abrand.
Let’sgothroughthe fourmainfonttypes,whatthey sayaboutyourbrand,andlook atsomespecificexamples.
GivenWhatdoseriffontssayaboutabrand?
theirhistory,thesefontslendasenseoftime - Mercedes,lessnessandtraditiontoabrand.BrandslikeRolex, Prada,andDioruseseriffontsintheir
When choosing a font for your brand, you want to consider the perception you’re trying to create amongst your target audience. If you’re hoping to recall a sense of old-world class, a serif font is the right choice.
of Serif Fonts
There are thousands of serif fonts out there, but some of the most popular ones are:
Bodini
Garamond
Times New Roman
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Serif fonts were the first typefaces to be used en-masse in printing. Dating back to the 1400’s, serif fonts have decorative flicks at the ends of each stroke, mimicking a quill or pen.
Designed by William Caslon in 1734, Old Style was arguably the first mainstream serif font to hit the market. Didot and Bodini followed soon after and remain popular serif choices for brands today.
Serif fonts
are an elegant choice for all businesses, but those rooted in a long-standing practice will reap the benefits of a serif font. Here are a few business categories that frequently use serif fonts in their branding:
• Journalism
• Jewelry making
• Law
• Finance
• Furniture making
• Wellness services
Whilethefirstsansserifwasdesignedin 1816,thesetypefacesareoftenusedbycompaniesaimingtolookfuturistic,liketechnology companies.BusinesseslikeGoogle,Facebook,and Netflixusesansserifsintheirlogos.
Sans serifs
arethesharp,modernalternativetoa serif typeface.
Sansserifsareknownfortheirclarity andlegibility.Usethemwheneveryou wanttoshareinformationeasily,ina clearanddirectway.Theycanbeused inlighterweightsforairylooksor heavierweightsforbolderlooks.
Helvetica • ProximaNova • Futura
Somepopularseriffontsinclude:
Sansserifsareknownfortheircrisplines.
WhenThingstoConsider UsingaSansASerifTypeface visualgreatwaytocreate interestwhenisusingsansseriffontsweightstomixdifferent ofthesame yourfontfamily.Thiskeeps brandingrefined depth.whileaddingasenseofshouldWhatbusinesses usesansseriffonts?
• Fashion
• Gaming
greatSansseriffontsarea choiceforbusi - cleannesseslookingfora andmodern lendslook.Theirversatility differenttoanarrayof businesscate -
• Automobiles
• Consulting
gorieslike: • Technology
• Manufacturing
Script, or cursive, fonts are characterized by curvy, wispy elements that mimic handwriting.
These fonts tend to be divided between more formal or casual looking options. You’ll often see formal script fonts used for blacktie events, while casual script fonts can be used to dress-up just about any type of brand.
What businesses should use script fonts?
Using a script font adds a sense of class and elegance to your brand’s personality, making it a good fit for the following business categories:
• Hospitality
• Beauty
• Health and wellness
• Tattoo and piercing
• Retro brands (e.g. barbershops)
While some script fonts can be highly decorative and more feminine, others can look more loose and retro. Brands like Ray Ban, Kellog’s, Sharpie, and Kleenex use cursive fonts in their logos.
Cursive fonts range from calligraphic styles to more edgy, handwritten looks. Some popular options are:
• Pacifico
• Parisienne
• Allura
• Lobster
Using a script font for your brand is a great way to add a luxurious or retro flair to a brand identity. As they are highly decorative, they can be hard to read so we recommend only using them for short words and phrases. Script fonts are generally best suited to larger sizes. The smaller they are, the less legible they become.
Given the variety in decorative font options, the impact they can have on a brand differs. Decorative fonts can take inspiration from many aesthetics, be it a vintage stenciled font, an elegant calligraphic font, or a chunky slab-serif.
The best move when working with a decorative font is to choose the feeling you’re trying to create and select your font from there. If you’re opting for something elegant, you’re unlikely to choose a high-tech chunky decorative font. Brands like Sega, Baskin Robbins, and Tesla use decorative fonts in their logos and brand materials.
headers to distinguish a brand.
used in logos, billboards, posters, book covers, and
rative fonts come in many varieties and are often
grab attention with a really unique look. Deco -
styles. The point of using a decorative font is to
versions of sans serif, serif, script, and other font
personality. These fonts are highly decorated
Decorative, or display, fonts come packed with
What do decorative fonts say about a brand?
ThingstoConsiderWhenUsingaDecora -
DecorativetiveTypefacefontsofferacustomizedlookstand-alonetoabrandandarereservedforlarge, formats.Usethemwhen phrasesdesigningalogo,inheaders,orprinted (onat-shirt,forexample).Avoid theirusingdecorativefontsinbodytextas detailsareoftenlost.
What do decorative fonts say about a brand?
Given the variety in decorative font options, the impact they can have on a brand differs. Decorative fonts can take inspiration from many aesthetics, be it a vintage stenciled font, an elegant calligraphic font, or a chunky slab-serif. The best move when working with a decorative font is to choose the feeling you’re trying to create and select your font from there. If you’re opting for something elegant, you’re unlikely to choose a high-tech chunky decorative font. Brands like Sega, Baskin Robbins, and Tesla use decorative
Examples of Decorative Fonts
• Cooper Black
• Bourton font
• Abril Fatface
• Gilroy
• Gazpacho
What businesses should use decorative fonts?
Decorative fonts can truly be used by every type of business. We often see them used in creative businesses, like:
• Gaming • Candy • Food and beverage • Automotive • Homeware
• Children and baby goods
Fonts are a powerful part of designing a brand. They convey energy, emotion, and personality. While there are thousands of different fonts to choose from online, it’s easiest to understand the four main types of font and go from there.
You’ll want to consider what your font choice says about your brand before making your final selection. Remember
• Serif fonts offer a timeless and traditional look to a brand.
• Sans serif fonts show off a brand’s modern edge.
• Script fonts bring a sense of elegance to a brand.
• Decorative fonts are full of personality and convey a custom designed look.
By:HananShulthum