Branding And Typefaces: How To Choose Them

In creating a brand, the choice of typefaces is essential to arouse the right emotions and give coherence to the company’s narrative: here’s how. When a brand is born, one of the first steps to face is the search for the brand’s identity, that is, the set of ideas, colors, fonts, images, and texts that make that company unique and distinguish it from its competitors. The choice of the logo, which will be the corporate symbol, and the font are the first steps of the branding project. 

When we talk about the font, we refer to the typeface used in graphics, websites, social networks, and logos if there is a textual part. Adopting a typeface should never be a random process. The perfect font for a company is the one that manages to convey its personality and values while striking the target’s attention at the same time. It is, to use a pun, a natural choice of character. 

If, on the one hand, you have to untangle the different types of fonts, on the other, you have to choose a solution that identifies and is consistent with the image you want to give of the company. In addition to giving consistency, the choice of typeface can accentuate and emphasize the brand’s messages. Whether it’s an article for brand awareness on the site or a post to incentivize sales, the right font can give power to the message thanks to the cold sensations it manages to arouse in readers.

How To Find The Writing Font

Before choosing the best font for the brand, conducting a preliminary analysis of the brand, the tone of voice, and the message you want to communicate is good. Just like the company, typefaces also have their distinctive character. For example, a Serif font inspires confidence, luxury, elegance, and authority. A Sans Serif font is more pragmatic, clean, clear, and modern. If with the first you have a comfortable feeling, with the second, it is more minimal. 

By outlining the brand’s personality traits in advance, it will be easier to understand which font to address. In choosing the correct writing style, one must consider the channel used. The font of a print advertisement is different from that used in a brochure, just as the typeface of a banner on a website is different from that of digital posters. Experimentation is the key word: you often don’t immediately understand the feeling that a particular font can arouse because you have to observe the font in the context in which it is to be used. 

For example, a font viewed on a computer might look different when printed on a large advertising poster. Another important consideration concerns the presence of images. The colors, size, and subject of an image can radically change the feel and impression of a font. A text with serif characters next to a very pop image can be disconnected because it conveys mixed feelings to the viewer.

The Importance Of Context In Choosing A Font

The choice of the font must necessarily consider the context and perception. When the goal is clear and what are the feelings you want to arouse, it will be easier to choose the right style. Each font communicates different sensations. A graceful font refers to institutional elements. A linear font is more suitable for informal communications, while the so-called  Script font evokes classic elegance. After understanding which font family best meets the brand’s needs, the difficult part is choosing among the declinations of the same group of characters. 

In this phase, various factors come into play, such as the aesthetic details, the historical provenance, and the invasiveness of the font. For many, the best choice is to use a more widespread font to avoid the clown effect, which vulgarizes the content and weakens its uniqueness. If you are on neutral ground, where the brand’s character is not so strong, or if you want to keep distant, a character like Futura is perfect because it has an elegant style and a very versatile soul. 

When the brand wants to evoke an unmistakable and ancient flavor, Garamond is the favorite font for playbills and posters. More difficult to use in digital contexts but preferred for brochures and catalogs, Bodoni gives a touch of clarity and seriousness to the graphics. If, on the other hand, you are looking for a suitable font for digital, you can’t go wrong with Verdana. It was created specifically to improve reading on the screen and make it clear, simple, and legible even for those with some difficulties.

The Characteristics Of A Font

Fonts are divided into categories based on the characteristics they possess. The two main types are the graceful characters, such as Times New Roman, and the so-called sticks,  such as Arial and Helvetica. There are several more accurate classifications, but the simplest and most used is the one that divides the characters into Serif, Sans Serif, Slab, Frankfurt, Script, and Fantasy.

If the first three are serif characters, the others differ in style. Script imitates handwriting. Frankfurt has a gothic style, while Fantasy includes all styles which are not easily categorized. Finally, an important feature to consider is the so-called font weight, which can be round, regular, black, bold, or italic.

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