How do you pick the perfect typography for your brand?

This stage can feel a bit cloudy with everything up in the air, but there are frameworks we can use that help make this process a bit more streamlined. Kapferer’s Brand Identity Prism is one of my favourites. It helps you create a holistic picture of your brand so that you can then go about making the big decisions that draw on the brand’s personality, tonality, voice and self image. This is not only helpful with choosing typography, but also graphic elements, image library, colour palettes, UI kits and more.

I agree with this. Knowing the brand helps the brand designer understand the values, brand voice and the perception the client intends to put out there. For example, I worked on a tech logo and the brand basically stood for professionalism and expertise. The brand mission and vision also portrayed a manly touch. I had to use a font that gave authoritative and capability vibes and so I went with Athelas. The outcome was beautiful and gave a full representation of what my client’s brand stands for. So yes, we cannot undermine the power of typography.

Try pick clear readable fonts make it clean. The idea of branding is to be noticed don't over do it be simple remember simple is always very hard.

3 words... Swiss Style Graphic Design, Ok it's actually 4 words ?? And here follows the short explanation for the 4 words. As a designer you are communicating and the easier it is to understand the communication, the better! ???? Swiss style focuses on cleanliness and legibility to make sure the message is well communicated ????

I think it's important to establish the tone of voice of the brand and the customer avatar. The fonts you choose should resonate with your audience and speak to them in the way they want to be spoken. And the most important, should be readable.

It is assumed that in the creation of a brand, one as a designer makes a brief and that brief tells us how our audience wants the logo to be made, then, starting from that idea, it seems logical to me that the typographies are selected in such a way that our audience is taken into consideration.

I'd amend this slightly. First of all, you need to know what you stand for as mentioned in the previous point. Your audience should have been considered here, and the nuance I'd like to point out here is don't choose your typeface based on the audience over your brand's integrity. Audiences will spot this, it will feel 'off' and become a barrier to building trust with your audience. Of course, there is an overlap of consideration here, but the core is the brand. An audience can accept some unalignment with what they see as a trend if it feels authentic to the brand.

Agreeing with James, I’d add that the final outcome tends to be a balance between the self image of the brand and that of its audience. It’s important to strike the right balance.

Typography in graphical elements depends completely on your brands entire campaign. A consultant cannot make your brand for you. It’s up to you to guide your brands story and presentation to the world. I’m of the frame of mind in which your imagery in your campaign can convey your typography in the way you see fit.

If you are a global brand, you have to keep in mind that not all people use latin characters in their native language. So reading in English alphabet is secondary to them, even if they are proficient in English. Hence, it is important your typography to be clear and recognizable, very easy to read. For example if you use very different fonts i.e. cursive or handwritting style etc, an Arab or Asian may not immediately read it or resonate with it, especially if it is associated also with longer words or phrases.

The science behind typeface differences is deeper than you might think. What makes a typeface more readable, is different for instance if it's just one or two words, verses a sentence, or a long paragraph. Choose wisely, by really considering its use.

At a very early stage, all potential touch points of communication should be taken into account. Everything from the logo to bespoke event branding. For example, in your logo you’d need to take every letterform into consideration, but you’d also want to have a sense of how you might extend your brand to its audience at a festival using an installation, perhaps.

Typography plays a very important factor, however, within a brand you can have a typeface and its internal or external communication can have another typography, that is to say, if I use a dry stick font for a logo, it does not mean that I am obliged to use that typography for communication purposes of that brand. Then, the most logical thing is that within the corporate communication of that brand, they know how to choose the typographic character with which they want to communicate. There are many companies that create their own typographies for their internal and external communication.

If your font isn’t flexible, you need to change it. It’s important to realise many different people will encounter your brand. You need to make sure it’s easy to read on every single medium. A font that works well on a brochure might not be appropriate for a social media post. My recommendation is to create mock designs for all the mediums you intend to use

Typography's role varies across different mediums. In print, like brochures or magazines, typography's visual appeal and readability are crucial. Serif fonts often work well here for extended reading. On the web, sans-serif fonts are preferred for better screen legibility. In branding, consistency across both print and digital materials ensures a unified identity. In mobile apps like ours, clear, responsive typography enhances user experience. Overall, typography adapts to suit each medium's unique requirements, influencing how content is consumed and brand messages are communicated effectively.

While this is true, style can be how you use a font. Stand out by doing something different. So yes, serifs are more traditional, reserved and authoritative. But what if you used a serif huge? For short words, bold and loud, like a more modern brand. Experimenting like this might push you in a different direction, but it's good to test the waters. Could you re-imagine something in a way that stands out and feels new to the audiece.

Looking from a broader lens, setting type sets emotion and feeling you would like to evoke from the piece that you are laying out. It becomes the core of your layout and must live within a set grid that offers balance, harmony, and calm to your audience. Leaning in from a brand perspective type sets the look and feel of the brand and is tasks with being consistent, used in the same weight, and applied to layouts with emphasis on the brand at all times.

Typography in branding is pivotal: it doesn't just convey information, but shapes perception. Well-chosen typography highlights a brand's individuality, crafting visual identity that enhances recognition and emotional connection with the audience.

I agree with the point that James Hanson raised. My instructor in Typography Fundamentals class challenge us to create an elegant logo using only variations of Helvetica. Thinking through the idea of “how” the type could be used is just as, if not more important that what font is chosen. It’s all in the context. It’s one of the reasons I loooooove hand painted street signage for little mom-and-pop shops. When the lettering serves a purpose, sometimes it really doesn’t even matter at all. Seeing a sign that says “Tacos” is sometimes all you really need. As much as this is great to think through, let’s all take a step back and get some perspective sometimes and trust that even “lame,” or “standard” fonts can serve a purpose.

Typography is integral to defining a brand's unique style. For instance, a luxury brand may opt for elegant serif fonts to convey sophistication, while a tech startup might choose sleek sans-serif fonts for a modern, cutting-edge image. Consistency in typeface, font weights, and styles across all brand materials reinforces this style. Typography aligns with the brand's identity, setting the tone for how the brand communicates its message and resonates with its target audience, ultimately becoming a signature element of the brand's style.

Typographic rules hold great importance in design and communication. They ensure readability, consistency, and aesthetic appeal. By following spacing, font size, and layout guidelines, content becomes more accessible and visually pleasing. Consistency in typography reinforces brand identity and professionalism. Clarity in hierarchy and design elements helps convey information effectively. Ultimately, these rules build trust, credibility, and accessibility, making them a cornerstone of effective communication and design practices.

Yes, reading up on basic theory and best practices for the effective use of typography in communications is essential. Because if you don't, you're bound to lose a big chunk of your audience just because they will not enjoy how you dressed up the words and sentences.

A brand aspiring to be unique and stand out in the market typically invests thought into its visual brand identity. They often embrace new and trendy styles and may also opt for premium, paid fonts. If you're in the early stages of creating your branding and style, and you're hesitant to spend money on a font that might not be the right fit, utilizing trial versions could be a solution. You can reach out to the creators or companies and inquire about obtaining a trial version.

Paid-for fonts have a place too. Especially when creating brands that really want to be unique, even subtly. I love foundries like "You work for them" - where the curators are really choosing fonts carefully.

If you are a professional business… please don’t create a brand with these font: ? Times New Roman ? Helvetica/Helvetica Neue ? Brush Script ? Arial ? Courier

As Andrea has mentioned, readability is huge. So you have a great font, but at what weights and sizes is it usable? There are lots of 'general guides' people treat as rules for fonts, like 16pt for legibility - but this is based on an average x-height, what if your chosen font has a small x-height, or is a tall font? Really check these things before setting guides for a brand.

Need to check, the use of the particular font, It should be readable without difficulty from the scalable size of Visiting card to the Hoarding size.

To add along, Typeface choice for a brand, or any specific objective (blog, website, social etc.) varies with its format and tone with which brand or subject aligns. With many variables at play (legibility, hierarchy etc.) A misalignment with tone and the typeface choice gets visible as audience find hard to correlate or derive from.

Remember to check whether the font you choose is available for commercial use. Not being able to use it might lead you down a lot of legal trouble. Lastly, be creative! Let your creative juices flow and pick one you like. It’s your company, you and your team need to like it most.