What's in a... font?

Logo re-designs have been known to cause public outrage. Customers have boycotted brands over straplines. Eyebrows have been raised over brand names. But we rarely see a font (or as a designer would say: a typeface) trigger a fervent public discussion.

While they may seem inherently inoffensive, fonts are still powerful players in influencing brand perceptions. There are fonts we associate with luxury, fonts we can trust, and then there’s Comic Sans – the irreverent class clown of typography. The field of study that decodes these associations is aptly named font psychology.

This week, we’re taking a deep dive into the nuances of typefaces. What do different fonts tell us about brand personalities? How do brands use them? And is commissioning a custom typeface worth the time and money?

The psychology of swirls, tails, and flourishes

Cultural context matters in how we respond to fonts. Serif fonts, such as Times New Roman or Garamond, have historically been used in print, so it’s perhaps no surprise that they evoke authority, professionalism, and trust. This font family is widely used in consulting and finance (two industries where trust-building is key) but can also be a fitting choice for luxury brands. For example, the French cosmetics brand L’Occitane taps into associations with legacy and heritage through an elegant serif-based logotype.

Sans serif fonts, on the other hand, are a fairly new development in the world of typefaces. Fonts like Calibri or Arial were designed to read better on screens – they don’t have the decorative flourishes on the ends of some letters that serif fonts do, which gives them a more contemporary, sleek look. These fonts are almost a default choice for tech brands, projecting a future-forward spirit of efficiency and innovation.

So, it’s straightforward then: serif fonts for luxury, heritage, and trust; sans serifs for tech, future, and utilitarianism? Well, that would be an oversimplification. Design trends can flip in a second, and typography preferences are no different.

For example, luxury fashion brands have been gravitating towards sans serif fonts since 2018. Balmain, Berluti, and Balenciaga (just to mention a few) all revamped their logos for a simpler look, ditching serif flourishes. Perhaps it was an attempt to stay relevant with new audiences, as millennials and Gen Z were gaining more purchasing power. Or maybe it was a sign of a new era for the luxury industry: one of simplicity over embellishment?

Whatever the answer, the tide seems to be shifting again. Burberry has just announced a brand refresh, notably featuring a serifed logo and a remastered version of a knight motif from the early 20th century. After just a five-year-long hiatus, serif fonts are back in vogue. And not just that: they’re even more resonant this time around, thanks to the power of nostalgia. Just like fashion designers, brand guardians engage in a carefully choreographed dance between the old and new – and timing is everything.

Going off script

There are hundreds of ready-to-use fonts out there. And yet, brands like Airbnb, Apple, and Google have still opted for the expensive, months-long process of developing a bespoke typeface. Is it just a vanity project? Or is there a deeper brand rationale behind it?

At the same time, a custom font is yet another creative outlet for brand expression.?Google’s own YouTube Sans is ‘slightly quirky and expressive, but also simple and bold, just like the platform it calls home,’ according to the agency that designed it. Meanwhile, Netflix’s own-brand font is meant to appear cinematic and bring some of the excitement of theatre to home screenings. For brands that like to inject play and character into design elements, typefaces offer extra room for mischief.

Typefaces with personality

Imagine a world in which every time you read an ad or a product description, you hear a famous personality voiceover in your head. Whether that voice is David Attenborough’s or Kim Kardashian’s might change how compelling you find the brand in question.

In a similar way, fonts also have the power to subtly embellish a message with different emotional and cultural associations. Audiences may not know their serifs from sans serifs, but they can instinctively tell a reliable font from a quirky one – and brands should use that to their advantage.