Having trouble selecting the right typeface to represent your clients’ brand? Selecting the right font is crucial for any image or logo design to ensure it communicates the brands proposition, vision and meaning.
The logo is generally the first touch point your clients’ customers will interact with. Creating a brand that clearly communicates benefits and differentiates from the competition can help bring success and recognition.
One of the key components (and sometimes only) to creating a logo is typography. It plays a powerful part in communicating both the visual and ethical meaning of the brand name.
So how do you select the right font(s) to create the logo?
1. Know your typeface categories
Typefaces are classified by appearance and fit into one or more of the categories:
- Serif – A small decorative line added as embellishment to the basic form of a character.
Example: Times New Roman, Georgia, Baskerville etc - Sans serif – a style of type without serifs.
Example: Helvetica, Gill Sans, Arial - Handwritten – are drawn using any kind of writing instrument like pen, pencil, felt marker, brush, etc.
Example: Halo Handletter, Daniel, Hand of Sean - Script – is based upon the varied and often fluid stroke created by handwriting.
Example: Zapfino, Brush Script, Coronet - Display – larger than body type, used in headings, advertisements, etc.
Example: Avant Garde, Caesar, Garmond
2. Research and analysis
Selecting the right font can be based on several variations. It can be influenced by heritage, type of industry, what is trending, resonate with the business or be service led etc.
To create a relevant and meaningful identity the most important and key place to start is by doing your research and analysis on the company. Pick apart the brief, ask plenty of questions and fully immerse yourself to understand the brands core values and their USP. Consider what meaning and values you are trying to communicate.
Fully immerse yourself to understand the brands core values and their USP
Put yourself in the customers shoes and think ‘What would make me buy from them? Look at their competitors logos and analyse what helps them stand out. Also carry out a broader search on the industry to get a feel for the most common font style used.
Your research, understanding of the brand and it’s core values will help you select and justify the preferred typeface category.
As examples of different emotions, consider these brands and their typeface choice.
How to choose the right font for your logo
sourced from http://blog.crazyegg.com/2013/07/05/psychology-of-fonts-infographic/
3. Justify your type choice
Your typeface selection deserves just as much attention to detail as your logo mark. Select your preferred typeface category and try experimenting with different typefaces, glyphs, case, spacing and scaling; Each play a pivotal role in taking control of meaning, emotions and reactions.
When the time comes to present your ideas to the client you need to be able to justify your selection of fonts, Choice of styling and how they communicate the brands proposition and vision.
4. Dos and Don’ts
- Avoid using trending, quirky fonts – These fonts tend to date really quickly.
- Be selective with choice of typefaces – Stick to the minimum of two typefaces that work coherently and resonate with the brand.
- The ultimate sin – Do not stretch or squeeze the font out of proportion to suit your needs. A lot of time, effort and passion has gone into these fonts. Do not undo all of their hard work.
- Experiment with your fonts and settings – Kerning, tracking and leading can help you become a better designer and appreciation for design.
- Try picking an established typeface family – Better array of typeface weights and variations, All the characters glyphs are present and ensures longevity.
Useful links:
Typography basics: Typeface classifications
