Typography

Many people confuse font and typography. Here we will explore the difference between the two of them, and the importance of picking the right typography for your brand.

First of all, typography are groups of fonts that are grouped by styles, meanwhile fonts are the individual designs of number and letters. It will become clearer with some examples. There are four main categories of typeface: serif, sans-serif, script, and display.

Serif is when a font has small tags attached to letters, as can be seen in this blog's title font. The most well known example of a serif font, is New Times Roman.

Sans-Serif fonts are fonts that lack the tags (serifs) that are present in serif typography. This can be seen in the current text you are reading and a specific font example of sans-serif typography is Helvetica.

Script typefaces is when a text is designed to look like handwriting. This may be when it is very curly, old-fashioned, and formal, or is a more casual, modern handwriting style. An example of this typography is Lucida Handwriting.

Finally, display typography is when a font is overly designed and artistic, often designed to mimic the font name (like Chiller), to mimic a font from a TV show or film (like Ringbearer), or just as an artistic flair to the product. This typeface is one that is rarely used outside of titles, headers etc, as in a large text block, it would become overwhelming.

Now you know the main bones of typography, let's look at the psychology. If you read my blog on Colour Theory you may remember that colours that you use on your website, logo, branding, or marketing, often evoke specific emotions and associations that you can use to your brand's advantage. This is the same with typography! Each typeface has specific moods and associations, therefore choosing the right one for your marketing and website is very important. So, let's look through the meanings that come with some of the typefaces that we have covered.

First, serif fonts are the most traditional and classic fonts. They establish an idea of a trustworthy, professional company and evoke emotions such as respect, trust, and authority. Therefore, these fonts are only beneficial to companies in serious sectors such as law and finance.

Next, sans-serif is a more modern typeface. It is clean, and sleek, and has associations such as sophistication, cutting-edge, straightforward, modern, and, due to the typeface's prominence in the tech industry, tech-savvy. Therefore, it can be assumed that these fonts are beneficial for tech brands, however, there are also good for companies that want to be seen as innovative and modern, such as start-ups and fashion brands.

Script is a more complex typeface as it can vary in feel depending on the handwriting style that is used. Script fonts can be used to show a traditional and old-fashioned side, or a more free, fun, and whimsical side to a company. However, one thing that all script typefaces denote, is a more personal approach, due to their replication of handwriting. Due to it's versatility, these fonts can be beneficial for many sectors, however, a big one, is food and drinks brands, who are often attempting to create an elegant or personal aura of their business.

This has been a brief overview of the effects of typeface and font in your brand's success. Hopefully, you have been able to see the importance of picking the correct style to reflect your brand's image. Share this blog and follow me on social media, for further insights!

-- From Marketing to Mind --

Photo by Alexander Andrews and Girl with red hat and Brett Jordan on Unsplash

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