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As designers, we often keep one rule in the back of our minds at all times:

Keep It Simple.

With so many creative ideas buzzing around our heads, it can sometimes be a challenge to narrow it down to the simplest solution.

When we are required to design creative assets with text, the font can often make or break the final result. Whilst it can be tempting to use a font which is a bit more ‘fancy’, in reality, the simplest style is usually the most effective.

There are many fonts to choose. From the often cringe-worthy script font Comic Sans, to the more refined styles available.

Fonts in Design

Some fonts, such as Comic Sans, do have their place. Being a ‘child-friendly’ font, it is great for communications with a younger audience.

The personality of the Comic Sans font makes it fun and casual. Perfect for use in primary schools and in some cases, great for communication targeted towards dyslexic audiences, who may have difficulty reading some fonts.

Suggested Read: Are You a Comic Sans Criminal?

As we handle a lot of B2B Communications, Comic Sans is not a font that we tend to use very often…

Fonts are generally split into groups, which is referred to as a Typeface. Each Typeface is determined by the characteristics of the font shape, called a ‘glyph’. The glyph refers to specific shapes, designs, or representations of a character or letter. Every font of a typeface has a specific weight, style, width, slant, ornamentation, and design – amongst other factors.

Serif Versus Sans Serif 

Serif fonts have a more stylised finish on the edge of the letters. Often described as little feet.

This style is perfect for legal documents or long blocks of text in print form. They are easier to read and less likely to cause eye fatigue or confusion. Portrayed as being reliable and formal, they are the perfect choice to communicate a serious message, looking for respect.

Sans Serif is the contemporary sibling of the Serif style. These have a smoother outline, without the little feet.

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This modern and informal style font group communicates a stable, clean and neutral message. Easy on the eye and versatile, Sans Serif is often a designer’s choice – as they are a clean style for print media.

Another member of the serif family is Slab Serif. A chunky, strong style, with a playful edge. This style is brilliant for a fresh and modern message, to give an alternative edge to headlines, displays or logos.

Script Fonts

Script fonts are typefaces with a personal edge, often in a handwritten style. It’s important to proceed with caution when using script fonts, as they can be complex and confusing for the reader.

Whilst they can be great for use for a blog header, or title, avoid using in large chunks of text. With the flowing aesthetic there is a danger that the lines and shapes can just merge into one for some readers.

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How to Choose the Right Font for Your Brand

When you are developing a brand you need to keep in mind what kind of message you want to put across.

When it comes to choosing fonts for design purposes, you need to first consider the message.

  • Are you communicating a serious warning or guide?
  • Perhaps it is a fun message for internal use?
  • Maybe you’re looking to attract new customers…

Whatever your message, there will be a font to suit.

Suggested Resource: Font Joy – Font Pairing Made Simple

When choosing your brand font, remember that there will be other fonts which will compliment it. For example, your brand guidelines could consist of 3 fonts, which can have different uses within messaging.

Our team of experts are ready to help you develop your brand guidelines and identify the font most appropriate for your communication.

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