What we know or refer to as “fonts” are called “typefaces” by the graphic design and marketing world. Typography, or the creating of typefaces, is an art in itself. Here, you must consider the entire look of the whole alphabet. Some things to check are the lines and curves, the spaces between the letters and words, the way they stand and slant, their shapes, the way they balance each other, and their lightness and boldness.
Typeface matters, especially when you are advertising services that exude the atmosphere of the place. For instance, production companies’ web design services in Los Angeles will pick typefaces that scream “Hollywood.” But what goes on in the process of choosing such a font or the creation of one? What are the considerations? How do they work, and what should we know about them?
How They Work
In 1933, during the earliest days of mass media marketing, a study was made on the connection between human emotion and lines on a page. The study concluded that the eyes of people move across the lines of a page or the whole visual experience of a letter in the same way that they process emotion. What does this mean? There is scientific proof that we derive feelings from fonts.
Roundness usually signals openness, optimism, and simplicity, while curled typefaces with letters that are closer together are linked to elegance and luxury. Bold letters catch the eye but become boring when overused. Fonts that mimic the handwriting of humans have a chill, impersonal characteristic to them. Also, try reading a page that is written entirely in italics. Since the letters are slanted, don’t they sound like whispers in your mind? That is why writers often use italics when writing flashbacks or dream sequences.
Serifs or Sans Serif?
Pay close attention to the Fs in Times New Roman, Georgia, or Garamond. Then try looking at the Fs written in Arial or Helvetica. One difference sticks out: the tags. You might not catch them at first because you’ve gotten used to their presence in many printed materials, but serifs are the little tags added to the edges of some letters, like Fs or Ts. Many printed books choose serifs because the letters pull your eyes across the page with their little tags. On the other hand, sans serif fonts are far more inclusive to people with reading disabilities and helpful for children who are learning how to read.
Marketing Potential
While simple serif typefaces are theoretically boring and passable, they are becoming popular nowadays for a simple reason: Minimalism. People are drawn to simplicity in this age of bombardments. Simplicity can denote a variety of things, from straightforwardness to cleanliness and even luxury. Think about all the brands with a lot of space in between their letters. That said, a combination of serif and sans serif typefaces usually serves their purpose in the best way. You can have a sans serif heading in your ad with a short description in serif or the other way around to denote both style and simplicity, for instance.
All in all, words evoke emotion, and they are composed of letters. Letters are made up of the spaces that reside between their lines. We need to utilize these lines and spaces to the best of our creative ability. They create a silent but sound impact on the emotions of our consumers.