February 13, 2025
The right typeface or selection of typefaces is an essential part of brand identity. Choosing a typeface can be an overwhelming task especially when you don’t know exactly what you are looking for. Here are a few things to think about to get you started.
In basic terms, a typeface is made up of a variety of fonts. For example, Futura is a typeface. Within Futura, there are many fonts such as Futura Light, Futura Bold, Futura Oblique. They all look similar, but have unique features that allow for more creativity and for the user to pick what best suits their needs.
The most basic separation of types of font is serif or sans serif. A serif is a small stroke that is added onto the end of a larger stroke. Sans serif simply means without a serif.
From that they can be categorised into more style based groups for instance script or decorative. When looking for the style you want on software like Adobe, use the filters to help narrow down the options.
Looking for inspiration can be the best way to work out what you do or don’t like. Do some research into type design from brands that you are inspired by or look into the history of type design. Websites like Creative Boom and It’s Nice That are perfect for looking for the very best examples of design as well as graphic design magazines like Eye.
In visual terms, what is your brand like? For instance, are you fun and friendly or more serious and impactful? Type doesn’t just communicate through what has physically been written!
For example, if a road sign were to be written in a flowing, italic, handwritten font, it wouldn’t come across as informative and authoritative. Think about what ideas you want to get across to the reader and how a certain font might be able to do that.
Finding the right typeface/s is a lot of trial and error. There are thousands of options and you’re not going to be able to tell which ones may work from the small section of sample text. Even after choosing a typeface, there can be many fonts within the family. Spend some time exploring options, seeing what phrases you may be using will look like and playing with spacing. Think about versatility and where the font will be used and in what way. Play with combinations and scale and remember it might take a little bit of time to get everything right.
Many larger brands have their own typefaces to achieve exactly what they want from their type design and stand out from their competitors. This is a huge task that will take a lot of time and expertise so may not be right for everyone. If this is something that you are interested in, what about starting with one character? A hypothetical brand called ‘Happy’ could have a personalised ‘H’ as part of the logo.
Still finding type intimidating? At Candid Digital we can help get your brand off the ground or refresh your current brand identity. Contact us today to see how we can help!
If you have an idea in mind, feel free to reach out by submitting the form below to schedule a discovery call with us.
Candid Digital, Fenchurch House, 12 King St, Nottingham, NG1 2AS
Candid Creative, Innovation House, Cray Rd, Sidcup, DA14 5DP
