What font should you use for your brand?

What font should you use for your brand? There is of course no definitive answer to this question, as the best font or typeface for your brand will depend on a number of factors – from the industry you’re in, to the overall tone and feel you’re trying to convey. However, there are some general tips that can help you choose which we will cover, but first, we’re going to cover the terminology used when talking about fonts.

Typeface vs font

Before diving into the different factors that you should consider when choosing a font for your brand, let’s get the terminology in order. Typeface and font are two terms that are often used interchangeably, however, they’re actually not the same.

You may be wondering if knowing the difference really matters as a lot of people use these terms interchangeably. You will probably get by just fine not knowing the difference, however, it might just help you when you are trying to describe your creative vision more precisely to your graphic designer, colleagues or web designer.

What is a typeface?

The design features of the letters are what characterises the typeface. You may think of Times New Roman, Helvetica and Arial as fonts, but in reality, they are actually typefaces.

When you talk about typefaces there are 5 main families:

• Serif
• Sans-Serif
• Script
• Monospaced
• Display

Within each family, you will find various typefaces with similar characteristics. The serif and sans-serif typefaces are mostly used for body copy and headlines as they are easy to read.

Serif typefaces

Serif Typefaces have little extensions or “feet” at the end of the letters. An example of Serif font is Times New Roman. As you can see it has little extensions on the ends of each letter:

Sans-Serif typefaces

The word “sans” is French and means “without” so sans-serif means without serif. The main characteristic of the typefaces is that they do not have little extensions at the end of the letters. An example of a popular sans-serif typeface is Montserrat:

Script typefaces

Script typefaces are typefaces with a design that imitates handwritten lettering. They are often used for invitations, greeting cards, and other decorative purposes.

Script typefaces usually have a more fluid, organic look than other types of typefaces and they often have connecting strokes between letters. An example of a Script typeface is Pacifico:

Monospaced typefaces

Monospaced typefaces are typefaces in which every character takes up the same amount of horizontal space. This is in contrast to variable-width typefaces, where different characters can take up different amounts of space. Monospacing was once the norm for typewriters and is today mostly used for computer code. An example of a monospaced typeface is Source Code Pro:

Display typefaces

Display typefaces are designed to be used at larger sizes, and often have more exaggerated features and more extreme contrasts in weight (the thickness of the strokes making up each letter)

Display typefaces are often used for headlines, titles and other short blocks of text that need to be eye-catching. An example of a display typeface is Playfair Display SC:

Now that we have covered what a typeface is you may be wondering what a font actually is.

What is a font?

A font is a typeface of a certain size and style. Basically, the typeface is a broader term for all the different variations which we call fonts. So, to define a font you will need:

• Typeface – e.g. Helvetica, Times New Roman, Montserrat etc.
• Weight – e.g. Light, medium, bold etc.
• Size – e.g. 10, 11, 12 etc.
• Letterform width – e.g. expand or condense the space between the letters.
• Italics – italicising the letters also changes the font.

Below you can see various fonts using the Montserrat typeface which is a sans-serif typeface:

Now that we have the terminology it’s time to consider what typefaces and fonts to use for your brand.

What should you consider when choosing typeface and font?

Choosing the right font for your brand is essential. The font you use will be one of the first things that potential customers and clients notice. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of what font you should use for your brand. The best course of action is to consider a variety of factors.

The overall tone or feeling you want your brand to convey

Are you trying to convey a feeling of professionalism? Fun? Creativity? The font you choose should convey the overall tone and feel you’re going for.

For example, a thicker font can convey a feeling of strength or stability. A thinner font may convey a feeling of fragility or delicacy.

The industry you’re in

If you’re in a more traditional industry, you’ll want to use a more classic typeface like Times New Roman or Arial. If you’re in a more creative industry, you can have more fun with your font choice and choose something that’s more unique.

Generally, sans-serif typefaces are used for a more modern look whereas serif typefaces look more traditional.

How easy the font is to read

This is especially important if you’re using your font for something like a website or blog. You want to make sure that your font is easy to read so that people will actually want to stick around and read what you have to say.

How unique the font is

You want your font to be unique enough that it helps you stand out from the crowd, but not so unique that it’s difficult to read.

A good way to find a balance is to combine two fonts – one that’s more unique and one that’s more classic. This will help you create a look that’s both unique and easy to read.

Your target audience

When it comes to choosing a font for your brand, your target is a very important factor to consider. After all, you want them to be able to read and understand your message, right?

Reading and understanding your message is one thing, but you also want to make sure it resonates with them. When choosing a font for your brand, it’s important to consider who your target audience is. Consider the age group, gender, and interests of your target audience when making your decision. Are they traditional? Do they prefer new ways of thinking? Are they creative?

The right font can help you better convert your message and connect with your target audience. On the other hand, the wrong font can turn them off. Consider who your target audience is and what kinds of fonts they respond to before making a final decision.

Conclusion

Once you’ve considered all of these factors, you should have a good idea of what font is right for your brand. Remember to experiment and have fun with it! The right font can make all the difference in how people perceive your brand.

If you are looking for professional advice on choosing a font for your brand, Plan B is always here with loads of creative inputs to help you make your brand unique. Get in touch today.