Does a typeface really make a difference to a message?

Typefaces are everywhere – from the stop sign down the street to the imprint on your favorite writing utensil. Usually, it’s not something you think about. The average person doesn’t walk around looking at billboards and think, “Hmmm… that’s a mighty fine looking ‘K’ in that logo.” Or, “That typeface is all wrong for the message they’re sending.” It’s something we read, accept and go about our business. But what if it’s not? What if a typeface really did make a difference to a message?

You’ll be surprised to know that it does.

Think about it. If you saw that same stop sign down the street typeset in (perish the thought) Comic Sans, would it seem like the command the big red octagon gives you is somewhat less authoritative? You bet it would. Comic Sans isn’t a font to be taken seriously (but that’s a completely different blog post…).

Truth be told, there aren’t necessarily good or bad typefaces. There are, however, appropriate and inappropriate typefaces. See the examples below:

As you can see, the appropriate typeface used in these examples helps to illustrate the meaning behind the message. So next time you’re out and about looking at advertisements, movie posters and the like, take a couple extra seconds to look at the typography used. Does it reinforce the message? Does it evoke a feeling?

Think about your own brand. Does the logo you have really express who you are and what you stand for?