Make Your Mark! Five Famous Fonts You May Not Notice Everyday, November 24, 2016

It’s no secret that a good font can make or break a design. Font choice in marketing is an underrated method of showcasing the character and feel of a piece. Here are five of my favorite fonts, in no particular order, with a quick fact about each. Though you might not recognize the font name, you’ll definitely recognize the famous examples where they’re used! You’ll find these fonts in every designer’s toolbox – they’re the building blocks of many designs you see during your daily life, as well.

1. Futura

Typeface Designer: Paul Renner

This geometric sans-serif typeface, created in 1927[1],is based on geometric shapes and has an appearance of efficiency and forwardness. Thanks to its distinct look and readability, Futura is typically used for headlines, but not exclusively so.

Featured in: Ikea Logo, Gone Girl Poster, Party City Logo, Volkswagen Logo, American Beauty Poster, Lost TV Show

2. Helvetica

Typeface Designers: Max Miedinger & Edouard Hoffman

Developed in 1957, Helvetica was created as a neutral typeface that could be used on a wide variety of signage and advertisements. This is apparent in the long list of brands (a few mentioned here) that utilize this font in their materials. This typeface has a long history, and has been through many iterations and design changes, where you can read about here.

Featured in: Crate&Barrel logo, Jeep Logo, Target Logo, American Apparel Branding, New York subway signage

3. Avenir

Typeface Designer: Adrian Frutiger

The intended purpose of this typeface was to give materials a clean and effortlessly modern look, that was human – meaning it can be used in texts of any length without difficulty in reading. Released in 1988[2], Avenir has more depth than other geometric fonts which gives it a sensible appearance and aids in its legibility.

Featured in: Spotify Logo, Apple Maps App, Blue Cross Blue Shield Logo, Nationwide Logo

4. Bodoni

Typeface Designer: Giambattista Bodoni

Created during the 1970’s, Bodoni has a unique style that makes it ideal for posters, headlines and logos. There is a very pronounced contrast between the weight of the strokes, and the serif style make this a very popular font.

Featured in: Calvin Klein, Nirvana Logo, CBS Logo, Mama Mia! Poster, Girl Scouts Logo

5. Didot

Typeface Designer: Firmin Didot

This French neo-classical style was first seen in 1784[3] and has several features similar to the Bodoni typeface. The lighter contrast and weight makes this font type look more luxurious and contemporary.

Featured in: The Met Logo, Vogue, Bazaar, Modern Family Logo, ELLE Magazine Logo

You may have missed these famous fonts before, but soon you’ll begin to notice them almost everywhere. Each brings about a different tone and character to your marketing, so be sure to consider the purpose of each design before selecting the best font to use. This way, your messaging will stay on point and your designs will be sure to please.