Back in the 1970’s, Chevy was determined to make an impact in South America as a new market. They took one of their most popular models, the Chevy Nova, and began to pour money behind it in advertising. When it was finally released, sales were practically non-existent. Chevy execs were confused about why their car didn’t sell. They were aware of the language barrier but neglected to really think critically about their message, specifically about their vehicle.
Nova = “It doesn’t go”
(English) (Spanish)
I’m not sure what the advertising budget was, but I know a product launch in a new market isn’t cheap. All of that money was wasted because of a message that wasn’t communicated correctly and they tried to sell a car that “doesn’t go.” Maybe not to that degree, but the font that you choose to communicate your ideas impacts how your audience translates your message.
I will break it down into the two largest categories.
Thanks to its’ more classic appearance, Serif tends to lend itself towards a brand wanting to showcase its’ history or credibility.
- Financial Institutions
- Traditional News Outlets
- Educational Institutions
The lack of projections coming from the letters makes this a go-to font type to easily communicate. Because it is the opposite of Serif, it is used more in technology or any forward thinking entity.
- Tech Sector
- Media
- Bulk text for advertising
Once this distinction is made, fonts can be further broken down by character.
Script fonts are based on handwriting. They imply a personal touch of elegance. Think back to the days of handwritten letters. The emotion of those memories is brought out in these fonts. These types of fonts work best with the sentiments of class and affection.
Piggy-backing off of Sans Serif, Modern fonts use clean lines to communicate bold simplicity. The history of these stems from the Art Deco movement of the 1930’s. These can be garish if overused but can make a brilliant statement if done properly.
Display fonts can really run the gambit. They are also often called Decorative fonts because they contain more artistic flares, but may suffer in terms of legibility.
These differences can communicate so much to your audience. For example:
(Times New Roman – Serif) Intelligent and Refined. Pairs well with leather bound books and rich mahogany. (Cue Ron Burgundy)
(Cooper Black – Display) This font reminds me of arcades, roller skates, and classic rock. The font steals from serif with decorative elements, but the heavy weight and fun nature is reminiscent of 70’s culture and therefore has a retro feel.
(Snell Roundhand – Script) With more detail, this contains an air of regalness. Whether it’s an opera program or a jewelry store advertisement, this script would communicate refinement.
With literally infinite fonts and then dozens of ways to alter those fonts from color to kerning, the font you chose to communicate your message is speaking for you. Is it saying what you want it to?