I’m Font of You, You’re Just My Type

“What’s in a font? That which we call a typeface By any other design would be as visually delightful.”

My take on Shakespeare’s celebrated quote from Romeo and Juliet is an attempt to introduce you to the realm of typography – one that is filled with fonts, typefaces, design orientations among others. Before we move any further, it is essential for us to understand what typography is all about. To put it simply, typography is the visual component of the written word – it refers to the style and appearance of text. We’re consuming typography on the go – be it the text on your phone, the websites you visit, the packaging on a product, or advertisement hoardings. Typography has always been present in the most different design manifestations that are available to us, be it in digital technology, product design and so forth. Without a doubt, the field of graphic design plays an instrumental role in shaping and prioritising the way we consume information on the daily. Turns out, fonts and typefaces have the ability to make us feel emotions that could otherwise be elicited while reading a novel.

Our visual habitat is populated with several font styles and typefaces which communicate layers of information to us. We, as humans, interact with the information by emoting, reacting and processing said information in the way that we have perceived it. Nonetheless, our emotions and reactions to the information available are usually propelled by the fonts themselves. Font psychology is all about the interaction between mental and neural processes, the environment which contains the typography, the typography, and the behaviour associated with it. In order to elicit emotional responses within readers, designers try to comprehend the relationship between emotions and typography. There are particular fonts that can be perceived as trustworthy, take Baskerville for example. Experiments have indicated that people are more likely to believe information set in Baskerville, versus text in Georgia. According to Ho and Siu (2009a), emotion influences designers’ decision making during the design process. A designer may experience certain emotional responses to their own surroundings and experiences, and that itself could influence their design process to posit certain emotional outcomes.

In 2006, Wichita State University’s Software Usability Research Laboratory conducted a survey to determine if different fonts had different emotions and personalities associated with them. More than 500 participants were questioned about their perceptions on a variety of different fonts and typefaces. Different uses of each font were evaluated in the survey, such as emails, letters, spreadsheets, web pages, headlines, and news articles. Respondents were then asked to assign each font and typeface to a certain emotion and personality type. The study then produced a detailed breakdown of the fonts most commonly associated with both positive and negative emotions and personality traits. The results were as follows:

Serif fonts were evaluated as “stable,” “practical,” and “mature.”

Sans serif fonts didn’t receive any particularly positive or negative personality associations.

Script fonts were perceived as “feminine,” “funny,” and “casual.”

Modern fonts were categorised as “masculine,” “assertive,” and “coarse.”

To put this into context, let me associate the above typefaces to that of popular brand logos:

Yale University, Time Magazine and GAP are some of the popular serif brand logos. While looking at the font psychology of serif, one can understand that this font is associated with aspects that demand authority and respect. Additionally, the serif typeface has an high-end appeal, one that can be associated with luxury and sophistication. You would ideally use a serif font on a resume or an assignment for that matter – as the serif font is deemed practical and stable.

Microsoft, Chanel, Nike are some of the brands that have a sans serif logo. It is established that sans serif fonts are clean and modern. There are no decorative elements that might cause a distraction. If a brand wants to demonstrate a simple, yet engaging attitude, they would ideally use the sans serif font.

Cadbury, Instagram, Coca-Cola are some of the brands that use a script font logo. The psychology behind a script font explores a friendly, intriguing and creative atmosphere. The hand-written nature of script fonts give a personalised feel – they are meant to inspire creative ideas and experiences.

Facebook, Shutterfly, NARS are three such brands that use a modern font in their logo. Exploring the psychology behind the modern font, one can comprehend that modern fonts connote a futuristic approach to design. While they are simple and legible, they also appear in thick and thin transitions. Fonts under the modern typeface are used to express feelings of exclusivity and poise.

Now, let me posit two instances: the chosen font for a six-year-old’s birthday party invite is Times New Roman. Conversely, the chosen font for an official business circular with information deemed imperative is Comic Sans MS. Two different situations, two different settings.

I, for one, would question the atmosphere of the party by looking at the invite itself. Wouldn’t Times New Roman suggest a formal setting with the possibility of barely any party games? Putting myself in a six-year-old’s shoes, I would wonder if I were being invited to a formal event rather than a fun get-together. The lack of creativity in the selected typeface would allude to the atmosphere of the event. By the same token, a set of business professionals might fail to give attention to a circular that looked casual at first glance. A font is more than just a tool used for communication; it is, in fact, a character. The visual character can impose on the text as much as a person’s voice, cadence and tone influences the reading of a speech.

Researchers understand that emotion can help people quickly judge the importance of a message and ignore the irrelevant. For instance, business professionals might not pay heed to the circular written in Comic Sans MS, as they may assume that the information provided is casual in nature; this can pose a grave issue, for the content provided is devalued, and the message would not be communicated clearly and effectively. Similarly, a font like Comic Sans MS would be appropriate for a birthday invite, as it has more of a playful connotation which sets the tone of the event.

When identifying with a myriad of users and the way they communicate with typography, designers make an attempt to be inclusive and accessible in their design approach. There are several elements that are factored into the design process – for example, the target demographic, users with disabilities, users from different cultures and so on. Additionally, designers are cognisant of the fact that their audiences are made up of people of varying abilities. Keeping this in mind, if you want to communicate to a wider audience, you will have to consider using fonts that are universal and as accessible as possible. However, if you are to communicate a specific emotion or message to viewers, you can convey that message through the typeface and font that you choose. Additionally, the visual hierarchy of fonts is imperative in communicating a message. By arranging elements of information in an unambiguous manner, bearing in mind the size, colour, contrast and texture of a font, a designer can influence a user’s perception and guide them accordingly.

Whether or not you are aware, there is a lot more to the selection of fonts than meets the eye. The next time you open Microsoft Word, be sure to look beyond the default set of fonts that appear in front of you, for you will discover striking font alternatives that could align with the message you wish to put forward and make you feel the way you do!