Monotype Imaging Inc. has selected the first ever typographic expression for the Pantone Color of the Year 2026, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer, announced today. Selected by Monotype Senior Executive Creative Type Director Charles Nix, Jensen Arabique™ is a typeface created more than thirty years ago by independent type designer Jason Castle after letter designs by Gustav Jensen.
Penguin celebrates its 90th anniversary this year. One of the most influential identities in publishing, typography has been central to Penguin from its start. Nix recently spoke with Emily Gosling at Creative Boom on the iconic Penguin brand, how the publisher has changed over the years, and his own personal connection to Penguin.
In all its remarkable variety, handwriting has long acted as a form self-expression. But as writing has become mediated more and more by keyboards and screens, handwriting and cursive styles have taken the back seat to typography, particularly for Millennials and Gen Z. And they’re using fonts in new ways, shaping their impressions of others and how they express themselves.
Bill Connolly is a comedian, writer, and all-around creative connector. His unique blend of storytelling and strategy led him to Monotype, where he now serves as Head of Customer Engagement for Strategic Accounts. Read on to learn more about Bill.
Font decisions carry real weight, with the ability to impact trust, signal values, and express personality. Fonts are no longer a back-end concern; they’re essential storytelling tools for brands and individuals alike. This is especially evident with younger generations. 69% of respondents in Monotype’s 2025 Fonts, Feels, & Reels study reported that font choice is important for creating posts on social media — with even higher percentages among Gen Z at 79% and Millennials at 78%.
Today, font selection strategy is brand strategy.
Monotype Imaging Inc. today released findings from its new multi-country report, Fonts, Feels, & Reels: Generational Attitudes to Type, as part of the company’s ongoing Re:Vision campaign. The research, commissioned by Monotype and conducted by independent research company Censuswide, surveyed more than 12,000 social media users aged 16 to 79 across the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, France, and Brazil, uncovering striking generational differences in how fonts are perceived and used on social media — with Gen Z and Millennials most attuned to the power of their font choices.
In this recurring feature in our “Fonts Having a Moment” series, we’ll be exploring cities around the world through the dual lenses of culture and typography, guided by our friends at Monotype and some of our partner foundries. This time, get to know Stockport, UK with Alister Shapley of Applied Systems Design Studio.
New multi-country survey reveals operational inefficiencies, compliance risks, and untapped technology ROI — with font management emerging as mission-critical to creative operations.
For Anna Damoli, creativity is less a choice than a reflex. Whether she’s sketching letterforms, sewing her own clothes, or roller skating, she’s always building or learning something from scratch. “I’m a maker,” she says. “I love that feeling of starting with nothing and bringing something into the world.” Read on to learn more about Anna.