MiSans for Xiaomi.

A unified multiscript typeface.

Scaling a global brand identity.

In today’s global market, maintaining a cohesive brand identity across different languages and cultures requires thoughtful design solutions, and typography plays a central role in this effort.

Xiaomi, a Chinese multinational technology company known for its smartphones, consumer electronics, and smart home devices, needed a typeface that could do more than just look good; it had to function as a seamless extension of their brand, across several devices, languages, and cultures.

Enter MiSans, a typeface designed to evoke Xiaomi’s core design principles while honoring the nuances of every language it supports. This ambitious project began by substantially extending MiSans Latin, designed by Hanyi Fonts, to deliver seamless support across a diverse range of scripts. MiSans now features typefaces meticulously crafted by Monotype, covering Thai, Lao, Japanese (kanji, hiragana, katakana), and Korean (Hangul, Hanja), alongside an extensive suite of Indian scripts encompassing Bengali, Devanagari, Gujarati, Gurmukhi, Odia, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam. MiSans is more than a visual tool. It’s a cultural bridge that brings clarity and consistency to Xiaomi’s communication across diverse regions.

Criando uma visão para uma identidade moderna.

Para dar vida a uma identidade visual de uma marca renovada, a agência parceira da Fundação, a Manual Creative, desenvolveu uma estratégia que incluía versões personalizadas da Gotham para uso em diferentes contextos e programas. O objetivo era ampliar a voz da Gotham e criar personalidades distintas, mas conectadas, para cada uma das diferentes frentes de atuação da Fundação. O resultado foi a adoção da Gotham Condensed Bold como estilo tipográfico principal, complementada por três variações personalizadas criadas para mensagens específicas.

Gotham Inline: Um estilo vibrante e cheio de energia, usado em comunicações relacionadas a esportes e atividades atléticas.

Gotham Slab Serif: Uma referência à estética histórica americana, reforçando temas de democracia, educação e engajamento cívico.

Gotham Stencil: Uma abordagem contemporânea ao estilo stencil, simbolizando engajamento comunitário e sustentabilidade.

Cada uma dessas novas variações permite que a Obama Foundation se comunique com clareza e impacto, mantendo ao mesmo tempo uma identidade de marca coesa.

The collaboration behind MiSans.

Creating the MiSans typeface was a collaborative effort that brought together a team of international type design experts to ensure each script was treated with care, respect, and contextual sensitivity alongside technical excellence. Monotype enlisted specialists who deeply understood both the cultural and technical nuances of each script.

For the Indic scripts, Monotype partnered with Vaibhav Singh and Alessia Masarella from Typeland, whose knowledge of the region’s typographic traditions played a pivotal role in shaping designs that resonate authentically across India’s diverse linguistic landscape.

For the Lao and Thai scripts, Cadson Demak’s team leveraged their extensive expertise to design typefaces that honor the identity of these scripts while maintaining alignment with Xiaomi’s aesthetic principles. For example, they chose to go with a Loopless style of Thai, as its fundamental structure has come to be naturally associated with the requirements of digital environments.

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We prioritize crisp and clean characters that simplify details without sacrificing the unique features of the scripts. This style is ideal for ensuring readability at small sizes and different weights. Our extensive testing guarantees clarity, balanced proportions, and seamless functionality in a wide range of digital environments. ”

Cadson Demak

Uma tipografia e uma marca preparadas para o futuro.

O Obama Presidential Center é uma instituição voltada para o futuro, projetada para inspirar os líderes de amanhã. Sua tipografia reflete essa visão: dinâmica, impactante e profundamente conectada à missão da Fundação.

Com a expansão da gama da Gotham, a Fundação agora conta com um sistema tipográfico que acompanha seus programas em evolução, sem perder a identidade que conquistou a atenção do público desde o início. A colaboração entre a Manual Creative e a Monotype garantiu que cada nova variação da Gotham fosse desenvolvida com cuidado, equilibrando história e inovação.

À medida que a Obama Foundation segue com seu trabalho, sua tipografia continuará sendo um elemento central na forma como se comunica, assim como sempre foi.

Imagens cortesia da Manual Creative.

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Throughout the development process, we maintained open communication and continuous feedback with the design team, ensuring that every script not only met Xiaomi’s visual standards, but also provided a comfortable, authentic reading experience for local users across various print and digital touchpoints. Monotype’s lead designers showcased exceptional expertise in balancing brand consistency with cultural authenticity. The final result is a truly unified type system that allows Xiaomi’s brand voice to come through clearly in every language we use. ”

Li Feilong

Senior Designer, Xiaomi

We also collaborated closely with the Xiaomi team, who were always ready with feedback and beta-tested fonts throughout the project. That rhythm of exchange made communication across teams efficient and productive, and built a double layer of quality assurance for the end result. It also meant clear, effective interactions about design decisions throughout the project and swift confirmation of their suitability for the clients’ needs. ”

Typeland

MiSans directly addresses the challenges of maintaining brand consistency and delivering a cohesive user experience across multiple languages. By prioritizing cultural resonance and technical precision, Xiaomi and Monotype delivered a typeface that harmonizes diverse script systems without diluting their individuality. This approach helped strengthen Xiaomi’s global brand presence while deepening its connection with local audiences by respecting linguistic and cultural nuances.

The typeface’s advanced engineering across multiple weights and formats guarantees optimal functionality on different devices, screen resolutions, and environments. By emphasizing a seamless integration of local language support with Xiaomi’s global design ethos, MiSans reinforces the brand’s commitment to quality and inclusivity, providing users with a visually consistent and culturally relevant experience in every interaction. This ensures a cohesive design language and visual identity for Xiaomi, that is easy to adapt across regions.

Ultimately, MiSans serves as a blueprint for brands aiming to navigate the complexities of global communication. It underscores the importance of respecting cultural identity while delivering a consistent brand experience. This balance between local sensitivity and global coherence is what elevates a typeface from simply utilitarian to a central tool for meaningful connection in today’s interconnected world.