Webinar recap: Everything you need to find “your type”

Choosing the right font for your next project is more than just an aesthetic decision. Brands have numerous factors to consider, from price to deadlines to the importance of being unique, all of which influence the selection process.

In a recent webinar, experts from Monotype and Lippincott outlined the various considerations brands must explore when choosing a font.

“Up until recently, most brands have defaulted to the typographically neutral on screen,” Brendán Murphy, Senior Partner at Lippincott says early in the webinar. “Using Arial, Verdana, Georgia, or if they want to live dangerously, Calibri.”

But we’re now at a stage where technology gives us a lot more choices. Brands can be and say so much more, and the right font choice can express the brand with more personality and clarity.

The presenters then outline the three main options available to brands: selecting a library font, developing a modified font, and investing in a custom font.

Brands can be and say so much more, and the right font choice can express the brand with more personality and clarity.

Selecting a library font—essentially, choosing something off-the-shelf—is an appealing option for brands focused on practicality and minimizing costs. With tens of thousands of designs available, it’s relatively simple to choose a font or range of fonts for your needs, especially if you’re operating on a tight deadline (for example, in the case of a merger).

If you find a library font you like but that isn’t quite right, you also have the option of developing a modified version of the design. This allows you to personalize the existing font by adding characters, changing some details, or even adding non-Latin languages.

Investing in a custom font takes personalization several steps further through the creation of an entirely new design for your brand. But if your brand is making a long-term investment and will use the design for many years, a custom font can perfectly match your unique tone of voice and bring true unity across all your brand channels and touch points for years to come.

The webinar also touches on the role agencies play in the font selection process, while Monotype Type Designer Carl Crossgrove provides examples of brands who chose the options outlined above. You can watch the full webinar above, or explore our custom font and modified font services.