Typography
Typography in branding refers to the use of type to visually express a brand's voice, as part of its overall brand identity.
What is typography?
Typography is one of the defining elements of any brand's design system. It covers not only the selection of the typefaces themselves, but the way in which type is set and arranged to support a brand's visual and verbal identity.
From kerning to cap height, the art of typography has both a creative and functional purpose. Each letterform exists to express the character of a brand, while also ensuring copy is consistently legible at scale.
The most successful typography systems start from a clearly defined strategy. A high-end, luxury brand may lead with an elegant serif, while a digital product might opt for a clean and approachable sans-serif. However you codify a type decision, the right selection and hierarchy can help a brand or product resonate before a single word is read.
How a brand typography system is built
Understand the personality of your brand
Get familiar with the character behind your brand. Knowing what it stands for and what space it wants to carve out against its competitors is crucial to making well-considered typography choices. If a tone of voice already exists, let that help shape your decisions.
Be choosy with your fonts
Carefully build a typographic hierarchy featuring a primary font for headers, a secondary font for body text, and possibly a complementary font for specific details such as calls to action. The strongest systems typically combine typefaces that have their own individual expression while still sitting well alongside each other. Avoid including too many fonts to ensure impact and consistency.
Make accessibility a priority
Ensure each typeface in the system is legible at every necessary size across all of your brand's platforms, making adjustments to elements such as kerning and leading as needed. If your brand has a digital presence, explore the option of web-friendly fonts that preserve the identity of your brand wherever it shows up.
Put the system to work
Test your typography using brand copy to confirm you've made the most emotionally resonant choices. If your brand operates across multiple markets with different languages, be sure to stress-test type against each one, especially where words commonly run longer than in English.
Put strict rules in place
Layout, placement, sizing: it should all be clearly defined in your brand guidelines. This will help maintain correct use of the system, no matter who is working with it.
How typography works in practice: Everbloom
Everbloom is a pioneer in material innovation, weaving the next generation of noble fibres to help combat the 1.3 billion barrels of oil used to make non-biodegradable synthetics each year.
In order to get their precisely regenerated alternatives into the hands of fashion houses and luxury automotive manufacturers who can elicit global change, they needed a brand that fit with the fabric of the high-end.
Everbloom
As part of their refashioned brand identity, Everbloom's typography system pairs Season VF, a variable serif with real editorial elegance, against Haffer Mono for supporting detail and technical specification.
This contrasting pair of typefaces allows the brand to speak about their material innovation in a language that reads like a fashion house instead of a lab, reinforcing the position claimed by their design system and tone of voice.
Outcome: A brand as luxurious as its fibres, which are equal, if not superior, to the most desirable materials in the world.
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