What Your Font Choices Say About Your Brand

by Jessica Wentworth, Graphic Designer

Insights / Website Design / What Your Font Choices Say About Your Brand

While your logo may be the star of the show when it comes to your branding, let’s not underestimate the power of your font choices.

Typography is an element of branding that can be easily overlooked, but holds some serious weight when it comes to the way your brand is perceived (it’s kind of a big deal).

But with a seemingly infinite selection of fonts to choose from, where does one even begin selecting the right choices for you?

Let’s start by breaking down 4 of the most common types of fonts and what they say about your brand.

Serif Fonts

Serif fonts are the ones that have small decorative lines (often referred to as ‘tails’) at the end of each letter. You might recognize some of the most common serif fonts, like Times New Roman, Baskerville, Georgia, and Garamond. Brands that use these fonts are often seen as classic, traditional, and reliable.

This makes serif fonts a great choice for businesses that want to convey a sense of professionalism and trustworthiness, like law firms or financial institutions. Luxury businesses may also opt for this font choice to give their brand a timeless look and feel.

Check out these brands who utilize serif fonts in their branding:

Sans-Serif Fonts

“Sans” is derived from the Latin word meaning “without,” therefore sans-serif fonts are the ones that don’t have any decorative tails. Instead, they are much more simple and contribute to a fresh and forward-thinking brand identity.

Some of the most popular sans-serif fonts include Helvetica, Open Sans, Futura, and Proxima Nova, to name a few. Sans-serif fonts make a great choice for minimalist or modern brands. Some examples of this would include technology companies, creative agencies, startups, and even retail stores.

You’ll recognize some of these brands who utilize sans-serif fonts:

Script Fonts

A script font is a typeface that mimics cursive or handwriting styles. While this type of font is generally not a practical choice for paragraph or body text due to poor readability, it makes a great choice for titles and headlines.

This is especially true for businesses looking to give a unique and personal touch to their brand. Some of the most commonly used script fonts include Allura, Mission Script, and Dancing Script. If you run a luxury business, boutique shop, or personal brand, this may be a good choice for you to include.

Take a look at how these famous brands use script fonts:

Decorative Fonts

A decorative font, also called a display font, is a typeface with distinct and unique visual elements. These fonts focus more on being artistic rather than general readability. While they are typically not the best choice for paragraph text, they are perfect for making a bold, eye-catching statement. They are often used to add creativity and personality to your brand. This type of font is a great choice for children’s brands, restaurants/cafes, entertainment companies, and craft/homemade goods.

Here are some brands who use decorative fonts in their branding:

Regardless of which font style you opt for in your branding, it’s important to keep in mind that each one carries their own unique traits that send a message about your brand. By understanding the nuances of these font styles, you empower your brand to resonate with your target audience and leave a lasting impression in the minds of consumers.

If you need some additional clarity or would like some help selecting the best fonts for your brand, reach out to us! We’re always here to help point you in the right direction.