Font Psychology: an Unspoken Layer of Communication
Just like a word’s definition conveys its meaning, the font chosen to display that word also conveys meaning. Font psychology is essentially the unspoken unique personality or purpose that gives a font an additional layer of communication.
Considering the psychology behind font choice is important to anyone trying to communicate through a written message. While a timeless serif font would work well for a novelist looking for an easy-to-read body copy font, it would look pretty out of place in a logo for a new fitness blog. A font has a lot to say when you read between the lines.
The emotional aspects of a font and that impact on your branding should not be overlooked. A brand’s font selection should be true to the brand’s essence. Richard Larson of Relevance talks about the level of influence associated with a seemingly minuscule design choice such as font:
“The font can make or break your image and can even influence how people feel about your message. Fonts can make a bigger impact and draw out an emotional response.”
Disney succeeds in using a script font for their logo as it embodies the whimsy and creativity that defines their brand. The same can be said for The New York Times, and their iconic serif font that reflects their long history of tradition and earned respect. If these two brands were to swap fonts, their logos would be implying different meaning to viewers than with ideas that they previously subconsciously associated with said brands.
From a marketing standpoint, understanding font psychology can really help a brand establish itself and drive the point home for the audience. Amanda Bowman of crowdSPRING emphasizes the importance of first impressions for a brand.
With your company logo, a website, or any other important visual representation of your business, you need that impression to work for you in two important ways. First, you need your designs to capture people’s attention. Second, you need your designs to convert that attention into a customer relationship.
The average person uses digital word processors on a daily basis that allow them to select font options: email, Word documents, and even Snapchat snaps. These are instances where the font choice isn’t as high pressure as selecting a font for a major company’s new logo, but should still be considered. Every written word is as meaningful as the font it’s written in.
While font choice injects a lot of personality and purpose, there’s a reason certain fonts have stood the test of time. Paul Rand, recognized master of typography, says it best:
Don’t try to be original, just try to be good.
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