Comic Sans is better for attention
For reasons that escape me, lately there´s been somewhat of a conversation around the “Comic Sans being better for attention getting” topic. There´s a Business Insider video on it too. One does not need to be a Graphic Designer with a lot of academic background to agree or disagree on how the rationale is built. One would, however, have to be rather uninstructed to blindly apply that same line of thought to every situation outside the context in which it is supported upon . Which, not surprisingly, it is exactly the case for so many day to day applications. My 2 cents on it are…
Before getting into it, I think it´s purposeful to know the subject matter of this post. Here´s a little background on the type:
First of all, Comic Sans is probably one of the most well know fonts in the World, along with Times New Roman and Arial. Probably because it has been one of the system default fonts used in any computer in the World. Even if you´re not a Designer, you´ve probably heard of these names.
I´ll agree to this. However, I question the scenario and the context to truly assess the conclusion statement that Comic Sans is better than other fonts to get people paying attention.
Kids in school HAVE to finish their exams. It´s something they are doing on a full time occupation so there are not many other things competing for their attention. Let´s keep in mind this is when the indoctrination of preparing students to pass tests begins (not to actually understand or study a subject matter, but that´s another conversation). There is a reward / punishment system in place to motivate the reading and need to understand the message. In other words, there is gain to be made by the kid who passes the test. And there is usually a soft punishment, either in the form of disapproval, expectation failure, words with teacher and parents, in the case the Child doesn´t pass.
Given the option of not having to read or get the message so they don´t need to pass on it, I wonder how many would.
2nd point is, I 100% agree that Comic Sans is likely one of the best, if not the best font for ages under 11. What is absolutely uppauling about the use of that typeface nowadays is when you see law firms, medical research organizations, universities and other organizations who do market for demographics well above the 20s, 30s using it in their communications. Or worse, businesses marketing to grown up people in Comic Sans. In a world where the viewer does not HAVE to read that sign (there is no reward / punishment system in place), in sensory crowded environments, where conveying professionalism and some sort of order is necessary.
Back to the initial statement: does an ugly font call attention? Yes. Is it benefiting the long term effect of the brand personality and positioning in relation to its target market? I doubt. Same with advertising being utilised by so many companies these days (specially in the fitness industry) who try to resort to using tits & ass to sell. Does it work in getting attention? Yes. For about a second. Then the surprise wears off and actually works against the positioning of the brand. It´s not benefiting long term gains and credit of that brand.
In the case of Comic Sans, being ugly or not is utterly irrelevant. Aesthetics are an opinion at best. And if one choses to use Comic Sans, then by all means, let it be so. Like most things Design related, it´s whether function is being served. As long as it serves the purpose, this font can be perfect for the job.
Would you hire a lawyer to defend you in court if the company he represents used Comic Sans on their identity system (business cards / letterheads / invoice)? Would you hire a business development coach who uses Comic Sans on the business identity? Would you put your taxes in the hands of an accountant who choses to say he´s “a professional” in a childish way? Does it look trustworthy and professional to you?
I wouldn´t. And yet there are very alarming cases of this choice for positioning. Branding is about lining up values and being consistent with what you promise and what you are perceived as. My conclusion is that ultimately, using this particular font on businesses targeted at demographics above 11 years old is not great branding. Does it get attention? Perhaps. As much as walking in a board room meeting dressed in primary school shorts, socks up to the knees and a bib.
