Phew, the last few months for me have been exceptionally busy here at The Bespoke Brand Designer – I have barely had a moment to catch my breath!
However, as I’ve been getting stuck into some lovely big projects recently, it has dawned on me that I need to express just how important the font in your logo really is.
A font says so much about who you are as a business and what you represent – without you even really realising it.
The psychology behind this is something that is interesting to me as a creative.
Subconsciously, when we see a font, we make a judgement about that and what it represents very quickly, normally in under 5 seconds. By carefully choosing the correct font for a business logo, it allows the audience to align themselves with that brand, it sets the tone, creates a feeling and ultimately becomes an important visual prompt of recognition.
A font can speak volumes – it can bring sophistication and elegance, a nod towards longstanding heritage or a feeling of modern contemporary sass to a brand – whatever fits with the company ethos.
How do I choose the right font for my clients?
Before beginning any project, I spend time with the business owner to dive down into the values of their business, which are usually the values held by them as a person. This then allows me to choose and create an authentic, well-matched font for their branding.
When I’m creating a logo, the very first step in my process is typing out the words for the logo (business name) on a blank artboard.
Representing your business – serif vs sans-serif
The next step after I have visualised this in front of me is to go through a multitude of fonts and pick out the few that I believe fit and represent that business in the very best way it can. It needs to be perfect (and easy to read!).
If we consider the history of fonts, they first came around in printing back in the fifteenth century, where they were all serif fonts – typically referred to as the fonts with small kicks at the end of the letters. They are the oldest, most traditional fonts, which represent history and class.
So, for example, if I am working with a hotel or stately home which has a great deal of history and heritage, but is modern in its service for guests, then I would follow my process of typing this out, making sure to select a font that is a serif font due to its shape and format, but mainly due to its own history and traditional nature!
This ultimately ensures that the font in the logo cleverly nods to the history and heritage of the hotel or stately home.
You have to be mindful here because there is a fine line between using a serif font that is old-fashioned and one that is timeless and beautiful, hence, the fonts in my vast library are modern and elegant ensuring that the businesses they are used for are propelled into the twenty-first century – whilst keeping that rich history alive!
If I am working with a company and business owner who is quite contemporary, I would usually consider choosing a sans-serif font. Sans-serif fonts are the epitome of simplicity and class, especially if there is short wording with the desire of big impact – think ‘Chanel’ or ‘Balmain’, for example.
Balancing your font with your logo
Font sizing and colour is also an essential aspect for me when considering the balance of fonts and logos. Sometimes I will use two fonts together, and it’s important to keep this well balanced which is achieved through correct sizing and colour choices.
Above all, the most important aspect for me as a brand designer is choosing a font that beautifully represents all that the business stands for, that it captures its essence and is memorable and timeless.
If you are looking for some support with your logo design, please feel free to get in touch with me.
