Have you ever ~mindlessly~ scrolled through your social feeds and stumbled across something so shocking, so unbelievable, that it’s memorable in the worst way? We’re not referring to the political post your uncle twice removed decided to share (and didn’t Snopes first). We’re talking fonts — fonts used by real brands showcasing real products and services. But what happens when the font just doesn’t fit?
Graphic designers and brand developers scour the internet to find the font(s) that best fit their brand or identity. This can take hours, weeks or event months to determine. Creating a brand identity requires buy in from several levels, including your leadership, employees, and key stakeholder groups. Sometimes, a font just fits. It feels right and it easily evokes a sense of connection to your brand story. Sometimes, however, a font just doesn’t work (as we outlined in our opening). We’ve included some tips to help you avoid a font failure below!
- Use free resources like Canva’s Font Combinations Tool. Select your primary font and Canva will use its ingenuity to create the perfect typography pair.
- Research fonts by type on websites like Google Fonts, Dafont Free, and FontSquirrel. There are plenty of sites to choose from, but make sure you pay for whichever font you choose if a price is associated with the download!
- Choose a few options (we recommend a maximum of three primary and three secondary) to pitch to your stakeholder groups. You’ll want feedback before you decide on a brand identifying font.
- Express your personality and creativity through font! You have to admit that one of these graphics below has more personality than the other, and it’s due entirely to the selected font.
- Reach out to Frances Roy for help! If you’re struggling to find the perfect look for your brand, we can help you build out an identity that will resonate with your customers and will inspire them to act.