Why typography matters in marketing
Typography plays a vital role in the success of marketing any business.
Just as words, logos and slogans hold the power to evoke emotions, type serves as a visual voice that speaks directly to the subconscious.
And now it turns out that different typefaces have different associations in different parts of the world.
That’s according to research by digital typesetting company Monotype, which has drawn on neuroscience to study how different font styles evoke varied emotional responses depending on the country.
What with the increasing trend to launch global rather than local campaigns, the data emphasises the importance of leveraging typography to build a memorable global brand.
The findings shared in a new report provides essential reading for companies developing marketing campaigns in multiple territories.
It surveyed people in 8 countries to see how they ranked different fonts for different associations including the emotional impact and the cultural nuances within Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Spain, the UK and the US.
What the data shows is that although some of these countries may appear to be relatively close in terms of culture, the preferences and emotions of the different typefaces varied.
There are some general findings across-the-board, for example, Serif typefaces like Cotford were found to convey honesty and quality while humanist Sans Serifs like FS Jack were found to convey innovation and distinction. Geometric Sans Serifs like Gilroy Bold were associated with honesty and clarity.
However, English speaking countries (Australia, UK and US) prefer more distinctive characteristics in typefaces. France, Portugal and Spain showed a significant preference for Cotford’s soulful, classic serif style.
While FS Jack Regular scored highest in conveying trust in 7 out of 8 countries, Cortford performed the best in Germany. Gothic, low-contrast, humanistic typefaces work extremely well to convey innovation in Japan where a traditional brushstroke feel is considered trustworthy.
The ongoing, first-of-its-kind study tested distinct typefaces and the survey used different types of stimuli when gathering the data amongst almost 2000 participants throughout the world.
It used single words, sentences using these words as well as sentences incorporating a mock brand. Respondents then evaluated the combinations using a range of emotional metrics: sincerity, memorability, trustworthiness, and confidence.
What’s clear from the research is that choosing the right font is vital when companies are making decisions in their international brand and marketing campaigns to shape brand perception, cultivate trust and amplify memorability among customers across the world.
A typeface is just one part of the puzzle though – the context in which it’s used also impacts how it is perceived: its size, colour and spacing all influence how typography is seen and felt.
Understanding the emotional power of type can help marketers to harness typography as a strategic tool to evoke emotions, foster deeper connections with customers and more meaningful engagement with audiences, as well as giving your brand a competitive edge.
Further Reading
Typography Matters Monotype
Typography Matters: New Research Reveals How Fonts Make Us Feel Depends on Where We Live PR Newswire
