79. Logos 3: Lettering

79

LOGOS 3: LETTERING

There are font styles that have remained the same for over a hundred years, and are now so familiar that they’ve become neutral to the point of invisible. They are in millions of books and newspapers and on websites worldwide. We’re too busy reading the words to notice their design.

There are others which are immediately associated with their own era. 50s, 60s and 70s fonts can bring an instant visual identity to a brand.

Some have been specially designed to grab our attention, when brands use their name, in their own original lettering, as their logo. They can be so distinctive that they’re even recognisable when they’re used to write a different brand name.

The idea Coca-Cola has arguably the world’s most recognisable lettering. Its fl amboyant loops and waves make the words distinctive even when they are written in different alphabets from the original Roman, including Russian and Arabic.

Like other long-serving handwritten logos, such as Virgin, it’s been very slightly tidied up, but has hardly changed since Coca Cola’s book-keeper, Frank Mason Robinson designed it in the Spencerian handwriting script, which deserves a story of its own as

it was Mr Spencer’s attempt to give American handwriting a brand identity which he felt it lacked.

With its predominant colour, red, plus the distinctive bottle, the Coca-Cola handwriting consistently puts at the top of the list of the world’s most recognisable brands.

In practice • How catchy is your company name? You can make it into your logo by choosing a font that already exists, or by having one adapted or designed for you. • Fonts themselves are covered by copyright so to use one as your own logo, you will probably have to license it from the designer. You can also commission your own and buy the rights. • Use a design that is consistent with your brand personality. A law fi rm would probably avoid a 1950s US roadside diner font, unless they wanted to make a particular point.