- Kiersten Hancock
3 Ways Signage Can Boost Your Company's Presence
Ogden Signs & Graphics
June 25, 2021 – The Importance of Font and Text Weight in Advertising
As we go about our lives in both work and play, we constantly see ads, messages, and the impactful text that inspires us in virtually every setting we place ourselves in. When you design your business spaces and consider your branding, it’s imperative to consider the value of not only what is actually being said, but to take the time to see what is being shown. This month’s topic is on the importance of font and text weight in advertising, something we all see but may not consider in full.
A quick crash course on font traits: a serif is the small hook on a letter—think Times New Roman. Those little ledges are serifs! A sans serif font is simply, a font without serifs. Calibri is a good example of a sans serif font. Text weight refers to the thickness of the text we see. A bolded font may show seriousness or importance. Italics and their elegant slant highlight a pleasant tone and denote confidence and refinement in a word or phrase. See, you’re learning so much! Your high school English teacher would be proud.

Let’s take a moment to visualize: if you were to come across a banner quoting Gandhi in Comic Sans at a corporate-level career summit at Snowbasin, you might have the thought that such a font would better suit a Dr. Seuss quote in a classroom. In contrast, a flyer and matching vehicle wrap for your mobile grilled cheese truck may not benefit from typography resembling a Norwegian metal band—or maybe it would, because your grilled cheeses are just that good!
Take for example a company such as Apple. In their ads, branding, software, and hardware, they use a form of Helvetica. Crisp, clean, and recognizable, its lack of serifs and fancy filigree make it a perfect fit for a company who prides itself on original design and easy user interface. It has been so impactful that when they made the switch from Garamond to Helvetica in 2007, many companies such as Google and Microsoft followed suit shortly after. Talk about a lasting impact!
The point is, your message is important. You have taken the time to consider the motto of your vision, and you have stood by it since you opened the metaphorical doors to your empire. Branding in itself is an art, one of which has many avenues and layers that hold nuances and ideals that we strive to consider and mold to our perfect fit. When your audience is in full view of what you and your brand stand for, whether it be for the first time or the thousandth time, the impressions they get will last a lifetime.
With thousands of options to fit the voice of your organization’s message, there is no better place to start than with your company creed. Whether your vision is ready for fruition or you’re just starting out, consulting with a signage professional and seeing what will fit your needs best is what the folks here at Ogden Signs are prepared to do. We’ve got you covered!
Next month’s issue: Color and Design; The Value of Visuals
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