How Different Fonts Make Us Feel
5 minute read ~
It’s no secret that advertising and marketing are in close proximity to nearly everything we consume. According to Forbes magazine it is estimated that the average American is exposed to over 4,000 advertisements per day. Whether it be an Instagram graphic, YouTube video, Facebook advertisement or a classic billboard down the side of the highway, we are constantly consuming some form of messaging. So amidst this enormous amount of information how can you make your message stand out?
As you likely know, the most powerful messaging invokes feelings and emotions as it is consumed. However, those feelings are influenced by more than the words. One crucial dictator of our emotions, is the fonts used throughout messaging. Subconsciously our brains associate different typographies with different feelings. However, with thousands of fonts to choose from, how can you know what font is best for your message? Let’s find out.
There are 3 primary font categories to familiarize yourself with as you look to produce message based content.
SERIF, SANS SERIF and DECORATIVE.
Serif Fonts
Serif fonts are classic and timeless. The first variations popped up over 500 years ago, giving this typography a long history. Because of this, we are prone to feel a sense of tradition and thus attributes of sophistication, credibility and trust with these types of messaging. Perhaps the serif font you are most familiar with is Times New Roman. The small formal font that anyone who has typed up a paper can remember. However, it is experiences like these that our brain recalls when assigning emotion to messaging.
Writing professional papers in MLA format has bound our thoughts of Times New Roman and Serif to tradition and sophistication.
Feelings for Serif fonts
Sans Serif Fonts
Sans is defined as ‘without’. Therefore sans serif classifies any font absent of the the flares that stem from the ends of letters. The first sans serif fonts popped up a few hundred years after serif fonts. This alone is likely one the reasons that our brains attribute these fonts to feelings of modern, clean and friendliness. Often used more informally, we’d recommend this use in your messaging when looking to convey a sense of approachability and fresh thinking.
Feelings for Sans Serif Fonts
Decorative Fonts
Decorative fonts (also called script fonts) are most often depicted as mimicking cursive or hand written styles. You likely have seen these present on wedding invitations and romantic novel covers. These are the most recent to surface of the primary font types (many of which have gained popularity in the last decade). Many decorative fonts are difficult to read and tread the line of formality and fun. For this reason it can be easy to get carried away and we’d recommend strategic thinking in their use. These fonts naturally invoke feelings of fun, elegance and creativity. They are perfect when looking to convey a sense of your brand’s unique personality.
The right type face can make all the difference so remember to pick your fonts with purpose! Please reach out to David & Brook below for any design or advertisement questions or inquiries!