What do the following images have in common?
That says FLICKERING
Pepsi x …Rape? Nope; Aape.
CLICK lovers; get your mind out the gutter!
You guessed it; poor font choices! The overall intention of the logo and/or advertisement was overshadowed by a poor choice of what font to use. In Pepsi’s case, they used the same font as their Pepsi logo which was a mistake; they didn’t consider that the font family they use makes capital “A” look like an “R.” ClickLovers and the flickering lights box made a poor font choice and also a kerning mistake. Improper spacing between letters can produce distracting results.
How can I prevent this?
I’m glad you asked! Here are 3 tips for choosing the right logo font for your business:
1. Consider your target market.
Your target market plays a huge part in the image you portray of your business. What do they like? How do you want your brand to make them feel? If you want to portray luxury, you need to choose a font that reflects luxury. Feeling grungy? Choose your font accordingly. Like colors, fonts have the ability to withdraw emotions. Once a client makes an emotional tie to your brand, you’ve likely got yourself a lifelong customer.
2. Test your brand name using the font.
This should be an obvious step, but… (see the images above). Just because the letters look great individually, doesn’t mean they will necessarily work together for the best interest of your brand. I’ll reference the Pepsi image above again. The font looks great when spelling PEPSI, but when you use it to spell Aape, it looks like “Rape” and that’s a huge no-no. If you absolutely MUST use a font, consider hiring a designer to help tweak the kerning and/or sizing to try and find a solution.
3. Verify that you are permitted to use the font commercially.
Did you know that not all fonts are permitted for commercial use? That’s right; you can’t use any font you want. If you want to know if a font you love is permitted for commercial use, check the license that came when you either purchased or downloaded your font. The good news is there are several websites out there with a large portfolio of fonts that are free for commercial use. HOWEVER, please be aware that there are scam artists out there who will post their fonts on a free website with the intent of hunting down anyone who uses it to slap them with a lawsuit for infringement. It is a horrible thing to do, but it does happen. Protect yourself by reading up on the font creator’s acceptable use policy and/or purchasing a commercial license for the font family.
Check out this website for commercial use fonts: 1001 Fonts
If you follow these three steps, you will be on the right path towards properly branding your business. While doing it yourself is possible, I highly suggest working with a professional to help craft your branding story. I’d be happy to help you out! You can either Contact Me or Request a Quote today.