Matthew Carter, the British typographer was recently honoured at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum’s 2011 National Design Awards for lifetime achievement. The 73 year old designer, creator of fonts such as Verdana and Georgia, is not unused to such illustrious accolades. Named a MacArthur Foundation fellow in 2010, the first time that the title was bestowed on a type designer, Carter was recognised for his, “exceptional creativity, demonstrated through a track record of significant achievement and manifest promise for important future advances”.
The fonts Verdana and Georgia were designed for Microsoft and were tuned to be extremely legible at even very small sizes on the screen. He has also designed for newspapers and magazines such as the Times, the Washington Post and Wired.
I was interested to read about Carter’s work as I, like many others, was mostly unaware of the origins of specific types of font and the art and craft involved in creating them, particularly those that I tend to choose without thinking. Anyone who uses a computer will know that there is a vast range of font styles to choose from but do we ever consider where they came from and who created them?
The design team at Happy are, thankfully, extremely knowledgeable about the history and origin of many fonts such being the nature of their work. They are sensitive to the capabilities of a specific typeface and acutely aware of the ability of individual fonts to transform and improve a brand. This knowledge and appreciation really comes to the fore when we are asked to refresh or design a tired, lifeless logo, one that isn’t “speaking” on a client’s behalf. That’s when typography comes into its own. Whether we have been asked to design a text, symbol or text and symbol logo, one of the most important points at the front of our minds is that a logo is not just a representation of your business name, it is one of your most valuable commercial assets.
Opinions about your company, its integrity, personality and reputation can be formed at a glance and with the presence of your logo on every advertisement, website, stationery material and product that your company produces, it demonstrates how vital it is to choose the right logo.
That’s why the team at Happy are passionate about typography design and the impact it can have in even the simplest of ways. The correct font can enhance, transform and along with the design element, can literally be the global “ambassador” for your company, speaking volumes to the viewer about your personality, identity and creating the right impression every time.
We like to feel we “hit the mark” every time at Happy. When we are asked to create a new brand identity we carry out extensive research about you and your competitors. We go that extra mile to ensure that we know and understand you, your goals and what it is you wish to translate to clients and potential clients about your values, products and services. It is only when we know you like a “good friend” that we set about making your brand come to life and, in the process, hopefully exceeding your expectations.
Debbie Lewis is a Customer Support Executive at Happy Creative, a full service marketing and creative agency based in Blackpool, Lancashire. To learn more or contact us please go to www.happy-creative.co.uk
