In recent years, the trend of creating custom fonts for brands has gained significant momentum. There are two primary reasons why brands are opting for custom-made fonts:
To Keep costs down
The most important reason why major brands choose to develop their own custom fonts is the high cost of licensing standard fonts. Brands such as BBC, Apple, Samsung, and Nokia previously relied on impression-based font licensing, which can become extremely expensive. By using in-house fonts, these companies can save millions of dollars over a relatively short period.
To define brand personality
A typeface plays a crucial role in defining a brand’s tone and personality. It’s often challenging to find an off-the-shelf font that perfectly conveys the desired message. As Erik Spiekermann famously said, “A brand is just a f**ing typeface; it’s all you need.”
Additionally, in today’s digital age, where content is viewed across various screen sizes, it’s vital to use a font that remains clear and legible, especially on smaller screens. Custom fonts allow brands to tailor their typography for both aesthetics and functionality.
Nokia introduced it’s Nokia Pure in 2011 which won Design Museum’s Designs of the Year in 2012.
In upcoming years many others followed: Google (Product Sans)…
…and Apple in 2015 and YouTube and BBC in 2017.
