We make digital typography easy.

There’s a good chance your brand has a font problem and you’re not even aware of it. To the average non-designer, the world of typography is either mostly unknown or largely overlooked, and yet it plays a significant role in determining which products we buy, or which brands we trust. And in the digital age, fonts are working harder – and in more sizes, formats and places – than ever before.

While the majority of people out there can immediately identify the iconic logos for brands like Nike, Coca-Cola or Fed Ex, most don’t give more than a passing thought to the typefaces used in them (unless the brand undergoes a redesign, in which case there’s likely to be a swift response on social media). All of this just underscores the idea that fonts are working overtime but often behind the scenes.

Earlier this year, Monotype, the world’s oldest type company, unveiled a major update to the legendary font Helvetica (Helvetica is so popular and widely used that there’s even a documentary dedicated to it). Called Helvetica Now, the font was created in response to the demands of the digital age: The original workhorse font in use since the 1950s didn’t always look great on modern smart phones, for instance, and wasn’t as legible in certain online formats. The new font tackles these issues and presents an elegant alternative.

Now, an interesting footnote to all of this is that Helvetica Now was in development for about 5 years and required a large team of designers and engineers to make it possible. Yes, half a decade to create a new font. This stuff is tricky business, but it absolutely matters. Brand logos, advertising and other media all involve the careful orchestration of graphics and typefaces. We have an emotional response to them when done well. They help us navigate the world around us (road or subway signs, menus at restaurants). When we react positively to them, they subconsciously drive our purchase decisions and build consumer loyalty.

Which gets us back to your company’s branding. Does it resonate with customers in the digital age? Is it legible on all devices and screen resolutions? Typography is serious business with real consequences; fortunately, ATM has the experts on hand to help you navigate these important decisions. Bring us your challenge, and we’ll make your digital life easy.