Notes on Helvetica

Helvetica

Helvetica: Brand names, signs, logo

The name of the company and the logo of the company are just done in Helvetica.

Helvetica is simple, neutral, it is easy of the eye, it is sans serif, the letter has uniformity to them, and there is equal spacing.

Spacing is as and more important than the font itself. Helvetica has perfect spacing.

Helvetica is modernist font, which represents modernist ideas. However, it is sans serif it is easy on the eye.

The problem of Helvetica is that it is overused.

It is ubiquitous- it is everywhere.

Helvetica is considered ‘not cool’ because it is too simple, too perfect, and too boring because it is ubiquitous.

It is corporate and artists dislike it. It is institutional.

Modern is becoming retro.

Rather than being an authoritarian, oppressive, bureaucratese, instead accessible, transparent, and accountable.

Horizontal slicing of terminals - characteristic of Helvetica

Helvetica example: Jeep, Sears, BMW, Toyota, aprilia, target, Tupperware, Nestle, Verizon, conEdison, Lufthansa, Energizer, Oral B, The North face etc.

This shows again that Helvetica is ubiquitous

A real typeface needs rhythm and contrast. Helvetica doesn’t have rhythm or contrast.

Helvetica needs lots of space and all the letters shouldn’t look the same.

Typeface is a part of branding. Branding is the projecting of quality.

Creating a font

Use h first then o and then p. h n u because you have lots of information between them.

Then you start building on go to words.

Counter cultural movement of the 1960s is what overwhelms the modernist movement.

Modernism: (objectivist)

Functionalism

Utilitarianism

Clean and simple

Post Modernism: (subjectivist)

Freeform

Chaotic

Complicated

Michael C Place: new modernist. Has a view that the context can make the piece speak in a different way though the font is the same.