An important part of your logo design and overall brand identity comes from the typefaces you use in your logo. Depending on your choices, your logo design could create a perception of a fun brand, a sophisticated brand, a modern brand, or an old-fashioned brand to name just a few.
With that in mind, don’t select your logo typefaces haphazardly. The following 5 rules for choosing typefaces for your logo design can guide you in making the best decisions for your brand identity.
1. Legibility
Every typeface has a certain level of legibility, meaning how well people can make out what each letter is without straining to decipher them individually. Some typefaces are far more legible than others, so take the time to test the typefaces you like in your logo design. Show them to friends, family, employees, and customers, and get their feedback as well.
2. Scalability
Not all typefaces translate well to different sizes. Test out the typefaces you like in your logo design at various sizes to make sure they retain their legibility and still look aesthetically pleasing. Look at your logo design up close and from a distance. View it in different colors and print it out on different types of paper to ensure it looks perfect all the time.
3. Mood
Look at a wide variety of typefaces, and you’ll see that different typefaces can evoke different feelings and set different moods. The mood set by the typefaces in your logo design must match your brand image and promise or consumers will be confused. For example, a highly sophisticated brand would set the wrong mood if its logo design included a fun typeface like Comic Sans Serif.
4. Differentiation
Typefaces can also make your brand stand out from the competition in a crowded marketplace. If your brand goes against the grain, then choose a typeface that makes your logo design stand out, too. Most importantly, be sure to choose a typeface that doesn’t mimic your competitors. A typeface can make your logo design overtly or subtly different from other brands. It’s up to you to define your goals and choose a typeface that provides the level of differentiation your brand needs.
5. Personality
Your logo design should reflect your brand personality, so choose typefaces that match your brand persona. Is your brand the outgoing life of the party or the introspective intellect? Just as a typeface can set a mood it can also subconsciously create consumer perceptions related to your brand personality, and those consumer perceptions can be hard to change once they’re set. Take the time to choose your logo design typefaces strategically, and your brand will be better positioned for long-term success.