Typophile

Simplicity, propriety of Century Gothic + flexibility, familiarity of Helvetica Neue

Sam Serif

I am updating an identity for my branding, design firm and I have recommended a switch in our corporate typeface. I am looking for a few suggestions which fit our criteria:

  • capture the openness and friendliness of our current face (Century Gothic)
  • with a more credible font that sets well and is part of a larger system (similar to Helvetica Neue, which some designers would like to see used)
  • this larger system should include different weights, a nice italic, an expanded character set and solid numerals (distinct or non-lining figures would be a nice plus)
  • we are also probably setting our name as a word-mark or initialed in this face, so it must have enough personality (or brand) to sit on its own

Some designs that came to mind were: Verlag, Scala (both families), Dax, Neo Sans, Gotham, Whitney, or even Apex Sans and Galaxie Polaris.

I know I've seen excellent suggestions on these boards. What do you guys think?

Thanks in advance for any help,

Sam

Tiffany Wardle

Klavika OR Locator and Locator Display OR Bryant 2 OR Priori OR Vista (OT) OR Absara Sans

Sam Serif

Great picks Miss Tiffany.

I like Klavika (go Facebook!) and Locator (nice italics).

Bryant 2 is beautiful, but I'm not sure if we're ready to go 'all rounded' yet. The numbers really are wonderful, though.

Overall, are there any picks that are a little safer, more friendly?

To me, Verlag was just nice, with a little character. The x-height makes it a little conspicuous and I think that keeps it from being perfect for our goals. The personality and sophistication, though, are right on.

Lari Elovainio

Neutraface Text doesn’t have a very big x-height but there are four weigths and a very nice italic. The are distinct numerals, too. ;^)

Tiffany Wardle

Verlag is a great typeface. I have had the opportunity to work with it and found it works very well at small sizes. However, because it is a geometric it will have moments of feeling stiff. The italic, for instance, isn't a soft as you might find in something else. But, on the other hand, your color palette, visuals, and other tactile elements will go a long way into imparting friendliness across the brand.

adnix

FF Legato or Fresco Sans

Sam Serif

Those are great adnix. They both give Verlag a run for its money (in features and consistency) without the fussy x-height. They're both familiar and proprietary. That is no easy task.

I love their numerals and special characters. We're considering a face called Evo BQ, which has an ampersand that almost takes the font out of contention. Look it up and see what I'm talking about!

timd

Wow, that is unpleasant.
Tim

Lex Kominek

Mark Simonson's Proxima Nova might be a little too geometric for your tastes, but it's surprisingly friendly, and has a good number of weights.

- Lex

Sam Serif

Nova is nice. It is friendly and a pretty safe choice.

I saw Neutraface in a store yesterday and liked it very much.

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