The Wink: Thoughts on Logotype Design (Part 2)
In the last “episode”, I wrote about a strategy that I’ve used in logotype design called “The Wink”. Note, this is for words/letters that make up logos, not symbols or pictorial elements that represent brands and companies.
We’ll get to show those personal examples I promised soon enough (give this creative time to compile a nice article with process pictures!). But first, let me introduce a key concept that helps in making logotypes that wink.
TL:DR — That concept is “Words have meaning, Type has Spirit”. This may sound obvious to many, but the choice of typeface is just as important as what alterations/concepts you work into the letterforms.
How so you ask? Well, I’ve always found it easier to think of the vast numbers of typefaces available as people. Just as each of us are built different, have different interests and personalities, so do typefaces. (And yes, it does apply to the proliferation of all those geometric sans serifs you’re seeing everywhere — they’re all following the same fashion trend!) We even refer to groups of related typefaces as “families”.
Understanding the Character
Still with us? Excellent. The word character can mean an actual person, or the qualities of their personality. We speak of the character of letterforms — which contain visual signifiers that help the viewer/reader to glean certain information. Let me try and and elaborate:
a) The structure of the letterforms →
We’ve all seen those “You had one job” posts of warning signs typeset in Comic Sans or some other typefaces more suited to cupcakes/weddings etc. These are amusing because it’s clear that the letterforms fail to add any credence to the message. The “spirit” the shapes carry is at odds with the message they supposed to communicate.
b) Frequency of usage of certain styles →
As an example, many brands and companies with some involvement in the fashion industry use typefaces that look rather elegant — the letterforms usually have high contrast and many are condensed (think leggy, slim, runway models). A condensed, slim, high contrast typeface can act as a signifier for fashion. A quick glance at the newsstand will reveal as much. The Elle’s, Vogue’s, Harper’s Bazaars’ utilise the same typographic skeleton to communicate their place in the realm of fashion.
Playing the Character
Hear me out. I’m not saying if you’re a fashion company you should absolutely use a high contrast Didot as the basis of your logo.You may not want to compete with some of these established fashion brands. After all, in a crowded business environment, you must be differentiated. (I mean, if it’s not different then how will it stand out, and why are you even in business?) This differentiation often is in product, philosophy, service. All of this must be communicated, and often, typography plays a part in the visual storytelling.
Once we’ve understood the character of the typeface, we can use that to our advantage, or we could subvert the very stereotype (see what I did there?).
Using fashion as an example again, the slim, high contrast typography is really more observation rather than an actual rule that’s universally applied. After all, many fashion brand and companies do employ all manner of scripts, sans serifs and and even slabs as a way to visually distinguish themselves. The key is understanding how the letterforms carry spirit and how that relates to the strategy, positioning and philosophy of the company the logotype is being designed for. Even if, for a fashion company, your logo is a sans-serif, the communication that you’re in fashion can be shown in other ways.
Be the Character
No typeface choice should ever be arbitrary. Type has so much voice; carries so much spirit, that it would be shocking waste to lose an opportunity to enhance and refine a brand message. Embody your brand with a typeface that speaks for you.
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*Thanks for making it this far. Whew, that was a big brain dump. Definitely more to share where that came from. Let me know in the comments if this has been helpful to you in some way. Have a different opinion? I’d love to hear it!
