The right font can make or break a design.
The fonts you choose tell a story, create an emotion, and are an integral part in conveying a concept.
(Actually, there are 4 parts to an ad design - fonts, colors, image, and layout - that all work in tandem to convey the concept. But that's another story.)
Choosing the right font for a design can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack—except the haystack is made of 10,000 fonts, and every needle has its own personality.
I'm here to help you crack the code and understand what fonts are really saying.
In this article, I'm going through some of this year's great (or not-as-great) Sukkos ads to see what the chosen fonts reveal about the brands behind them. What message are they telling me and did they hit or miss the mark?
You’ll get an inside look at font personalities, what situations each works best in, and how to choose the perfect typeface for any brand—without the endless scroll-a-thon.
1. KRM Kollel
Font Choice: Handwriting
What their font choice says about them:
We're just like you, an "everyman" brand. Not fancy, not expensive, not stuffy or corporate. Just regular products for regular people like you.
2. Ner Mitzvah
Font Choice: Vintage Serif
What their font choice says about them:
We have a product with old-style long-lasting quality. But with a home-made, small business warmth.
3. Sola
Font Choice: Round Simple Sans
What their font choice says about them:
We're simple and predictable. Just like these letterforms have nothing extraneous and are exactly what you expect, so too, we have exactly what you need but nothing extra to waste your time or space. We're reliable and consistent.
4. Ezer Mizion
Font Choice: Swiss Helvetica-esque
What their font choice says about them:
We are modern, understated, and classy. Really really.
I don't know anything about this brand prior to this ad, but I'm getting strong "trying too hard" vibes from it. Don't get me wrong, it's a great ad both in terms of concept and execution! It just feels like they have something to prove. As if they're going super minimalist, monochromatic, classic Helvetica-esque to make up for prior outdated branding.
Also, no brand photos or real people are shown, making it feel modern yet cold. Unemotional. Probably doesn't help that L'chaim ends in a period instead of an exclamation point.
Anyone else feeling this?
5. Brook Haven
Font Choice: Rounded Sans + High-Contrast Sans
What their font choice says about them:
Mixed vibes.
The logo font says we're warm and here for every man (especially with a name like "Haven" which is quite warm and cozy). The image and headline seem to convey a similar message.
The headline font says we're modern and edgy. The body font is cold and unemotional.
Seems like a wee bit of an identity crisis.
6. Ichud
Font Choice: Rounded Serif
What their font choice says about them:
We are gentle and knowledgable. Professional without being stuffy, warm without being a free-for-all.
The body font is too corporate and cold, though. Feels like it should be a bit more round and friendly. (I'm starting to see a theme here... Maybe these Helvetica-esque fonts are trending. Goes to show that just because a font style is trending doesn't mean it's right for your brand).
7. Champion
Font Choice: All-Caps Handwriting
What their font choice says about them:
We are fun, upbeat, positive and full of joy. Confident and proud of who we are.
8. Imperial
Font Choice: Condensed Sans
What their font choice says about them:
We are reliable, dependable, and confident. As solid as the stone we sell.
9. Linkup Nook
Font Choice: Custom Art/Calligraphy
What their font choice says about them:
You are special and unique (just like a diamond, incidentally). You're a custom work of art and deserve a unique program that gets YOU.
Really well done in talking to their target audience of teenage girls just off the plane from seminary.
Each font creates a unique emotion within the reader. But you don't have to guess!
Here's a basic guide of font psychology to use as a foundation for your choices:
Sans serif: corporate, professional, reliable
Serif: luxury, quality
Handwriting: relatable, personal, child-like
Condensed: confident, bold, authoritative
Rounded edges: warm, friendly, comforting
Artsy: unique, individual, creative
Vintage: nostalgia, quality, dependability
Do this same exercise at home.
Go through the ads each week and think about what message the fonts in each ad convey. Is it on point or missing the mark? The more you practice, the more you'll train your eye to intuitively know when you've found the right font for the job.
Now you're ready to head out into the design world and select fonts with care and strategy in mind!
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