Helvetica: More than a Typeface

While watching the movie Helvetica I was surprised to learn how transcendent a type face could be. Typographers in the movie describe Helvetica as transparent and accessible with a human quality to it that makes it clean, official and efficient, which are all qualities the corporate world wants to portray through their branding. Helvetica is typeface that has overtaken corporate identity because of its ability to appeal to the masses because of its ability to take on the personality of any brand it represents.

It was surprising to learn that Helvetica is used by stores like Gap and American Apparel. If you had asked me before watching the movie I would have told you that they had two completely different typefaces based on the differences between their target consumer. But through the transformative power of Helvetica both brands use the same typeface but can achieve very different effects for their brand.

Because of its overwhelming popularity among corporations come have chosen to rebel against the clean lines of Helvetica and instead have explored the ways that they can make typography more expressive. Typographers who challenge the dominance of Helvetica work to make type a means of visual communication. These “rebels” against Helvetica are much more interested in the art of words and the visual they are trying to represent. “Don’t confuse legibility with communication,” one rebel typographer said. “It is a thin line between simple clean and powerful and simple clean and boring.”

It is pretty amazing to realize that one typeface can cause so much controversy. Not only has it become a staple for many brands but it has also been a driving force for creativity and change. No matter which side your on, the bottom line is that Helvetica is a typeface that has become a staple in our everyday lives and it will continue to be more than a typeface.