I first saw “Helvetica” about five years ago in my undergraduate program. At the time I was interested in the documentary, but wasn’t really sure why it was relevant. Now that we are discussing visual aesthetics, audience analysis and usability I understand the impact a font can have on a brand and why it is so important to choose the right font.
One of the most shocking things about this documentary was just how many companies use the Helvetica font. Even more interesting is how different the font can look based on the company that is using it. For instance, American Airlines and American Apparel both use Helvetica. They are completely different organizations in very different industries, yet they can both use the font and it works for both of them; showing that Helvetica is a very adaptable typeface.
It’s also interesting how strongly people feel about Helvetica. You either love it or you hate it. You think it’s the font of communism or the font of socialism. How surprising that a typeface can have such an impact on its viewers!
Overall, this was a very enlightening documentary and I’m intrigued to see how it will change my view of various fonts.
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