1. Understand the brand personality
Before diving into font selection, it's essential to have a clear understanding of the brand's personality and values. "Fonts are a key memory structure in building brand recognition," notes Darren Richardson, co-founder and creative director at Gardiner Richardson. "So the more it can amplify the archetypal character of the brand, the better. Think of it as the brand's handwriting. The challenge is balancing distinctiveness over the practicalities of cost and usage."
If you're struggling to find a font that ticks those boxes, it can help to look for brands with similar approaches and see what fonts they're using. That doesn't mean you necessarily copy them, but it's a good starting place all the same.
"Check Fonts in Use to see where the typefaces you like have appeared in context before," suggests brand and design director Alexandra Lunn. "Align any font you choose with your brand's personality."
