Typography is often referred to the idea and art of print. With the essence of communication everywhere, typography plays an important role the lives of those seeking to be communicated with. avenues such as newspapers, academia, posters, advertisements, greeting cards and books all employ the use of typography (Friedl, 1998) some for the purpose of communication, while others to gain the interest and devotion of the reader.
The basics of typography are often thought to be in good communication. The idea behind typography is to transcend information for the use and understanding of the common man (Friedl, 1998). Thus, the standardized font size of 12 to enable users to comfortable read a given material. Lettering types and font styles further play on these important aspects with some writers going beyond the basics and employing line spacing and text spacing as a tool to make their documents more user-friendly. All this is encompassed in the line of typography.
In modern times, the focus of typography has been on the digital world. With more and more communication being taking place on the internet and telecommunication networks, the works of typography has become divided. Initially, focusing on written documents, typographers were more concerned with communication the message in a visually effective way. All that mattered was readability and attractiveness (Ambrose, 2006). However, in the digital world, this focus has been taken to the next level, where communication is not the primary focus, but rather the influence of the text itself on the minds of the reader (Bringhurt, 2004).
All in all, the idea of typography can be summed up as a combination of text, which includes font sizes, styles, spacing and color (Ambrose, 2006). The basic idea is communication as is visible in newspapers which use a collection of balanced art forms and restricted texts. Newspapers seek to communicate articles to the reader. Print newspapers are evidently full of the role of typography using different font sizes, text placement, text patterns and different colors to pronounce main headings and subdue those less important (Ambrose, 2006). Placement of text becomes essentially important in newspapers, as they try to gain the attention span of the reader.
This idea has been taken to the next level with advertisers using typography as an art form. By aligning text slogans with specific fonts, colors and styles, a marketer is able to develop an association in the mind of the consumer with the brand he or she is trying to sell. Using graphic designs, typography has been changed to more than just a communicative aspect (Bringhurt, 2004). Now, typography is used by marketers to influence how a person feels about a certain topic.
This paper will discuss the role of typography in changing times, and how the art has transformed from being used as an avenue for communication to a tool for manipulation and propaganda. The extent of the influence of typography on advertising and promoting influences will be discussed as well. By the end of the paper, the role and hidden power of typography will be clearly examined.
Role and hidden power of typography
Everything a human interacts with leaves an image on the mind of the person. How intricately attached the person becomes to that image and how much it influences his or her behavior is what matters. For years, psychologists and marketers alike have been trying to find ways to reach the inner workings of the minds of the consumer. Now, Martin Lindstrom has even perfected his fMRI machines which allow marketers to peer into the brains of consumers to see what exactly makes them tick. As such, typography and the way typefaces are designed influence consumers as well. Their ability to leave lasting images on the minds of consumers is of utmost important to psychologists and marketers because then they can predict behavior according. Font size, spacing and style can affect an individuals style of reading, comprehension and behavior accordingly.
In the most basic of examples, the relatively simple choice of choosing font can influence the way a person feels or sees a particular text. For instance, research has shown that a writer using font styles such as Comics Sans can often end up losing the attention of a reader. They tend to disregard the basic message as non seriousness. Instead, most writers rely on font styles such as Times New Roman to influence the reader into maintaining interest. The true nature of this being evident from the fact that readers do associate the font with a serious attentive span. Readers associate the given typography as easy to understand, and seemingly intelligent in nature With over 50,000 fonts used in typographic structures, it is clear that the need exists. However, when one font style would do, why use many The answer lies in the heart of the consumers. To influence them more, the motivation to create more font styles has increased dramatically over the past few years, augmenting my arguments of the hidden power of typography.
The nature of typography is complex. Neville Brody, a leading graphic designer went on to say that typography in itself is manipulative and tends to influence the emotional elements of a person. With the thousands of font styles, typography material and ways of text placement available, an average consumer is bombarded with thousands of communicative messages in a day. Which sticks to his or her mind is the main idea of marketers. Thus, typography is being used to make sure that whatever text is used, it influences the minds, sensibilities and memory of the reader (White, 2006).
A research conducted by Dr. Aric Sigman concluded that there is a particular difference in the way typography influences men and women. Distinctly, each gender has its own predispositions to a particular type of font, and marketers, are increasingly playing upon that distinction. It was found that women prefer font that is rounder in nature, whereas men preferred font which was more rectilinear. Either way, now, marketers, trying to bring a human element into coercing consumers to buy have begun using different fonts in the hope to influence the emotions of a consumer. For women, they tend to use rounder text, where as for men, they try to play on the element of sophisticated text, which is direct and linear(White, 2006). Its effectiveness, however, is arguable since the difference in nature of the communication style can lead to the effect of the hidden power of typography being subdued.
Various typefaces have been used to make text more appealing to average readers. With time, concepts of using small fonts of CVs have become more attractive as it is believed to have an authoritative power associated with it. Similarly, to free readers from the fatigue of having to read long articles, typographers have started using more eye friendly font, which enable users to read for long hours without having to suffer the torment of staring at the same font style and getting irritated.
Serif fonts are used to display each letter with equal emphasis. This not only enables the effort of smart communication, but at the same time, drives a reader to read the next letter. In the hope of consuming the reader into the communication avenue, typographers use this font to ensure continuity in reading. Times New roman, as mentioned earlier, was created for the ease of reading as well. It is noteworthy to mention that the people, who developed it, did it for The Times newspaper to ensure contour and strength of lines in the articles
However, with 90 of children not even noticing which fonts are being used, the hidden power of typography becomes questionable. However, our mindsets and general feeling is still hooked onto ideas that CVs are rejected within seconds if the font is questionable and if the font does not make an adequate impression, a customer cannot be bought into an attentive state. Whether people admit it or not, typefaces are used to express inner feelings and to arouse similar feelings in others. That is why most people end up using humanized font styles during emotional holidays instead of the sophisticated, dry and cultured font used on the Bill of Rights.
Radical changes in the field of Graphic Design
With time, the art of typography has advanced intricately. The ability to use more styles and the ease in their development has transformed the entire communication channel. Initially, before the inception of the computer age, language writing and skills were held in high esteem. Perhaps the fruitfulness of their nature was evident in ancient times as is now. Anyone who knew the structure of letterforms, could use drawing forms and could write in magnificent handiwork was a great typographic. It bought the essence of the creative skill and nature of an individual out through his or her writing.
However, now, the development of new typefaces is taking place at a resounding rate. In the past 20 years, the number of pure typefaces has gone from 1,000 to 9,000(Meggs, 2008). The nature of communication has changed and now writers have a choice of expanded expressions and voice. Perhaps the nature in this change lies in the fact that with time, people get too accustomed to the typefaces being used. Because of that, the nature of the message is lost and people are not observant to the information and communication change taking place. Thus, as the world of graphic design has changed in the past 20 years, it will continue to change as more and more typographic material becomes outdated or overused(Heller, 1999).
When immovable printing presses existed, the transcendence of information was a problem. However, now, information, the heart of the 21st century has increased to an astounding level through the use of graphic designing. However, the easy availability of font styles and prefaces has rendered an entire change in the graphic design industry ever since the incorporation of the Macintosh in the 1980s (Drucker, 2008). The initial constraints associated with developing typefaces and traditional barriers have now been removed as the discipline of graphic designing advances. Because of these advancements, the entire structure of society has been revamped and affected by the new technology in place today. Our automated teller machines, internet and other forms of communication are overridden with different graphic designs. The invention of the monotype and Linotype machines helped incorporate this new technology that we use today (Drucker, 2008).
The computer has bought a revolution in the way typography was done in early times. The typography of Just Van Rossum and Erik Van Blokland (DiGioia)are clearly changing as they incorporate the use of computers in their models to develop new typefaces for the communication oriented industries (Meggs, 2008). When once, smoothness and sophistication of texts was a hard to achieve concept, the computer has allowed attainable perfection in this premise. However, some designers, such as Phil Baines argue that the change in typography and its effectiveness and efficiency of use is not due to the change in technology but rather the change in the orientation of communication itself (Heller, 1999).
The rapid developments taking place in the graphic designing industry is often seen as haphazard and chaotic in nature. However, the radical changes in the art of graphic designing are the replication of what happened in earlier times. Modernist designers such as Paul Rand and Milton Glaser were often disregarded as chaotic graphic designers as well (DiGioia). Their work on advertising and communication techniques was often disregarded as it appeared to be out of context at the time. However, the recent changes in graphic designing are similar in nature, but are being accepted more and more with time. Though many graphic designers claim that new typography has lost the essence of communication, newer graphic designers claim that the rules of communication have changed. Designing is being done to take into perspective the pluralistic nature of society where previous designs are no longer applicable.
With the advent of modern technology, typefaces are being developed with increasing face and sophistication. The concept is changing from the appeal to communicate but rather to influence (Drucker, 2008). Because of that, graphic designers are not designing advertisements and posters that are based on gaining the attention of the reader and then retaining it. Because of these advancements, the fundamental nature of typography has changed from communicative to an influencer role (Heller, 1999).
Typography in advertising
Advertising has long used typography to forward communicative messages to the consumer. However, with so many advertisements all around us, it is hard to even distinguish between the most well known brands in the world. The advertisement clutter has created a new need and that is of attention gaining. Advertisements successful in gaining the attention of the prospects are thought to be more effective than those communicating a message. Messages are often forgotten, but with the use of typography, the reader not only keeps his or her mind open to the ideas offered by the advertisement but also becomes emotionally aroused by effective typography(Bill, 1999).
Typography adds as a visual reminder in the brand identity formations. Various brands have already established certain typographic details for their brand personas. These details are so intricately attached to the readers visual instincts that it is easy to distinguish the brand by simply looking at the typography available. An example of such can be that of Coco Chanel, which uses a standardized bolded sans serif with a white on black contrast. Even McDonalds holds its typographic arrangements sacred, suing anyone using the brand icon M in a similar way that they use it (White, 2006).
Reel light lighting company used typography in one of their advertisements to gain visual attention of readers. By using ample whitespace between their font, they were able to mimic the sense of light and illumination in their advertisements (Sutherland, 2000). The key concept of typography in advertising has become the effectiveness of typography to act as an image. Images are being overused in todays advertising atmosphere and now marketers are trying to break away from the clutter. Typography offers that very chance to break into the moulds of the consumers inner most appeals through the use of line spacing, text manipulation and font sizes. The basic concept behind the use of typography can stem from the idea that it is still hidden in the minds of the consumer and acts like a secret weapon. Consumers know when they are being advertised to and thus that takes away their appeal to give into the message. However, with typography they are lured in a truer more unidentifiable manner into the message.
On top of that, the very basis of typography is that to appeal to the intellectual aspects rather than the visual side of the brain alone. Typography and the use of text allow marketers to target individuals in their mind. Thus, when they see an effective typographically designed advertisement, they read the image and decipher the content, making them automatically involved in the process (White, 2006). Advertising then becomes more stimulating and interactive, which is at the heart of good advertising.
The idea is to keep typography legible in advertisements. Most companies use legibility and typography to forward the brand image and persona in a subtle way. By catching the prospects attention through the use of column width, text sizes and font styles, marketers are able to lure prospects into learning more about the brand. By stimulating their intellect, marketers are able to pass on a hidden brand image through such advertising.
According to Matthew Carter, good typographers focus on transcending the true message and views of the author (or brand) to the consumer (or reader) (Bill, 1999). Instead of hiding the communication, using typography, direct interfaces can envelope. According to him, this allows the use of emotions, sympathy encompassing the style of typography (Thangaraj, 2004). However, evoking hidden emotions in readers has become increasingly common in subliminal advertising. Using silently placed text in advertisements to subliminally influence consumers is become more and more common (Thangaraj, 2004).
Research has also shown that advertisers are using typography to aid in the marketing endeavors. Foster and Bruce concluded that by using italics in advertisements, marketers were able to reduce reading speed. By reducing reading speed, marketers are able to convey a message to the reader in a longer time frame and keep him or her occupied with the message for a longer time. similarly, other researchers such as Smith and McCombs in 1971 concluded that black spaces that are often seen around paragraphs help to achieve legibility in writing, convincing the reader of easy readability and keeping him or her more involved with the message. Breland and Breland further suggested that the use of bold capital letters in advertising can help reduce reading speed by up to 20 ( Sutherland, 2000). This means that marketers can employ this tactic when they want to pass on a quick message in the advertising clutter. Finally, Strong in 1926 had suggested that by using blank spaces in texts, typographers were able to not only attract a reader but also gain their attention spans longer than those texts that did not employ the tactic (White, 2006).
Several researchers have also concluded that consumers tend to regard the typography in consequence with the product offered. Therefore, according to Walker, Smith and Livingstone, most consumers associated shared beliefs and features between the type of text used and the product being advertised. The consistent use of one type of typeface, abstract connotations and similar ideals, brands can forward an image of their product with the use of typography. An example of such can be Johnson and Johnsons which uses humanized, delicate font with a gentle touch. This matches the products they sell which are mainly baby oriented and skin care. Factors like these effected brand perception in the minds of consumers. Even the font used by De Beerss diamonds in their advertisements is sharp and crisp (Thangaraj, 2004). The letters are intricately detailed and have influencing contours. This matches the product they are selling and thus influence the brand image amongst consumers.
Second dialogue with typography
The role of typography in generating a second dialogue is very important to consider. Generally, most people consider the second dialogue as a way of communication, and rightly so. What typography does is that instead of simply placing the text in front of the reader, it also manages to captivate him or her into understanding another dimension (Sutherland, 2000). This dimension can be aroused in the form of emotions, sympathies and other personal factors that can influence the reader in different ways. Thus, the conduction of second dialogues becomes very important in communication and advertising.
Many marketers have begun forwarding the concept to encompass sending two messages in one coded form. Both messages are consumed by the reader. The original message is sent as a primary message where as the secondary dialogue passes on the secondary message. Research has shown that when the word red is written in blue color, the reader ends up seeing both colors as the visual and verbal sectors of his or her brain are stimulated (Henderson, 2004).
To explain the concept, I will use comic books as an example of how secondary dialogue takes place. Comic books use extensive use of typography to not only convey emotions but at the same time pass on the message of the text directly to the user. Though formulated under direct rules of comic book writing, the idea is that typography plays an important role in both primary and secondary communication. Not only does it encompasses emotions but at the same time uses text to pass on the genuine message.
Often, comic books use the help of bold letters to emphasize a point of reference (Piekos, 2009). Bold letters are used to captivate the reader and instill in him or her sense of importance of the material at hand. Bold letters are highly effective when one particular message has to be sent. In this comical extract, it is visible that not only the primary mode of communication (that of meeting the doctor) is being conveyed, but also a sense of anxiety is build through the bolding of again and doctor. The particular emphasis played on these words has created a double image in the mind of the reader.
The concepts of burst balloons which show the change in style of typography are used to emphasis screaming or an unusual event (Piekos, 2009). As is witnessed by the comic extract, the reader gets the idea that of the primary message (that of meeting the doctor), but at the same time realizes that what is being said is being yelled and screamed, thus reflecting human emotion through the use of typography. Two messages in the same image are being portrayed.
Ellipses are used to show discontinuance of speech (Piekos, 2009). The simple use of spaces and full stops has resulted in an important emotion being transcended to the reader. One, the reader realizes that the cartoon is about someone wanting revenge. But at the same time, he or she also realizes the pause in between the two bubbles, signifying human emotion. Both messages are expelled to the reader at the same time, at the same face, subtly.
Another example of the use of typography to send two messages at the same time (Piekos, 2009) is that of the combination question mark with the exclamation mark. Both styles express a certain expression to the reader. In this case, both expressions are being exhibited to the reader, confusing him or her between the emotions, but bringing out the appeal of the comic.
Finally, the use of subtle expressions is important in comic books and is used by typography to forward messages in particular styles (Piekos, 2009). The broken lines around the bubble show whispering where as the dull background of the bubble shows that something is not clear and subtle in nature itself. These techniques are used by typographers to allow readers to feel human emotions without the presence of direct images or relatable material. Such forms can be used in advertising as well.
Propaganda Typography
Figure SEQ Figure ARABIC 6(Charchar, 2009)
Fraktur, a black letter font was used by German Nazis to communicate with the general public. Hitler employed this font and typography technique to ensure that certain factors were communicated to the public. As with other mediums of media, the black letters were used by Hitler as a means to communicate an ideology with the German public. Though his propaganda tools were far more diverse, his reliance on being bold with this form of font was particularly interesting and manipulative.
One, his main emphasis was on the transfer of national identity. The font was thought to hold true ties to the Nazi regime and thus, an effective way to transcend the brand identity of the Nazis themselves (Goebbels, 1999). The idea behind the font was that it was held in high national regard. Many people felt that the style of writing reflected true German heritage. Hitler, using the emotional plow of patriotism, exploited this factor and used the font on government documents and other nationally used avenues of communication. The strong powerful design employed by the font helped transcend a similar, patriotic image of the Nazis in the public opinions (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 2009). This allowed Hitler to manipulate the people in a way that had never been witnessed before. It has been claimed that because of Hitler employing the Patriotism aspect into the way of writing, he was able to generate wide appeal for documents, their readability and influence on the common public.
Lettering is often associated with the civilized culture of a nation and Hitler intended on pushing this agenda singularly. His objective was to make the German nation see the true light of the culture through the font itself. The strong powerful writing that the font offered, gave an authoritative tone and strong positioning of Hitlers party to the public(Goebbels, 1999). The font in nature is particularly bold, strong and authoritative. By developing an association of Nazi Germany and the font together, it is said that he coerced people into believing that those who followed Hitler and put Germany beyond anything else were the real true strong public.
The writing was used alongside the Swastika brand icon to promote cultural thinking and party priorities amongst the vast majority of the German population. The Swastika was used vividly across various nations. Once Hitler adopted it as the sign of the party, many other nations across the world also began adopting the similar sign in a show of homage to the same ideology. The use of the font and symbol as a typeface on every official document and newspapers resulted in a transcendence of the strong culture that Hitler wanted to promote in Germany (Charchar, 2009). The aggression and boldness often associated with both the font and the symbol resulted in a mass propaganda aimed at ingraining the society with the same ideals that Hitler held dear to himself (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 2009).
Typeface link to psychological and subliminal effects
The issue of subliminal advertising was raised when James Vicary exhibited his market research on subliminal advertising. He was one of the first to pioneer the name subliminal advertising and his initial experiment used techniques of typography as well.
In 1950s, James Vicary flashed the words eat popcorn and drink coke at different rates during the screening of a movie. The images of text appeared for less than a split second but according to Vicary, it made people want to buy more popcorn and drink more coke. According to him, sales of popcorn went up by approximately 58, whereas those of Coke rose by 18.
The subject, since then has been under a cloud of controversy. Its ethical implications and morality have been questioned time and again by the scientific community. However, since there was no way to actually prove this could happen, the issue died down.
With research done in the field, Wilson Bryan revealed that subliminal advertising was very real and the uses of techniques as described by Vicary were very real. Companies were using subtle cues to influence consumers into buying products and shaping their behavior and perceptions about brands. According to him, most hidden messages related to sex, violence and self destruction.
Research has shown that the link of typeface and fonts to subliminal effects is quite integrated in nature. Many firms have started employing the technique in the hope of achieving better impression management of not only their companies but also their brands. The emphasis is now on developing techniques which allow firms to psychologically influence the consumer through advertisements and marketing techniques.
Research has shown that designs impact perceptions considerably. As the world witnessed with Apple, it is an accepted fact that innovativeness in design, technology and typeface lead to a favorable consumer perception. Based on the research of Childers and Jass, it is evident that designs influence the readability of advertisements and thus, psychologically induce consumers into memorizing particular brands and their impressions. At the same time, innovativeness in such ideas causes consumers to feel more in tuned with the company and create a sense of warmth with the brand in question(Henderson, 2004).
Research has also concluded that certain types of fonts make consumers and readers exhibit certain forms of behavior and emotions (Bullock, 2004). It is a widely noted fact that when advertisements use serifs fonts, they can excite consumers into feeling emotions that range from happy to sad, and young to old. The aesthetics of the design can also affect the state of perception of the consumer. Complex designs result in automatic withdrawal by the consumers and therefore, their psychological state does not allow them to perceive the communicative message properly (Sutherland, 2000). However, evidence has shown that harmonized and humanistic approaches to designs lead to a wider acceptance of the advertising message in general (Henderson, 2004). They also develop the idea that some designs are more pleasing then the other and thus, result in increased emotional arousal, leading to buying behavior.
Finally, the fact that designs convey emotions makes them more prone to influence consumers psychologically and subliminally. Different type faces communicate different emotions. Dominant styles of writing and typography convey emotions of importance, influence and control. Whereas, softer font styles and typography techniques convey pleasant and beautiful emotions amongst consumers (Thangaraj, 2004). Based on this, and the advertisements relation to the brand itself, a consumer can be influenced into buying a product he or she might not need. It is understandable, because human emotions play a very important role in buying behavior.
It is now a widely accepted study that serif fonts are now accepted as the norm for documents. Similarly, advertisers seek to influence consumers psychologically by using longer line lengths to make sure they read the message faster (Henderson, 2004). In case of comprehension being the main motive, advertisers use shorter sentences to make sure their consumer understands the message. Research has concluded that the optimum number of characters that should be present in a line should be between 45-65(Bullock, 2004). This ensures readability and cohesiveness of the sentence. It also allows the reader to infer directly to the text and make a sound comprehensive judgment of understanding. Advertisers use this in marketing techniques to subliminally try to influence consumers.
Various methods of subliminal messages through the use of typography already exist and are quite common in our everyday brand experience. One such brand is that of NIKE. The slogan just do it can mean different things to different people. Based on cultural differences and mental states, the slogan can incite different behavior in different people. Its massive appeal format to be global yet so concise that it applies to everyone is a good way of describing the use of words and typography in subliminal advertising. Slogans are particularly known for their effect in influencing consumers. This slogan can influence consumers in a number of ways depending on their mood, culture and environment.
Another interesting case of typography use for subliminal advertising is that of FedEx. Though there is no clear comment from the company, it is widely believed that the logo uses subliminal advertising.
The figure shows the picture of the FedEx logo text. Observed carefully, the space between the E and the X represent an arrow figure. This logo attracted the attention of various marketers and subliminal advertising enthusiastic alike. The visible arrow illusion, according to some, means to invoke inside the consumers mind that the service is direct, clear, forward, signifying characteristics the company might want to promote. However, there is no substantial proof of this being the case. The most difficult part of subliminal advertising is that it is there, but you cannot exactly place a finger on it. The above example could be held as the clear use of typography in subliminal environments.
Though the role of typography in the hidden agenda towards persuasiveness is evident by the paper, it is important to understand the positive linkages associated with the technique. With modern typography being employed in almost every avenue, it is also being employed to help the disabled.
Typeface legibility can help readers with disabilities such as dyslexia. Students suffering from attention deficiency disorders can boost their comprehension and attention spans through the use of effective typography. Reading disabilities can be restructured and victims of the disease can be taught in a much more effective and efficient manner using typography techniques and new design templates.
Though typography can influence consumers and readers enormously, it is not the font that creates the perception alone it is the intention of the human writing it. Therefore, to hold that the hidden power and persuasion associated with typography is the only thing that motivates consumers to buy is unfair.
Furthermore, consumers are bombarded with information regarding advertisements everyday in numerous numbers. However, in the clutter of the advertising atmosphere, typology seeks to offer an alternative means of communication, not explored in depth yet.
The basics of typography are often thought to be in good communication. The idea behind typography is to transcend information for the use and understanding of the common man (Friedl, 1998). Thus, the standardized font size of 12 to enable users to comfortable read a given material. Lettering types and font styles further play on these important aspects with some writers going beyond the basics and employing line spacing and text spacing as a tool to make their documents more user-friendly. All this is encompassed in the line of typography.
In modern times, the focus of typography has been on the digital world. With more and more communication being taking place on the internet and telecommunication networks, the works of typography has become divided. Initially, focusing on written documents, typographers were more concerned with communication the message in a visually effective way. All that mattered was readability and attractiveness (Ambrose, 2006). However, in the digital world, this focus has been taken to the next level, where communication is not the primary focus, but rather the influence of the text itself on the minds of the reader (Bringhurt, 2004).
All in all, the idea of typography can be summed up as a combination of text, which includes font sizes, styles, spacing and color (Ambrose, 2006). The basic idea is communication as is visible in newspapers which use a collection of balanced art forms and restricted texts. Newspapers seek to communicate articles to the reader. Print newspapers are evidently full of the role of typography using different font sizes, text placement, text patterns and different colors to pronounce main headings and subdue those less important (Ambrose, 2006). Placement of text becomes essentially important in newspapers, as they try to gain the attention span of the reader.
This idea has been taken to the next level with advertisers using typography as an art form. By aligning text slogans with specific fonts, colors and styles, a marketer is able to develop an association in the mind of the consumer with the brand he or she is trying to sell. Using graphic designs, typography has been changed to more than just a communicative aspect (Bringhurt, 2004). Now, typography is used by marketers to influence how a person feels about a certain topic.
This paper will discuss the role of typography in changing times, and how the art has transformed from being used as an avenue for communication to a tool for manipulation and propaganda. The extent of the influence of typography on advertising and promoting influences will be discussed as well. By the end of the paper, the role and hidden power of typography will be clearly examined.
Role and hidden power of typography
Everything a human interacts with leaves an image on the mind of the person. How intricately attached the person becomes to that image and how much it influences his or her behavior is what matters. For years, psychologists and marketers alike have been trying to find ways to reach the inner workings of the minds of the consumer. Now, Martin Lindstrom has even perfected his fMRI machines which allow marketers to peer into the brains of consumers to see what exactly makes them tick. As such, typography and the way typefaces are designed influence consumers as well. Their ability to leave lasting images on the minds of consumers is of utmost important to psychologists and marketers because then they can predict behavior according. Font size, spacing and style can affect an individuals style of reading, comprehension and behavior accordingly.
In the most basic of examples, the relatively simple choice of choosing font can influence the way a person feels or sees a particular text. For instance, research has shown that a writer using font styles such as Comics Sans can often end up losing the attention of a reader. They tend to disregard the basic message as non seriousness. Instead, most writers rely on font styles such as Times New Roman to influence the reader into maintaining interest. The true nature of this being evident from the fact that readers do associate the font with a serious attentive span. Readers associate the given typography as easy to understand, and seemingly intelligent in nature With over 50,000 fonts used in typographic structures, it is clear that the need exists. However, when one font style would do, why use many The answer lies in the heart of the consumers. To influence them more, the motivation to create more font styles has increased dramatically over the past few years, augmenting my arguments of the hidden power of typography.
The nature of typography is complex. Neville Brody, a leading graphic designer went on to say that typography in itself is manipulative and tends to influence the emotional elements of a person. With the thousands of font styles, typography material and ways of text placement available, an average consumer is bombarded with thousands of communicative messages in a day. Which sticks to his or her mind is the main idea of marketers. Thus, typography is being used to make sure that whatever text is used, it influences the minds, sensibilities and memory of the reader (White, 2006).
A research conducted by Dr. Aric Sigman concluded that there is a particular difference in the way typography influences men and women. Distinctly, each gender has its own predispositions to a particular type of font, and marketers, are increasingly playing upon that distinction. It was found that women prefer font that is rounder in nature, whereas men preferred font which was more rectilinear. Either way, now, marketers, trying to bring a human element into coercing consumers to buy have begun using different fonts in the hope to influence the emotions of a consumer. For women, they tend to use rounder text, where as for men, they try to play on the element of sophisticated text, which is direct and linear(White, 2006). Its effectiveness, however, is arguable since the difference in nature of the communication style can lead to the effect of the hidden power of typography being subdued.
Various typefaces have been used to make text more appealing to average readers. With time, concepts of using small fonts of CVs have become more attractive as it is believed to have an authoritative power associated with it. Similarly, to free readers from the fatigue of having to read long articles, typographers have started using more eye friendly font, which enable users to read for long hours without having to suffer the torment of staring at the same font style and getting irritated.
Serif fonts are used to display each letter with equal emphasis. This not only enables the effort of smart communication, but at the same time, drives a reader to read the next letter. In the hope of consuming the reader into the communication avenue, typographers use this font to ensure continuity in reading. Times New roman, as mentioned earlier, was created for the ease of reading as well. It is noteworthy to mention that the people, who developed it, did it for The Times newspaper to ensure contour and strength of lines in the articles
However, with 90 of children not even noticing which fonts are being used, the hidden power of typography becomes questionable. However, our mindsets and general feeling is still hooked onto ideas that CVs are rejected within seconds if the font is questionable and if the font does not make an adequate impression, a customer cannot be bought into an attentive state. Whether people admit it or not, typefaces are used to express inner feelings and to arouse similar feelings in others. That is why most people end up using humanized font styles during emotional holidays instead of the sophisticated, dry and cultured font used on the Bill of Rights.
Radical changes in the field of Graphic Design
With time, the art of typography has advanced intricately. The ability to use more styles and the ease in their development has transformed the entire communication channel. Initially, before the inception of the computer age, language writing and skills were held in high esteem. Perhaps the fruitfulness of their nature was evident in ancient times as is now. Anyone who knew the structure of letterforms, could use drawing forms and could write in magnificent handiwork was a great typographic. It bought the essence of the creative skill and nature of an individual out through his or her writing.
However, now, the development of new typefaces is taking place at a resounding rate. In the past 20 years, the number of pure typefaces has gone from 1,000 to 9,000(Meggs, 2008). The nature of communication has changed and now writers have a choice of expanded expressions and voice. Perhaps the nature in this change lies in the fact that with time, people get too accustomed to the typefaces being used. Because of that, the nature of the message is lost and people are not observant to the information and communication change taking place. Thus, as the world of graphic design has changed in the past 20 years, it will continue to change as more and more typographic material becomes outdated or overused(Heller, 1999).
When immovable printing presses existed, the transcendence of information was a problem. However, now, information, the heart of the 21st century has increased to an astounding level through the use of graphic designing. However, the easy availability of font styles and prefaces has rendered an entire change in the graphic design industry ever since the incorporation of the Macintosh in the 1980s (Drucker, 2008). The initial constraints associated with developing typefaces and traditional barriers have now been removed as the discipline of graphic designing advances. Because of these advancements, the entire structure of society has been revamped and affected by the new technology in place today. Our automated teller machines, internet and other forms of communication are overridden with different graphic designs. The invention of the monotype and Linotype machines helped incorporate this new technology that we use today (Drucker, 2008).
The computer has bought a revolution in the way typography was done in early times. The typography of Just Van Rossum and Erik Van Blokland (DiGioia)are clearly changing as they incorporate the use of computers in their models to develop new typefaces for the communication oriented industries (Meggs, 2008). When once, smoothness and sophistication of texts was a hard to achieve concept, the computer has allowed attainable perfection in this premise. However, some designers, such as Phil Baines argue that the change in typography and its effectiveness and efficiency of use is not due to the change in technology but rather the change in the orientation of communication itself (Heller, 1999).
The rapid developments taking place in the graphic designing industry is often seen as haphazard and chaotic in nature. However, the radical changes in the art of graphic designing are the replication of what happened in earlier times. Modernist designers such as Paul Rand and Milton Glaser were often disregarded as chaotic graphic designers as well (DiGioia). Their work on advertising and communication techniques was often disregarded as it appeared to be out of context at the time. However, the recent changes in graphic designing are similar in nature, but are being accepted more and more with time. Though many graphic designers claim that new typography has lost the essence of communication, newer graphic designers claim that the rules of communication have changed. Designing is being done to take into perspective the pluralistic nature of society where previous designs are no longer applicable.
With the advent of modern technology, typefaces are being developed with increasing face and sophistication. The concept is changing from the appeal to communicate but rather to influence (Drucker, 2008). Because of that, graphic designers are not designing advertisements and posters that are based on gaining the attention of the reader and then retaining it. Because of these advancements, the fundamental nature of typography has changed from communicative to an influencer role (Heller, 1999).
Typography in advertising
Advertising has long used typography to forward communicative messages to the consumer. However, with so many advertisements all around us, it is hard to even distinguish between the most well known brands in the world. The advertisement clutter has created a new need and that is of attention gaining. Advertisements successful in gaining the attention of the prospects are thought to be more effective than those communicating a message. Messages are often forgotten, but with the use of typography, the reader not only keeps his or her mind open to the ideas offered by the advertisement but also becomes emotionally aroused by effective typography(Bill, 1999).
Typography adds as a visual reminder in the brand identity formations. Various brands have already established certain typographic details for their brand personas. These details are so intricately attached to the readers visual instincts that it is easy to distinguish the brand by simply looking at the typography available. An example of such can be that of Coco Chanel, which uses a standardized bolded sans serif with a white on black contrast. Even McDonalds holds its typographic arrangements sacred, suing anyone using the brand icon M in a similar way that they use it (White, 2006).
Reel light lighting company used typography in one of their advertisements to gain visual attention of readers. By using ample whitespace between their font, they were able to mimic the sense of light and illumination in their advertisements (Sutherland, 2000). The key concept of typography in advertising has become the effectiveness of typography to act as an image. Images are being overused in todays advertising atmosphere and now marketers are trying to break away from the clutter. Typography offers that very chance to break into the moulds of the consumers inner most appeals through the use of line spacing, text manipulation and font sizes. The basic concept behind the use of typography can stem from the idea that it is still hidden in the minds of the consumer and acts like a secret weapon. Consumers know when they are being advertised to and thus that takes away their appeal to give into the message. However, with typography they are lured in a truer more unidentifiable manner into the message.
On top of that, the very basis of typography is that to appeal to the intellectual aspects rather than the visual side of the brain alone. Typography and the use of text allow marketers to target individuals in their mind. Thus, when they see an effective typographically designed advertisement, they read the image and decipher the content, making them automatically involved in the process (White, 2006). Advertising then becomes more stimulating and interactive, which is at the heart of good advertising.
The idea is to keep typography legible in advertisements. Most companies use legibility and typography to forward the brand image and persona in a subtle way. By catching the prospects attention through the use of column width, text sizes and font styles, marketers are able to lure prospects into learning more about the brand. By stimulating their intellect, marketers are able to pass on a hidden brand image through such advertising.
According to Matthew Carter, good typographers focus on transcending the true message and views of the author (or brand) to the consumer (or reader) (Bill, 1999). Instead of hiding the communication, using typography, direct interfaces can envelope. According to him, this allows the use of emotions, sympathy encompassing the style of typography (Thangaraj, 2004). However, evoking hidden emotions in readers has become increasingly common in subliminal advertising. Using silently placed text in advertisements to subliminally influence consumers is become more and more common (Thangaraj, 2004).
Research has also shown that advertisers are using typography to aid in the marketing endeavors. Foster and Bruce concluded that by using italics in advertisements, marketers were able to reduce reading speed. By reducing reading speed, marketers are able to convey a message to the reader in a longer time frame and keep him or her occupied with the message for a longer time. similarly, other researchers such as Smith and McCombs in 1971 concluded that black spaces that are often seen around paragraphs help to achieve legibility in writing, convincing the reader of easy readability and keeping him or her more involved with the message. Breland and Breland further suggested that the use of bold capital letters in advertising can help reduce reading speed by up to 20 ( Sutherland, 2000). This means that marketers can employ this tactic when they want to pass on a quick message in the advertising clutter. Finally, Strong in 1926 had suggested that by using blank spaces in texts, typographers were able to not only attract a reader but also gain their attention spans longer than those texts that did not employ the tactic (White, 2006).
Several researchers have also concluded that consumers tend to regard the typography in consequence with the product offered. Therefore, according to Walker, Smith and Livingstone, most consumers associated shared beliefs and features between the type of text used and the product being advertised. The consistent use of one type of typeface, abstract connotations and similar ideals, brands can forward an image of their product with the use of typography. An example of such can be Johnson and Johnsons which uses humanized, delicate font with a gentle touch. This matches the products they sell which are mainly baby oriented and skin care. Factors like these effected brand perception in the minds of consumers. Even the font used by De Beerss diamonds in their advertisements is sharp and crisp (Thangaraj, 2004). The letters are intricately detailed and have influencing contours. This matches the product they are selling and thus influence the brand image amongst consumers.
Second dialogue with typography
The role of typography in generating a second dialogue is very important to consider. Generally, most people consider the second dialogue as a way of communication, and rightly so. What typography does is that instead of simply placing the text in front of the reader, it also manages to captivate him or her into understanding another dimension (Sutherland, 2000). This dimension can be aroused in the form of emotions, sympathies and other personal factors that can influence the reader in different ways. Thus, the conduction of second dialogues becomes very important in communication and advertising.
Many marketers have begun forwarding the concept to encompass sending two messages in one coded form. Both messages are consumed by the reader. The original message is sent as a primary message where as the secondary dialogue passes on the secondary message. Research has shown that when the word red is written in blue color, the reader ends up seeing both colors as the visual and verbal sectors of his or her brain are stimulated (Henderson, 2004).
To explain the concept, I will use comic books as an example of how secondary dialogue takes place. Comic books use extensive use of typography to not only convey emotions but at the same time pass on the message of the text directly to the user. Though formulated under direct rules of comic book writing, the idea is that typography plays an important role in both primary and secondary communication. Not only does it encompasses emotions but at the same time uses text to pass on the genuine message.
Often, comic books use the help of bold letters to emphasize a point of reference (Piekos, 2009). Bold letters are used to captivate the reader and instill in him or her sense of importance of the material at hand. Bold letters are highly effective when one particular message has to be sent. In this comical extract, it is visible that not only the primary mode of communication (that of meeting the doctor) is being conveyed, but also a sense of anxiety is build through the bolding of again and doctor. The particular emphasis played on these words has created a double image in the mind of the reader.
The concepts of burst balloons which show the change in style of typography are used to emphasis screaming or an unusual event (Piekos, 2009). As is witnessed by the comic extract, the reader gets the idea that of the primary message (that of meeting the doctor), but at the same time realizes that what is being said is being yelled and screamed, thus reflecting human emotion through the use of typography. Two messages in the same image are being portrayed.
Ellipses are used to show discontinuance of speech (Piekos, 2009). The simple use of spaces and full stops has resulted in an important emotion being transcended to the reader. One, the reader realizes that the cartoon is about someone wanting revenge. But at the same time, he or she also realizes the pause in between the two bubbles, signifying human emotion. Both messages are expelled to the reader at the same time, at the same face, subtly.
Another example of the use of typography to send two messages at the same time (Piekos, 2009) is that of the combination question mark with the exclamation mark. Both styles express a certain expression to the reader. In this case, both expressions are being exhibited to the reader, confusing him or her between the emotions, but bringing out the appeal of the comic.
Finally, the use of subtle expressions is important in comic books and is used by typography to forward messages in particular styles (Piekos, 2009). The broken lines around the bubble show whispering where as the dull background of the bubble shows that something is not clear and subtle in nature itself. These techniques are used by typographers to allow readers to feel human emotions without the presence of direct images or relatable material. Such forms can be used in advertising as well.
Propaganda Typography
Figure SEQ Figure ARABIC 6(Charchar, 2009)
Fraktur, a black letter font was used by German Nazis to communicate with the general public. Hitler employed this font and typography technique to ensure that certain factors were communicated to the public. As with other mediums of media, the black letters were used by Hitler as a means to communicate an ideology with the German public. Though his propaganda tools were far more diverse, his reliance on being bold with this form of font was particularly interesting and manipulative.
One, his main emphasis was on the transfer of national identity. The font was thought to hold true ties to the Nazi regime and thus, an effective way to transcend the brand identity of the Nazis themselves (Goebbels, 1999). The idea behind the font was that it was held in high national regard. Many people felt that the style of writing reflected true German heritage. Hitler, using the emotional plow of patriotism, exploited this factor and used the font on government documents and other nationally used avenues of communication. The strong powerful design employed by the font helped transcend a similar, patriotic image of the Nazis in the public opinions (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 2009). This allowed Hitler to manipulate the people in a way that had never been witnessed before. It has been claimed that because of Hitler employing the Patriotism aspect into the way of writing, he was able to generate wide appeal for documents, their readability and influence on the common public.
Lettering is often associated with the civilized culture of a nation and Hitler intended on pushing this agenda singularly. His objective was to make the German nation see the true light of the culture through the font itself. The strong powerful writing that the font offered, gave an authoritative tone and strong positioning of Hitlers party to the public(Goebbels, 1999). The font in nature is particularly bold, strong and authoritative. By developing an association of Nazi Germany and the font together, it is said that he coerced people into believing that those who followed Hitler and put Germany beyond anything else were the real true strong public.
The writing was used alongside the Swastika brand icon to promote cultural thinking and party priorities amongst the vast majority of the German population. The Swastika was used vividly across various nations. Once Hitler adopted it as the sign of the party, many other nations across the world also began adopting the similar sign in a show of homage to the same ideology. The use of the font and symbol as a typeface on every official document and newspapers resulted in a transcendence of the strong culture that Hitler wanted to promote in Germany (Charchar, 2009). The aggression and boldness often associated with both the font and the symbol resulted in a mass propaganda aimed at ingraining the society with the same ideals that Hitler held dear to himself (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 2009).
Typeface link to psychological and subliminal effects
The issue of subliminal advertising was raised when James Vicary exhibited his market research on subliminal advertising. He was one of the first to pioneer the name subliminal advertising and his initial experiment used techniques of typography as well.
In 1950s, James Vicary flashed the words eat popcorn and drink coke at different rates during the screening of a movie. The images of text appeared for less than a split second but according to Vicary, it made people want to buy more popcorn and drink more coke. According to him, sales of popcorn went up by approximately 58, whereas those of Coke rose by 18.
The subject, since then has been under a cloud of controversy. Its ethical implications and morality have been questioned time and again by the scientific community. However, since there was no way to actually prove this could happen, the issue died down.
With research done in the field, Wilson Bryan revealed that subliminal advertising was very real and the uses of techniques as described by Vicary were very real. Companies were using subtle cues to influence consumers into buying products and shaping their behavior and perceptions about brands. According to him, most hidden messages related to sex, violence and self destruction.
Research has shown that the link of typeface and fonts to subliminal effects is quite integrated in nature. Many firms have started employing the technique in the hope of achieving better impression management of not only their companies but also their brands. The emphasis is now on developing techniques which allow firms to psychologically influence the consumer through advertisements and marketing techniques.
Research has shown that designs impact perceptions considerably. As the world witnessed with Apple, it is an accepted fact that innovativeness in design, technology and typeface lead to a favorable consumer perception. Based on the research of Childers and Jass, it is evident that designs influence the readability of advertisements and thus, psychologically induce consumers into memorizing particular brands and their impressions. At the same time, innovativeness in such ideas causes consumers to feel more in tuned with the company and create a sense of warmth with the brand in question(Henderson, 2004).
Research has also concluded that certain types of fonts make consumers and readers exhibit certain forms of behavior and emotions (Bullock, 2004). It is a widely noted fact that when advertisements use serifs fonts, they can excite consumers into feeling emotions that range from happy to sad, and young to old. The aesthetics of the design can also affect the state of perception of the consumer. Complex designs result in automatic withdrawal by the consumers and therefore, their psychological state does not allow them to perceive the communicative message properly (Sutherland, 2000). However, evidence has shown that harmonized and humanistic approaches to designs lead to a wider acceptance of the advertising message in general (Henderson, 2004). They also develop the idea that some designs are more pleasing then the other and thus, result in increased emotional arousal, leading to buying behavior.
Finally, the fact that designs convey emotions makes them more prone to influence consumers psychologically and subliminally. Different type faces communicate different emotions. Dominant styles of writing and typography convey emotions of importance, influence and control. Whereas, softer font styles and typography techniques convey pleasant and beautiful emotions amongst consumers (Thangaraj, 2004). Based on this, and the advertisements relation to the brand itself, a consumer can be influenced into buying a product he or she might not need. It is understandable, because human emotions play a very important role in buying behavior.
It is now a widely accepted study that serif fonts are now accepted as the norm for documents. Similarly, advertisers seek to influence consumers psychologically by using longer line lengths to make sure they read the message faster (Henderson, 2004). In case of comprehension being the main motive, advertisers use shorter sentences to make sure their consumer understands the message. Research has concluded that the optimum number of characters that should be present in a line should be between 45-65(Bullock, 2004). This ensures readability and cohesiveness of the sentence. It also allows the reader to infer directly to the text and make a sound comprehensive judgment of understanding. Advertisers use this in marketing techniques to subliminally try to influence consumers.
Various methods of subliminal messages through the use of typography already exist and are quite common in our everyday brand experience. One such brand is that of NIKE. The slogan just do it can mean different things to different people. Based on cultural differences and mental states, the slogan can incite different behavior in different people. Its massive appeal format to be global yet so concise that it applies to everyone is a good way of describing the use of words and typography in subliminal advertising. Slogans are particularly known for their effect in influencing consumers. This slogan can influence consumers in a number of ways depending on their mood, culture and environment.
Another interesting case of typography use for subliminal advertising is that of FedEx. Though there is no clear comment from the company, it is widely believed that the logo uses subliminal advertising.
The figure shows the picture of the FedEx logo text. Observed carefully, the space between the E and the X represent an arrow figure. This logo attracted the attention of various marketers and subliminal advertising enthusiastic alike. The visible arrow illusion, according to some, means to invoke inside the consumers mind that the service is direct, clear, forward, signifying characteristics the company might want to promote. However, there is no substantial proof of this being the case. The most difficult part of subliminal advertising is that it is there, but you cannot exactly place a finger on it. The above example could be held as the clear use of typography in subliminal environments.
Though the role of typography in the hidden agenda towards persuasiveness is evident by the paper, it is important to understand the positive linkages associated with the technique. With modern typography being employed in almost every avenue, it is also being employed to help the disabled.
Typeface legibility can help readers with disabilities such as dyslexia. Students suffering from attention deficiency disorders can boost their comprehension and attention spans through the use of effective typography. Reading disabilities can be restructured and victims of the disease can be taught in a much more effective and efficient manner using typography techniques and new design templates.
Though typography can influence consumers and readers enormously, it is not the font that creates the perception alone it is the intention of the human writing it. Therefore, to hold that the hidden power and persuasion associated with typography is the only thing that motivates consumers to buy is unfair.
Furthermore, consumers are bombarded with information regarding advertisements everyday in numerous numbers. However, in the clutter of the advertising atmosphere, typology seeks to offer an alternative means of communication, not explored in depth yet.
