Font psychology: did you know that the fonts you choose are one of the most critical parts of a product label? Find out how you can find the right one that suits you the most.
Fonts, also known as typefaces, are essential aspects of delivering the writer’s emotions to the reader in a creative way. They set the tone and voice of the words written on a page while reflecting the thoughts and images with the many characters it combines itself with.
There are over half a million fonts available today. Some of the most popular options include Helvetica, Calibri, Arial, Verdana, and Times New Roman. These styles are essential in setting the voice of all things we read. In business, fonts can be considered one of the most critical parts of a product label.
Font Psychology looks at typefaces and the different effects they can have on people’s thoughts, feelings, and behavior. According to some studies, people can have different reactions to different fonts, which can also vary depending upon the context.
Because of this, many business owners consider fonts an important part of decision-making when designing a label for a product.
There are several factors that business owners need to bear in mind when picking out the right typeface for their products. Here are just a few of them.
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1 Brand Image
The font selected for a brand should mirror the character, values, and spirit of the company. This is because the font chosen can trigger a subconscious response from the reader about what kind of personality a company has.
If business owners manage products that are generally made for children, then they should avoid hard and serious fonts that would not appeal to them. Instead, use eye-catching fonts that mirror other visuals and designs to make them more pleasing to the eye. The same concept applies when your target market is the elderly.
Being mindful of the target audience is a great way to determine the right font for a product label.
2 Legibility
All fonts on a packaging label should be legible enough for anyone to read clearly. If not, this could create more frustration with customers, which subconsciously tells them to avoid the brand itself despite how good a product may be.
Simplified fonts are generally best for large bodies of text, such as the list of ingredients or the terms and conditions of a product or service. These texts are often smaller than the title or headline, making reading harder if an extravagant typeface is used.
3 Font Family
Some fonts come with alternative styles or ‘families’ that allow designers to use them to their advantage creatively. Sometimes, these font families can also help decision-makers pick a specific design to meet their typographic needs.
A general rule of thumb is to use a maximum of two to three fonts from the same group. This allows readers to differentiate paragraphs and text as another subhead more easily.
4 Font Limitations
Some font styles may cause hyphens, quotation marks, and other factors to seem less pleasing to the eye. As a result, this could make the spacing between the fonts more narrow or wider than the reader is comfortable with. Certain fonts could also make it more challenging to read when special characters are used.
Font Psychology: Establishing Your Style
The font styles that a brand uses can significantly affect customers’ reactions without them realizing it, hence why they play such a vital role in designing product labels, logos, and more.
Choosing the right font can be time-consuming and challenging for many business owners and key decision-makers. However, with a few factors to keep in mind, the options can be narrowed down quickly to pick the suitable typeface for your brand.