Created in the 1950′s by Swiss typographer Max Miedinger, Helvetica now has a worldwide presence and is somewhat of a VIP of fonts. Helvetica is named after the Latin name for Switzerland and is popular among designers for its clean, bold and modern look.
Being quite the typography geek, I wanted to share with you some examples featuring the Helvetica font. If you are confused about the difference between Arial and Helvetica, check out this post. Then, take the Arial-Helvetica Quiz and let me know in the comments whether you have passed…
“It’s durable. It comes from natural design forms. It doesn’t have an expression of fashion. It has very clear lines and characters, it looks like a very serious typeface,” says Frank Wildenberg, managing director of Linotype, the German firm that owns the font.
Signage – New York City Subway System
It’s a long story, but MTA chose Helvetica in the first place as a way of unifying their different train operations which were using several different fonts at the time. Additionally, Helvetica served as the perfect choice for their signage concept, as its properties supported the aim to create signs that could be quickly read and easily understood by riders.
Look around you and you will find lots of examples of where the simplicity of Helvetica has been used to facilitate people’s lives:
Brand Logos
Many companies have picked Helvetica for its sleekness and as a way to convey their brand message:
Here is a poster from Deviant Art which proves its point:
Last but not least, inspired by swissmiss, an adorable Helvetica onesie for your baby:
Download the Helvetica font from Linotype
