Larsen Idealog

When a typeface belongs to a brand

There it is: The unmistakable New Yorker typeface on a bag of Sara Lee Soft & Smooth Whole Grain White Bread. What’s your opinion? Is it wise to use the famed New Yorker font on anything but The New Yorker?  Join the discussion over at MarketingProfs DailyFix: White Bread and The New Yorker: Bread-Brand Confusion?

Design Director Peter de Sibour says there is a difference between The New Yorker masthead, which is, of course, proprietary and the New Yorker font which is based on the original rendering of that famed masthead. (See, for example, the “E.”) Still, to the undiscerning consumer, the fonts are essentially identical. The point is this: as you select a typeface, a color, or any design element for your brand, be aware of its legacy. No brand exists in a vacuum.