As their names imply, serifs, or the decorative lines that extend beyond the margins of the letters, are the key distinction between serif and sans serif fonts.
Each letter in a serif typeface has a serif at the end. Examples of fonts that are frequently used include Courier New, Times New Roman, Garamond, Baskerville, and Georgia.
Sans serif typefaces are composed of straight, plain lines without serifs (the French word “sans” means “without”). You’re probably familiar with Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, Tahoma, Proxima Nova, Futura, Calibri, and other well-known members of this group.
The significance of typography to your brand identity
People’s perceptions of your brand are influenced by the typeface you use. Additionally, it affects how adaptable and readable your brand identity will be in the end. Based on these three standards, let’s contrast serif and sans-serif fonts.
1. Perception of emotions
Look at the patterns below. The emblem on the right denotes a law practice, while the logo on the left belongs to an amusement park. In order to convey diverse meanings to the public, these two brands have different brand identities, including fonts.
Typefaces with serifs and sans-serifs convey contrasting emotional meanings. While sans-serif fonts appear friendlier and more contemporary, serif typefaces are regarded as formal and historic. By selecting the incorrect typeface, you run the risk of giving your business an image that is unrelated to its true values.
2. Versatility
Serif-less letters are simpler to scale. Even at smaller sizes, a font with fewer detailed elements is still readable. Additionally, if you use a sans-serif typeface, you won’t have any trouble converting it for use on a website, landing page, or mobile application. Statistics show that 73% of brands choose sans serif fonts over those with serifs as a result of these benefits.
3. Readability
It is a popular misconception that reading text written in a more complex serif typeface takes longer than reading material written in a simpler sans-serif fonts licensing. There are no studies that back up this supposition, though.
However, studies have shown that visually impaired individuals find sans-serif typefaces to be easier to read than their more complex counterparts.
Serif vs. Sans Fonts Serif Fonts: Definition, Applications, and Examples
Determine the meaning you want your typeface to transmit before deciding on the best font style for your brand. The best approach to remembering this information is to study the typefaces that well-known brands employ.
Serif Fonts: Reliable and Consistent
Serif typefaces are older than their sans-serif competitors since they date back to the early days of book production. Because of this, the serif typeface is seen as timeless, conventional, and reliable. The results of various studies support this reputation.
People consider serif fonts as “scientific” and “refined,” and they think of them as “stable, practical, mature, and official,” according to numerous surveys.
Two sarcastic sentences from The New York Times were printed in the same size in both serif (Times New Roman) and non-serious (Arial) fonts for the study. Students were shown the two passages and decided that the Times New Roman paragraph was funnier than the Arial passage.
Serif fonts are a suitable option for brands that want to come out as strong, dependable, traditional, and conservative. See which businesses used the serif typeface to produce this specific image.
Tips & Life Hacks for Font Selection
A trend toward simplification has been present throughout the past few years in graphic design. Tier 1 firms are removing more and more ostentatious aspects from their logos, including serifs.
Does that imply that you ought to do the same? Unfortunately, this conundrum has no solution. Serif and sans-serif fonts can both function effectively in certain contexts. Let’s look at the factors you ought to take into account.
The character of your company. What message do you want your font to convey to your audience? Sans serifs are the way to go if you want to convey a friendly and customer-focused image. However, a serif typeface can undoubtedly assist you to accomplish the task if your objective is to leave a lasting impression on a picky audience and inspire trust.
Channels for communication. Consider if customers will interact with your brand offline or online. Choose a serif typeface if you plan to use your logo largely in print. However, you should seek a sans-serif typeface if your web presence is significant. Sans-serif fonts are believed to be more adaptive and flexible than those with serifs if you, like Airbnb, need a flexible option.
Study under the greatest. Make a list of popular companies whose personalities resemble that of your business and look at the fonts they employ. Talk about the design strategies they use to capture your distinctive traits and attributes. Make these tools specific to your own brand personality.
Select and evaluate several freefonts. Utilize each font both in print and on a screen while scaling it up and down to test it. Select the choice that most closely matches your needs.
Converge many sources. Companies frequently combine two to three-serif and sans-serif fonts. A clever font mix can be obtained without shelling out a lot of money or hiring a designer. Fortunately, you can create a logo online with tools like Logaster. Numerous ready-to-use font combinations are available from Logaster. Select the strategy that best represents your brand!
To sum up
Fonts with serifs and those without serve distinct functions and evoke different feelings. You must establish your brand personality and decide the tasks you want your typeface to carry out in order to select the best decision.
Don’t be afraid to benefit from other brands’ experience. Additionally, if you’re having trouble discovering “that right font” for your company, using different typefaces might be a smart idea!
Nikhil Kore
Trammy Morgan