So I might be a copywriter, however, I do have this crazy love for typography. No, I’m not an expert in the subject, but typography just fascinates me. All typefaces are intriguing to me; anything from hand-rendered to ornamental to regular Roman type. And the day I found out the difference, or that there even was a difference, between fonts and typography, I felt like a new, more adroit person.
Caving into my obsession, I decided to watch the documentary Helvetica. What a great film about that illustrious sans-serif goldmine. Watching interview after interview, I found a new appreciation for my love for typography — one I shared with the interviewees. And, I started to realize just how much Helvetica has impacted life around us.
Things I learned about the typeface from the documentary:
- It’s a Grotesque sans-serif
- Released in 1957 in Switzerland
- Originally is was called Die Neue Haas Grotesk (but later they felt Helvetica, the latin name for Swiss, had a nicer ring)
- That there is a difference between Arial and Helvetica, and it can best be seen in the capital letters C, G, and R, as well as the lowercase letters a, e, r, and t.
- It was created in response to the need for a clear, modern, universal font, and is now one of the most commonly used fonts in the world.
Aside from learning about the font itself, I also discovered that renowned designer, Massimo Vignelli, has one of the coolest Italian accents I’ve ever heard.
The film really makes you realize how special, and ubiquitous, fonts are. Fonts surround us every moment of every day, and each typeface was designed, it was the brainchild of an artist. Each serif, or line, or curve has meaning. You take for granted the fonts that you use all the time, or even mock those over-used ones like Papyrus, Impact, or Comic Sans, but really each typeface is its own little piece of art.
I definitely recommend seeing Helvetica. Even if you’re not a type nerd like me, you’ll undeniably find enjoyment in knowing the story behind this legendary typeface.
For more information about the film go to helveticafilm.com.
