(Provision) Type Style Finder
CL905.042 / 4108
Most typefaces associated with the corporate environment are sans serif,
as they are devoid of embellishments and most often exhibit a uniform
stroke weight and optically uniform widths. These characteristics result in
a formal simplicity and neutrality that helps communicate the corporate
sense of professionalism. Because of their uniform stroke weight—and
hence, little contrast—sans serifs appear strong, without the potentially
brittle quality of the junctures as thin strokes meet thick. Their x-heights
tend to be larger, creating a more open, accessible, and legible quality
compared to most serif faces. Many sans-serif families are extensive, offer-
ing a variety of weights and widths that allow designers to differentiate
information and introduce visual contrast without sacrificing overall formal
unity. The result is a consistency that speaks to corporate dependability
and competence. Serif faces, however, may often be used in corporate com-
munications, as their overtly classical qualities inspire a sense of history—
the association being the business “track record.” While older serifs tend
to feel more organic, transitional and modern serifs, with their sharper
serifs, greater stroke contrast and modulation, and upright axes, help convey
this conservative quality with a more modern look.
Austerity and simplicity are the hallmarks of corporate type. These
qualities convey notions of authority, credibility, and neutrality that
reinforce the image of the corporate environment as a place where
business gets done. Corporate typefaces are no-nonsense, strong,
and safe, connoting dependability as well as directness. Classical over-
tones in a corporate typeface lend a sense of precedent and stability.
Newsletter Cover
top, and detail, bottom
Gorska Design
Caryl Gorska
San Francisco USA
Corporate
Concepts
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