FONT
Psychology
A GUIDE FOR MARKETERS AND Designers
NICK KOLENDA
Hello...
I’m Nick Kolenda.
In this guide, you’ll learn the practical science
of fonts — which fonts are better (and why).
This PDF is free for everyone, so share it
with your team or colleagues.
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Why Do Fonts
Have Meaning?
Look at these fonts:
Which font is better for: fitness class, board game, makeup.
You probably chose C, A, B, huh?
But why? They just…felt right?
Sure — but why did they feel right? Most people can’t articulate the reason, so
let’s disentangle this mechanism.
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Primitive Traits
Every time that you see a font, your brain will activate the visual traits:
Look at those traits — wide, loose, thin.
Notice anything? Those are general traits, right?
Indeed, fonts resemble objects from the sensory world.
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Want to choose the right font? Choose traits that resemble your context.
For example, ads for a “slim” phone performed better with a slim font. Ads
for an “elegant” phone performed better with an elegant font (Choi & Kang,
2013).
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Fonts also activate past experience:
The typeface Fraktur has many associations with Nazi Germany, and
Helvetica is commonly associated with the U.S. government since it
is used by the IRS on tax forms. (Shaikh, 2007, p. 21)
Seeing a font (e.g., Fraktur) will activate its past meaning — including the
semantic meaning (e.g., Nazi Germany) and emotional meaning (e.g., disgust).
And you constantly update fonts in your brain. Fonts with...
• ...similar experiences will strengthen connections.
• ...dissimilar experiences will weaken connections.
• ...new experiences will add connections.
That’s how fonts (and other stimuli) acquire meaning.
If you want more details on the underlying mechanisms, you can refer to my
book The Tangled Mind.
Psst...more ideas in my course on Website Behavior:
www.NickKolenda.com/video-courses 8
Spreading Activation
Your brain has an associative network.
All concepts are connected to related concepts.
For example, your node for “toothpaste” is connected to floss, mouthwash,
and everything else that you associate with toothpaste.
You also experience spreading activation: Activating a concept will activate all
concepts that are connected to it (Collins & Loftus, 1975).
Suppose you see the logo for Avon:
Your brain will activate the visual traits of this font, such as tall and thin. And
then activation will spread toward related concepts.
Hmm, tall and thin? Aren’t those traits related to beauty?
Indeed, they are.
At this point, you might be thinking: Well, if the node for beauty is activated,
then the font (and product) will seem more beautiful.
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But, not quite — this process is more nuanced. Consider the Fraktur font from
Nazi propaganda:
Based on spreading activation, you should NEVER use Fraktur because of the
strong negative emotions. But it doesn’t work that way. Your brain considers
the appropriateness of contexts (see Doyle & Bottomley, 2004). You can use
Frankfurt in documentaries because the font seems “fitting” for that context.
In sum, seeing the logo for Avon activates beauty. Since this business sells
beauty products, this congruence feels good — and people misattribute these
positive emotions to the font and business. The font simply “feels right.”
Psst...more ideas in my course on Website Behavior:
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Which Fonts Should
You Choose?
Light vs. Bold
Long Thin Lines Convey Beauty
In most countries, the “standard” for beauty is tall and then. Seeing these traits
in a font will activate your concept of beauty:
Typefaces that are lighter in weight (in width and stroke thickness)
are seen as delicate, gentle, and feminine, while heavier typefaces are
strong, aggressive, and masculine. (Brumberger, 2003, p. 208)
Bold Fonts Are Powerful and Masculine
Bold fonts seem extreme:
Bold can be made to mean ‘daring’, ‘assertive’, or ‘solid’ and
‘substantial’, for instance, and its opposite can be made to mean ‘timid’,
or ‘insubstantial’. But the values may also be reversed. Boldness may
have a more negative meaning. It may be made to mean ‘domineering’,
‘overbearing’. (Van Leeuwen, 2006, p. 148)
Bold fonts also seem masculine because of their resemblance to a bulky
stature (Lieven et al., 2015).
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Medium Weight Fonts Are Most Readable
Researchers displayed the word “Memphis” in different font weights to
determine the optimal readability. Medium weights were most readable
(Luckiesh & Moss, 1940).
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Round vs. Angular
Round Fonts Convey Comfort and Softness
Humans prefer round objects because sharp objects feel threatening:
…sharp transitions in contour might convey a sense of threat, and
therefore trigger a negative bias (Bar & Neta, 2006, p. 645)
Round fonts are particularly effective for:
• Softness or comfort (Jiang et al., 2016)
• Femininity or beauty (Lieven et al., 2015)
• Sweet foods (Velasco et al., 2015)
However, angular fonts are better for:
• A formal and official tone (Brumberger, 2003)
• Masculine traits (Lieven et al., 2015)
• Foods that are bitter, salty, or sour (Velasco et al., 2015)
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Simple vs. Complex
Simple Fonts Convey Directness
Rigid typefaces are better for straightforward messages because this visual
simplicity matches the simple nature of this context (Li & Suen, 2010).
Complex Fonts Convey Uniqueness
In one study, people were more likely to buy a gourmet cheese when the font
was difficult to read:
In the context of everyday products, increased fluency is a positive
cue that the product is familiar and safe which leads to higher
evaluation of products…However, in the context of special occasion
high-end products, higher fluency serves as a negative cue that
indicates abundance and familiarity of products that translates into
lower value… Thus, difficulty (and not ease) of processing of such
products will make them feel more special. (Pocheptsova, Labroo, &
Dhar, 2010, pg. 9)
Psst...more ideas in my course on Website Behavior:
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Slanted vs. Straight
Slanted Fonts Covey Fast Movement
Imagine something moving fast. How does it look? Is it tilting forward?
What artistic conventions are used to convey the motion of animate
and inanimate items in still images, such as drawings and photographs?
One graphic convention involves depicting items leaning forward
into their movement, with greater leaning conveying greater speed.
(Walker, 2015, p. 111)
Indeed, people are quicker to identify “fast” words in slanted fonts (Lewis &
Walker, 1989).
Therefore, use slanted orientation (e.g., italics) when you want to communicate
a fast speed, like speedy customer service.
Straight Fonts Convey Stability
Straight fonts — with their rigid structure — convey stability and durability.
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Serif vs. Sans-Serif
Sans-Serifs Are More Readable Via Screens
Computer screens display information in a box-like grid, which can degrade
the readability of serif fonts. They might not fit inside this grid.
But modern technology has mostly solved this issue.
Conversely, serif fonts are more readable via print:
Roman typefaces are more legible because the theory states that
serifs assist in the horizontal flow of reading and eye movements. (De
Lange et al., 1993, p. 246)
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Serifs Are More Elegant and Scientific
Generally, serif fonts seem scientific (Kaspar et al., 2015) and elegant (Tantillo,
Lorenzo-Aiss, & Mathisen, 1995).
Sans-Serifs Are More Informal and Innovative
Sans-serif fonts can seem modern and cutting-edge (Tantillo, Lorenzo-Aiss, &
Mathisen, 1995).
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Lowercase vs. Uppercase
Lowercase Conveys Compassion and Innovation
Lowercase letters are effective with “caregiver” brands that promote
compassion and altruism (Oosterhout, 2013).
Uppercase Conveys Power and Strength
Uppercase letters are effective for “hero” brands that convey energy,
courageousness, and focus:
BWM, Diesel, Duracell, Nike and Sony are also using capitals in their
word marks, to express their power and strength. (Oosterhout, 2013,
p. 39)
Mixed Case Letters Are Most Readable
Mixed cased are most readable (Garvey, Pietucha, & Meeker, 1997).
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For these reasons:
• Expectations. People expect to see road signs in mixed case, so
their brain is looking for this pattern.
• Greater Distinction. Uppercase letters are less distinguishable
because they share the same height.
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Condensed vs. Spacious
Condensed Fonts Convey Tightness and Precision
Slim fonts perform better with slim products, like cell phones:
Maximally condensed typefaces make maximal use of limited space.
They are precise, economical, packing the page with content. Wide
typefaces, by contrast, spread themselves around, using space as if it
is in unlimited supply. (Choi & Kang, 2013, p. 148)
If the letters start touching, this physical contact can also convey closeness:
Psst...more ideas in my course on Website Behavior:
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Spacious Fonts Convey Relaxation
Extra space can feel relaxing:
Wide typefaces may also be seen in a positive light, as providing
room to breathe, room to move, while condensed typefaces may, by
contrast, be seen as cramped, overcrowded, restrictive of movement.
(Choi & Kang, 2013, p. 148)
Psst...more ideas in my course on Website Behavior:
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Short vs. Tall
Short Fonts Convey Heaviness and Stability
Font height resembles gravity. Short fonts are closer to the ground, so they
feel more stable.
The meaning potential of horizontality and verticality is ultimately
based on our experience of gravity, and of walking upright. Horizontal
orientation, for instance, could suggest ‘heaviness’, ‘solidity’, but also
‘inertia’, ‘self-satisfaction’ (Choi & Kang, 2013, p. 149)
Short fonts can make products feel durable and immovable.
Tall Fonts Convey Lightness and Luxury
Tall fonts convey lightness and quickness. They can also feel aspirational
(Choi & Kang, 2013) and luxurious (Van Rompay, De Vries, Bontekoe, & Tanja‐
Dijkstra, 2012).
Psst...more ideas in my course on Website Behavior:
www.NickKolenda.com/video-courses 23
References
Bar, M., & Neta, M. (2006). Humans prefer curved visual objects. Psychological science, 17(8), 645-648.
Brumberger, E. R. (2003). The rhetoric of typography: The persona of typeface and text. Technical
communication, 50(2), 206-223.
Choi, S. M., & Kang, M. (2013). The effect of typeface on advertising and brand evaluations: The role of
semantic congruence. J. Advertising and Promotion Research, 2(2), 25-52.
Collins, A. M., & Loftus, E. F. (1975). A spreading-activation theory of semantic processing. Psychological
review, 82(6), 407.
De Lange, R. W., Esterhuizen, H. L., & Beatty, D. (1993). Performance differences between Times and
Helvetica in a reading task. ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING-CHICHESTER-, 6, 241-241.
Doyle, J. R., & Bottomley, P. A. (2004). Font appropriateness and brand choice. Journal of business
research, 57(8), 873-880.
Garvey, P. M., Pietrucha, M. T., & Meeker, D. (1997). Effects of font and capitalization on legibility of
guide signs. Transportation Research Record, 1605(1), 73-79.
Jiang, Y., Gorn, G. J., Galli, M., & Chattopadhyay, A. (2016). Does your company have the right logo? How
and why circular-and angular-logo shapes influence brand attribute judgments. Journal of Consumer
Research, 42(5), 709-726.
Kaspar, K., Wehlitz, T., von Knobelsdorff, S., Wulf, T., & von Saldern, M. A. O. (2015). A matter of font
type: The effect of serifs on the evaluation of scientific abstracts. International Journal of Psychology,
50(5), 372-378.
Lewis, C., & Walker, P. (1989). Typographic influences on reading. British Journal of Psychology, 80(2),
241-257.
Li, Y., & Suen, C. Y. (2010). Typeface personality traits and their design characteristics. In proceedings of
the 9th IAPR International Workshop on Document Analysis Systems (pp. 231-238).
Lieven, T., Grohmann, B., Herrmann, A., Landwehr, J. R., & Van Tilburg, M. (2015). The effect of brand
design on brand gender perceptions and brand preference. European Journal of Marketing.
Luckiesh, M. A. T. T. H. E. W., & Moss, F. K. (1940). Boldness as a factor in type-design and typography.
Journal of Applied Psychology, 24(2), 170.
Oosterhout, L. (2013). Word marks: a helpful tool to express your identity: an empirical study regarding
fonts of word marks as a tool for transmitting an archetypal identity (Master’s thesis, University of
Twente).
Psst...more ideas in my course on Website Behavior:
www.NickKolenda.com/video-courses 24
Pocheptsova, A., Labroo, A. A., & Dhar, R. (2010). Making products feel special: When metacognitive
difficulty enhances evaluation. Journal of Marketing Research, 47(6), 1059-1069.
Shaikh, A. D. (2007). Psychology of onscreen type: Investigations regarding typeface personality,
appropriateness, and impact on document perception (Doctoral dissertation).
Tantillo, J., Lorenzo‐Aiss, J. D., & Mathisen, R. E. (1995). Quantifying perceived differences in type styles:
An exploratory study. Psychology & Marketing, 12(5), 447-457.
Van Rompay, T. J., De Vries, P. W., Bontekoe, F., & Tanja‐Dijkstra, K. (2012). Embodied product
perception: Effects of verticality cues in advertising and packaging design on consumer impressions and
price expectations. Psychology & Marketing, 29(12), 919-928.
Velasco, C., Woods, A. T., Hyndman, S., & Spence, C. (2015). The taste of typeface. i-Perception, 6(4),
2041669515593040.
Walker, P. (2015). Depicting visual motion in still images: forward leaning and a left to right bias for
lateral movement. Perception, 44(2), 111-128.
Psst...more ideas in my course on Website Behavior:
www.NickKolenda.com/video-courses 25
Next Step...
You learned the science of fonts.
But how do you apply this knowledge in a
real-world design context?
For this next step, I filmed a few case studies.
You can peek over my shoulder while I tweak
the design of websites and interfaces.
View my course on Website Behavior:
www.NickKolenda.com/video-courses
