July 18, 2022
Not all fonts are created equal.
Last year, we wrote a post about using images from the internet for your marketing campaigns, and discussed the issue of licensing.
What you may not know is that that same issue can affect the world of fonts.
It may be something that’s never crossed your mind before, but font licensing is something that’s extremely important to consider if you’re thinking of a rebrand or about to launch a new IP.
Because every font out there has been created by an artist or a designer, and as such, is their intellectual property.
Sure, there are some fonts out there that are open source and free to use, but a lot of them can be quite similar in design. Some can be bland while others can look quite cartoony.
Again, if you’re looking to commission a rebrand or launch a new product, then all branding elements need to align and stand out.
Not just stand out, either, but all aspects of your visual branding should convey your brand message and identity to people instantaneously. The font you use in your messaging is a key part of that.
There are font directories on the internet for the specific purpose of helping people find a new font, with libraries filled to the brim with user-submitted creations.
Buyer beware, though. Like the image libraries we’ve posted about before, font libraries will also have terms and conditions tied to a purchase. So, is a font licence worth it?
The benefits of creating your own font
We can’t be more explicit on this – if purchasing a font from the internet is a route you’d like to explore, then be prepared for costs to run high.
Check the terms and conditions for each font licence. Many of them can be time-limited, meaning you could only have agency to use the font for a year, leading to costly annual renewals.
Some licences are also limited to users, too. One licence purchase may only equate to one user or one machine.
If you purchase a font, depending on how it’s used, every person and computer involved may need a licence, potentially costing larger companies thousands.
If you have a large design and marketing team that needs continual font access for social media content creation and more, that can be a pricey purchase.
We prefer the alternative: working with an experienced branding agency to create your own font.
An experienced creative agency won’t just work with you to create a font. They’ll take in all aspects of the brand’s history, previous design work and content, and future aspirations to create instantly recognisable fonts that tell your story and make your IPs stand out.
That takes the licensing equation out of the picture, giving you a totally bespoke font that can be used across all IPs and marketing materials that you fully own, forever more.
An experienced agency will also go beyond, creating branding brochures that can be used across the business, detailing typography styles, colours and more that can be easily accessed for all branding projects.
And, if the launch of your IP is a success and people love your font, why not licence it out yourself at a future date to artists and designers who like your style?
Find out more about the benefits of creating and owning your own font by speaking to TAKEOFF today!