Helvetica Questions - AG

1. Describe Helvetica – what are some core visual characteristics of the font?

Helvetica is very basic sans-serif typeface, without any rhythm or style, which is appropriate for just about anything, and is commonly used for its blank appearance. Helvetica has the ability to show information, without making any influences by the typeface’s appearance, it is simply readable and fundamental, but it also has a beauty to it. The font is identifiable by it’s horizontal or vertical cuts in the letters, there are no slanted cuts.

2. Provide a brief history of the typeface. What was so different about Helvetica from other typefaces?

Helvetica was created in 1957 by Swiss type designer Max Miedinger and Eduard Hoffman. The font was originally named Die Neue Haas Grotesk, but was later renamed to appeal more to North Americans. What made Helvetica so different was that it carried no inner meaning, and simply conveyed the content of the text, and nothing more. This meant that it was great for every day signage.

3. Choose one of the people in the film who supported Helvetica, explain his/her argument.

Wim Crouwel explained in the film, said that “Helvetica was a real step from the 19th century typeface... We were impressed by that because it was more neutral, and neutralism was a word that we loved.” Wim is saying that because of the font’s extremely neutral characteristics, it became loved by graphic designers. Having a neutral font is useful, when you want to show text, which says something, but don’t want the content of that text to be influenced by the typeface it is written in. This is important in signage, because the sign simply wants to inform readers of something, and nothing more.

4. Choose one of the people in the film who dislikes Helvetica, explain his/her argument.

Erik Spiekermann is opposed to Helvetica because it “has no rhythm”, there isn’t enough white space. The letters are too close together and it looks cluttered and emotionless; which he personally doesn’t like to see in a typeface.

5. Having just watched an entire documentary devoted to a single typeface, what is your position on Helvetica? Explain.

My position on Helvetica is more of a “meh.” than anything else. I wouldn’t say that I have negative or positive feelings towards the font, although I have rarely used it myself, I wouldn’t have any problem using it in the future; although it isn’t available to me often (or so it seems), as most of my life I’ve been running off of Windows based systems, and use common fonts such as Arial, Verdana, Georgian or other fonts. I see no problem with Helvetica’s overuse on things such as signs to packaging, and anything else. It's just a font.