We’ve all been there. You open a website, scan a flyer, or read a brand’s email—and something feels… off. It’s hard to put your finger on, but the design feels unprofessional, or the message just doesn’t land. Often, the culprit is poor typography.
Typography—how your brand uses fonts, sizes, spacing, and structure—is far more powerful than most people realise. It shapes how customers perceive your brand, how easily they engage with your content, and even how much they trust what you’re saying. And when used consistently, it becomes one of your strongest branding tools.
In this article, we’ll unpack why typography matters, what happens when it’s used inconsistently, and how brand guidelines can save the day.
What Is Typography, Really?
Typography is the art and science of how text is styled and arranged. It includes:
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The typefaces (fonts) you use
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The size and spacing of your text
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How you organise headers, body copy, and footnotes
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The rhythm and visual flow created through structure and layout
Typography has a direct influence on how your brand is experienced—both visually and emotionally. It’s the visual “voice” behind your words.
Why Consistent Typography Is So Important
It Builds Brand Recognition
Humans are wired to notice patterns. When a brand always uses the same typeface and structure across touchpoints—website, packaging, social media, email—it builds recognition. Think of Google’s Product Sans font or The New York Times’ iconic serif style. Even without a logo, those typographic styles feel like the brand.
It Makes Your Brand Look Professional
Inconsistent fonts scream disorganisation. Just like clashing colours or mixed messaging, sloppy type makes you look unreliable. Clean, cohesive typography says: “We know who we are, and we care about the details.”
It Improves Communication and Readability
Good typography helps your audience navigate content easily—whether they’re skimming a blog post or scanning an invoice. When font sizes, styles, and layouts follow a predictable hierarchy, your message is easier to digest.
It Reflects Your Brand’s Personality
Typography sets the tone. A playful rounded font suggests friendliness. A sharp, minimalist sans serif might feel sleek and modern. If your font doesn’t match your brand voice, it sends mixed signals—and weakens your message.
What Can Go Wrong with Inconsistent Typography?
Inconsistent typography doesn’t just look bad—it creates confusion and undermines your brand. Here are some real-world scenarios that show how things can unravel:
Mixed Fonts Across Platforms
Example: Your website uses one font, your product packaging uses another, and your social media posts use something completely different.
Result: Your brand feels fragmented. Customers may not recognise you instantly, and you lose the sense of cohesion that makes you memorable.
Clashing Styles in One Design
Example: A brochure features a modern sans serif header, a decorative script in the body, and a bold serif in the call-to-action.
Result: The design feels chaotic. It’s hard to know where to look or what’s most important, and your message loses impact.
Off-Brand Emails
Example: A marketing email is sent using fonts not found anywhere else in your branding. It doesn’t match your website or other communications.
Result: Customers might think it’s spam or a scam. Even if they don’t, the mismatch creates distrust and breaks the brand experience.
Poor Mobile Readability
Example: A brand uses ultra-thin fonts on their mobile site to look sleek and modern.
Result: The text is unreadable on small screens or in low light. Frustrated users leave the site without engaging.
Internal Inconsistency
Example: Different teams use different fonts and styles in presentations, reports, and ads because there are no clear rules.
Result: The brand starts to look different depending on who’s designing. This slows down workflows, increases mistakes, and leads to an uneven brand presence.
How Brand Guidelines Help
This is where brand guidelines come in. Think of them as your brand’s instruction manual—a shared reference that keeps everything aligned.
Your Typography Guidelines Should Cover:
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Official Fonts
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What fonts to use (primary and secondary)
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Where to download or license them
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Font substitutes for digital or restricted use
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Font Sizing and Hierarchy
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Rules for headers, subheaders, body text, captions, etc.
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A clear visual hierarchy that supports scanning and readability
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Formatting Rules
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When to use bold, italics, all-caps
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Guidance on alignment, line spacing, and paragraph structure
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Platform-Specific Use
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Web vs. print vs. email
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Font adaptations for mobile, social media, or accessibility
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Visual Do’s and Don’ts
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Side-by-side examples of correct and incorrect typography use
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Notes on tone, alignment with brand values, and what to avoid
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Accessibility Guidance
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Minimum font sizes
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Colour contrast requirements
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Readability considerations for users with visual impairments
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These rules create consistency across every team and platform, making your brand instantly recognisable and professionally polished—no matter where or how people find you.
Brands That Get Typography Right
Burberry
As a heritage luxury brand, Burberry has used typography to evolve its image without losing its roots. The shift to a bold, minimalist sans-serif logotype in 2018 reflected a modernised brand identity. Across advertising, packaging, and digital, Burberry’s typography is refined, confident, and consistently applied—just like its fashion.
The Guardian
The Guardian uses typography to strike a balance between journalistic integrity and approachability. Its custom typeface, Guardian Egyptian, is a strong, legible serif that reflects the paper’s progressive yet trustworthy identity. The font is used consistently across print and digital platforms, helping reinforce the paper’s editorial voice.
British Airways
British Airways blends tradition and modernity through its typography. The airline uses a refined serif for body copy and clean sans-serif fonts in digital contexts. This careful pairing conveys professionalism, heritage, and reliability—important traits for a global travel brand. Their type is applied consistently from boarding passes to mobile apps.
John Lewis
John Lewis & Partners’ typography is understated and elegant, much like the brand itself. It uses a clean sans-serif typeface that works across retail environments, catalogues, advertising, and packaging. The consistent use of type supports the company’s long-standing reputation for trust, quality, and service.
Typography Isn’t Just Design—It’s Strategy
When typography is chosen intentionally and used consistently, it becomes a powerful asset. It helps people remember you. It builds credibility. It improves the way your content is read and understood.
But without guidelines, things can go south—fast. Confusion, clutter, and inconsistency chip away at the brand you’ve worked so hard to build.
Final Thought: Let Your Typography Speak with One Clear Voice
Your typography is your voice in visual form. And just like you wouldn’t change your tone of voice in the middle of a conversation, you shouldn’t change your font style halfway through your customer journey.
By setting typography standards in your brand guidelines—and sticking to them—you create a consistent, confident brand presence that people remember, trust, and love.
Find out about our Standard Brand Guideline design service here.
