Typography's Place in a Message

The typography of a visible message is very important in the aesthetic of that message. What may seem a trivial aspect of the message itself, is what may be the determining factor in whether or not that message is received correctly. Simple typography may allow the receiver to focus in on just the message itself. In the mean time, something complex can either enhance the message by adding feeling and character to it, or confuse the message because the receiver will not know how to read it. Typography also adds to the feel of the message. A message can be bold, soft, innocent, scary, demanding – all because of the typography.

Once example of how typography affects the message is from the Save TXC campaign put on by Textiles and Clothing students beginning last year.

Due to the budget cuts, the Textiles and Clothing Department was under the decision to close. The Textiles & Clothing students, who love their major (and minors!) so much, decided to protest this decision, using everything in our power to campaign against it. Our message said exactly what needed to be said to entice people to learn more about this issue and state what the cause was.

The typography, however, is what I think really caught people’s eyes and really carried the message across. Because it was simple, linear, symmetrical, and balanced, the message was clear and easy to read. The “TXC” was a light blue color in contrast to the rest of the text, which made the department stand out and caught the receiver’s eye. The rest of the text was in the same font, with “CALIFORNIA” and “ECONOMY” filling their own lines. I believe this really caught people’s eyes because “California” and the “economy” were pressing issues at the time. The typography gave the message a sense of boldness and showed that our message was a clear statement – saving the Textiles and Clothing Department (TXC) will save California’s economy. In the end, we found that our message truly traveled across campus, and because of the typography, it was easy to recognize and acknowledge. Anything more complicated would have ruined the message.

Note: Save TXC logo is auther's own.