Being a graphic artist myself and always having an interest in typography, when I first discovered the film a month ago on Veer.com I was rather intrigued.  Most people would find a film on fonts a complete waste of time.  

But last night I was fortunate enough to get my hands on a copy of the film.  The film is very interesting as it points out the abundance and overall success of this font which is still just as popular today as it was when it was released just over 50 years ago. 

It’s incredible but denounced to most people Helvetica surrounds us.  It’s everywhere.  In road signs, advertisements, our tax forms, busses, packaging, corporate logos and so much more.  A font that’s so abundant in today’s society often slips by without notice by nearly everyone.  And there in lies its beauty. 

It’s because of its neutrality the font Helvetica is not immediately recognized as a font.  Instead it’s immediately viewed as words and therefore you can use Helvetica to communicate with the viewer in a way that just speaks to them and doesn’t detract or distract the reader from the message you are trying to communicate to them.   Helvetica is a no frills typeface.  It is simple and extremely easy to read.  It doesn’t have a meaning within itself but instead conveys its meaning within the content of the text and its why it lends it self so perfectly to almost anything.

There’s something about the typeface that leaves it open to interpretation.  So in essence the font can represent what the company does or sells even if it is used by 2 separate companies in completely opposite trades.  A car company like Toyota uses it and it represents strength and dependability, and a clothing store such as American Apparel can use it and the typeface takes on a representation of modern style and elegance.    

Because Helvetica is so neutral and open to interpretation is becomes perfect for governments and corporations because not only does the typeface take on the representation of what the company stands for sells or does but the qualities they want to represent as a corporation

Being 50 years old already it remains a modern looking font just as popular as ever but retains history, tradition and stability.  Helvetica is timeless, and doesn’t fade in and out with trends which again lends itself so perfectly to corporate identities.  A company doesn’t want to spend tens of thousands of dollars developing an identity that will look trendy, and cool for 3 years, and then look out dated.  And risk redesigning it and losing their customer base in the process of changing again.

”Governments and corporations love Helvetica because eon one hand it makes them seem neutral and efficient but also the smoothness of the letters makes them seem almost human.  That is a quality they all want to convey, of course they have an image they are always fighting but they are authoritarian they are bureaucratic, you lose yourself in them, they are oppressive… so instead by using Helvetica they can come off seeming more accessible, transparent and accountable.  Which are all the buzz words for what corporations and governments are suppose to be today.   Now they don’t have to be accessible, transparent and accountable, but they can look that way.”

This all goes to show you how much can be communicated to you subliminally just though a font.  It is what makes Helvetica so powerful.

Many corporations use Helvetica because of its power.  Companies such as, Met Life, Greyhound, Sears, Jeep, BMW, SAAB, Kawasaki, Target, Staples, Aprilia, Toyota, TupperWare, Nestle, Verizon, conEdison,  Energizer, Oral-B, The North Face, JCPenny, CVS, Urban Outfitters, Panasonic, American Airlines, American Apparel, Samsung, LG, Nabisco, Walmart, Crate&Barrel and thousands more.

Television networks use it in commercials for example, FX, TNT, and Court TV.  Its used in titles for TV shows, “the Office” and “jackass”.  Used in CD covers of band names like “the Beatles” and “U2”  or movies titles like, “Seven”, and “Little Miss Sunshine”.  

Whether on a computer, a television, a billboard advertisement, or logo it remains arguably the most perfect way to convey a message.

In one of my favorite lines from the film is spoken by a man named Massimo Vignelli, he attempts to break down the view of a graphic designer to someone who doesn’t understand the passion one has for typography and graphic design. 

”the life of a designer is a life of fight, fight against the ugliness.  Just as a doctor fights against disease, for us visual disease is what we have around and what we try to do is cure it somehow, with design.”

Helvetica is quite possibly the most used font worldwide.  Yet its popularity and beauty are extremely difficult to describe.  A good analogy brought up in the film is that it’s like trying to explain the beauty of off white to someone.     

Overall the film chronicles the birth and history of the typeface Helvetica, those that are for and those that completely reject it.  Very few things remain at their peak of popularity for 50 years.   Helvetica is an amazing film, and I recommend that you watch it.  I think its an interesting way of learning and discovering the power typefaces have to impact you and the decisions you make in everyday life.

Helvetica Film Site.