Helvetica

Let's face it, unless you're into typography, a documentary about the life and times of a font won't necessarily grab your attention when you're at the movie store. At the start of the film, I was not altogether interested in Helvetica, or its history, but within the first ten minutes of the documentary, I was hooked. Part of this stems from the aesthetics of the presentation. In other words, it was a very well done film and kept my attention the entire class period. I never realized how much Helvetica encompasses advertising, communication, and design, and after watching the film, my eyes were opened to the phenomenon of Helvetica that was right in front of me. It is everywhere. It is interesting to see how much deliberation and effort goes into designing something seemingly simple--all for the purpose of being culturally transparent. Not many people take a second glance at a Nike commericial or a street sign with the intention of figuring out the font of the ad or sign. The question that the film asks and answers is why Helvetica has become so popular across the globe. I imagine research has been poured into typefaces like Times New Roman or Verdana, but what makes Helvetica stand out? Its ubiquity can only be explained by looking at the tastes and styles of the Swiss designers who created Helvetica. Like the professional, yet captivating film presentation, Helvetica can appeal to nearly any audience, whether it be a billion dollar corporation like Apple or a flyer on stapled to a streetside bulletin board. Maybe it is its clean, sleek look that makes it so popular, but the versatility of Helvetica cannot be dismissed.