7 Fonts That Brands Need to Avoid

When creating a logo, the font choice is one of the hardest things to figure out. Why? Well, there are lots of rules when it comes to using fonts; you can't use certain fonts and others are out of style. On top of that, you have to choose a font that matches your style, brand, and reflects the type of company you are.

As a Chicago graphic designer, some of the fonts on this list make my skin crawl *shivers*.

1. Helvetica. See what I did there? This is often ranked as one of the best fonts around and don't get me wrong, it's a very nice font. It is clean, precise, evenly weighted, and popular. However, the fact that it is so popular is why brands should try to move on. It has worked for so many companies that choosing this font will only make you another small fish in a densely populated pond. Major brands can get away with switching to this font if they don't use it already because they're a major brand. Until you become a Walmart, Coca-Cola, Nike, etc. then you have to abide by the rules of design. 
2. Papyrus font. Unfortunately, Papyrus is not available in Blogger, which might be a good thing. This font is often considered one of the worst to be created, ever. Brands do not love this font, and they shouldn't. 
3. Futura. It is indeed a nice looking font that speaks of progress. It has good weight that varies among the letters but is still easy to read. However, much like Helvetica, it is used by A TON of brands and using it will not allow you to stand out. As a graphic designer in Chicago, I like this font (and Helvetica) but I also like to allow brands to stand out from the crowd. 
4. Arial. I did it again! Mwuahaha. Ok, so yes, this font can look clean but in the graphic designer world, it is somewhat of a joke. Remember the days when you'd type a document in Microsoft and it'd be in Arial unless you changed it? I do too. The problem with this font is that it has no attraction. 
5. Jenna Sue. This is one of those fonts that makes me want to run away. It is just way too playful and not in a good/fun way. It has long, stick-like letters and it is often not modified to fit the brand. Yes, it is friendly but it is not a font to use if you want to be seen as professional, it is very forgettable. Very few brands use it that get away with it. 
6. Gill Sans. This one always makes me think of Gill from The Simpsons because of the name "Gill" being in it. It is a nice font for presentations because it encourages relaxation instead of tension; however, it is forgettable and way, way too easy to get your hands on (this is a problem for unique branding). 
7. Comic sans. Ahhhh this one is the worst of the worst. I once went to a company and they had their manuals printed in Comic sans. This is definitely a font that we all love to hate. No professional graphic designer will use this font unless you paid them a lot of money. In fact, there is a movement to get it banned from use. 

Because you were a good audience, we also say you should avoid the Lobster font. You'll see that at as "fonts" in our graphic up there. 

It sounds trivial to hate fonts but that is how design is. Just like in fashion, certain designs and styles are hated, it is no different here. If you are designing a logo and need help then contact Integraphix. 

6 Common Advertising Mistakes to Avoid

Doing great advertising takes knowledge of what to do and what not to do. Here we have 6 advertising mistakes that need to be avoided. As a graphic designer, there is a good chance you will work in advertising and here are some tips to help you make sure you don't make classic mistakes.

1. Piggy-backing off interest. This one seems like a smart move, to capitalize off of the success of another concept. However, it will not work out. It is not smart to try and associate yourself with things that have no relevance to your business. If your business is selling coffee, then don't try to place ads that feature puppies because we all know everyone loves puppies. As a graphic designer in Chicago, I have seen this done by some companies and it never looks good. 
2. Event sales opportunities. While it might be the anniversary of some huge event in history, if it has no relevance to your business, then don't try to capitalize on the day. For example, the anniversary of D-Day will not tie into your business that sells flooring. It just won't. 
3. Growing a large ego. Even if you are the company's CEO, President, CMO, placing yourself in the ad only shows desperation and lack of originality. Luckily, in my time as a Chicago graphic design firm owner, I have not had to place myself in any ads so I practice what I preach. Unfortunately, this is an all too common practice. 
4. Running different ads that bear no resemblance. Sometimes, one might think that since ads are running on different media channels, they should be different. While that is a good idea, there should be consistency; something about the ads during an ad campaign should let people know that they are from the same company and related. 
5. Running ads anywhere & everywhere. Place your ads in specific areas and media channels; you want to make sure your target market sees them effectively and efficiently. When you hire a graphic designer and they spend hours creating a print ad and you blast it everywhere, that gives the impression that the ad is just "whatever". Make the ad work for you. 
6. Doing too many ads. Go with quality over quantity. Nobody likes the company that has ads going 24/7 and are literally everywhere! Overexposure is never effective and can even create a boomerang effect; the boomerang effect is when the response to something is opposite of what was intended. 

Do ads that you are proud of and will actually generate ROI. Hire an advertising agency with a great graphic design team. If you need great designs, then contact Integraphix.