Akira Kobayashi “Moji Design Conversation”
Talk Event Vol. 1—Creating a Brand Voice
Event Date : 2017.10.12
Akira Kobayashi is Type Director at Monotype, which boasts a 130-year history in Germany. He is involved in a wide range of work, from production direction of typeface design to the planning and drafting of new typefaces and proposals and creation of custom corporate fonts. We invited Mr. Kobayashi for a talk event on October 12th, 2017 on typefaces and letters. In the first half of this report, we will take a close look at the site of production of corporate fonts through several examples.
Corporate fonts and originality
Corporate fonts and originality
Yamaguchi (NDC)
Many of our members would like to ask what your advice is on proposing and developing corporate fonts.
There are three main methods for developing corporate fonts. The most basic method is to choose from the existing fonts in a font library, shown at the bottom of the pyramid.* With this method, you select and use the font that matches the image you have from Monotype’s approximately 30,000 Latin typefaces. However, because there is a possibility that the selected font is being used elsewhere, we cannot call this a unique corporate font. Conversely, to create brand originality, there is also the method of sketching and creating a new font from scratch, shown at the top of the pyramid. With this method, it’s possible to create a font with an ideal, truly unique identity. But it has the disadvantage of requiring time and money. Therefore, a conceivable third alternative is the customization and modification of a font, shown in the middle of the pyramid. Because we modify a typeface selected as a base from existing fonts, it’s possible to create a corporate font and provide originality without taking time.
Akira Kobayashi
Type Director
Type Director for Monotype in Germany. His main duties include the production direction and quality inspection of typeface designs, the planning and drafting of new typefaces, the revision of past masterpiece typefaces, the proposals and design of corporate custom typefaces, and so on. He gives many lecture presentations in both Japan and abroad. Akira Kobayashi has written many articles about typeface design.
Embodying liveliness—Akko for Penny
Embodying liveliness—Akko for Penny
Kobayashi
In collaboration with a branding agency, I created the corporate font for the German supermarket chain Penny. This font is called Akko for Penny, a modified version of Akko, a typeface I created. Akko for Penny differs in that every superscript dot has been rounded to match the yellow period in the Penny logo, its focal point. More specifically, I developed the font so that the superscript dots for all lowercase letters “i” and “j”, all German accents, etc. are rounded, and the final period is yellow. I created four weights, with a normal sans-serif version and a “Rounded” version, what’s known as a rounded Gothic font in Japan. These two fonts used depending on the situation.
It was in 2001 when I moved to Germany, but Penny at that time was a bit of a dreary place, and I felt down when I went there. Now, when I go there, I feel a little energized. I believe this is the result of utilizing the Akko typeface effectively.
Modernization by industry—UBS Headline
Modernization by industry—UBS Headline
Kobayashi
Next is about when I developed the corporate font for the Swiss bank, UBS. I created this by modifying Monotype’s Walbaum typeface. Because Walbaum is a traditional typeface based on metal movable-type printing from around 1800, it features eccentric letters that are uniquely balanced. I wanted the font to have a traditional feel. But being a bank, the font needs to look modern or else it will negatively effect the bank’s image. So, I modified a portion of the letters in order to make the font look more modern. This became the UBS Headline typeface.
I altered the vertical height by narrowing the letters to make for more modern letters. I made the serifs slightly thicker so that they can be used on the web as well. I have also adjusted the numbers and italics to be less eccentric and more modern.
The lower case italic “k” and so on in Walbaum were decorative, so I adjusted these, too. I have left the “z” relatively traditional, but it doesn’t stand out too much, does it? I think UBS Headline has effectively achieved its objectives of keeping a sense of luxury and tradition while also bringing out a sense of modernity.
Design for serenity—Versailles for ALS
Design for serenity—Versailles for ALS
Kobayashi
I was also involved in the development of the catalog typeface for the German-based luxury watchmaker A. Lange & Söhne. This is Versailles for ALS, which uses the Versailles typeface as a base. I think it’s easy to see when looking at letters “l” and “g”; I have given them an elegant feel by stretching them just a little vertically.
The font family consists of four Versailles variations with the heading font added. The numbers have also been given some variation, with oldstyle figures and small caps added.
Take a look at the typesetting page for the catalog. What do you think of this sense of stillness? Just looking at this feeling of calm, the sense of luxury and the traditions of the watches are conveyed. We also feel their precision. So, how much of the typeface is used to express this peaceful magazine?
It is used in the headings, subheadings, and body. Because the client is a watch manufacturer, plenty of numbers appear in the body text. Product names do, too. The order called for plenty of variation in order to bring together such a complex structure.
How would it have turned out using just one font? The previous serenity is lost. The headings are too thick and lack delicacy. Using uppercase letters in the subheadings, they are far too close together and awkward. Using numbers that are the same height as uppercase letters also makes them stand out too much. I combined different fonts to solve problems like these and preserve the serenity of the magazine.
Only order what is needed
Only order what is needed
Kobayashi
One of the distinct features of European branding agencies is that they are able to picture where the fonts will be used at the ordering stage. Also, they understand which existing font is the closest to the desired image and how the font will change by being modified and arranged. They think about the necessary variations and desired feelings, too. For example, there are methods of differentiating between weights to create a sense of liveliness as with the first example, Akko for Penny. On the other hand, Versailles for ALS demonstrated that there are cases where we had to design for serenity. The common characteristic between the two is the use and differentiation of three to four font variations. For numbers as well, we know that they will stick out without the use of small caps in the body text, and that oldstyle figures have to be used or else they will stand out. These branding agencies make Orders to correspond to ideas like these. They know how to use them, so they also determine the font family structure of the custom fonts. Instead of creating them at random, from the very beginning they order only what is necessary.
Differences between Japan and Europe
Differences between Japan and Europe
Yamaguchi (NDC)
How do companies in Japan introduce corporate fonts?
Kobayashi
In Japan, often the client asks for “something like this.” Therefore, it often starts with several proposals—“How is this font?” The interesting thing about working with Japanese companies is in the repetitive process of proposing and selecting based on a client’s rough image of what they want. This takes time, but it’s interesting how corporate philosophies and goals gradually emerge.
