Choosing the right font is essential whether it’s for web copy, a print brochure, or social media. However, using the best and most appropriate font is critical when it comes to fleet graphics. The copy must grab passing motorist attention, be easy to read, share a message, and then accomplish all of this in a matter of seconds. If choosing the right font for your fleet graphics is critical to it’s success how can you know what to pick? It starts with knowing what fonts to avoid.
Choosing the Right Font
Choosing the right font may mean the difference between your message being shared or lost. Here are a few reasons why choosing the right font is critical.
What Does That Say?
Illegible fonts have no place on a vehicle wrap. The 18th Century Kurrent font you use on your business card might look okay, and if you stare at it long enough, you can figure it out. But that doesn’t work on vehicle graphics. People don’t have the time or desire to decipher your copy. The purpose of copy on a vehicle graphic is to share a message. whether it’s a call to action, unique sales position, or a list of products and services, it must be easy to read. I know that sounds obvious, but we see too many vehicle graphics where style trumps legibility. If you’d like examples of what not to use check these out, my favorite is Titanic, 127 hard to read fonts
Lost in the Crowd
Poor font choice can make your fleet graphic message disappear. “Are your vehicle graphics lost in the crowd or do they stand out and rise above the clutter of advertising bombarding prospects as they cruise American highways and byways? The good news is vehicle graphics receive between 30,000 and 70,000 impressions per day making them the most cost-effective form of advertising. The bad news is there are a lot of vehicle graphics on the road vying for consumers attention.” — Are Your Vehicle Graphics Lost in the Crowd?
Be Careful Not to Overdo It
So, can a font be overused? Yes, it can. Take Trajan, for example, “This font has been brutalized in movie posters and movie marketing materials. From Titanic to Minority Report to Apollo 13 to A Beautiful Mind. Even though Trajan is a beautiful font, it is shipped with every copy of Adobe Creative Suite and thus has been overused in design for years.” — My top 10 most loathed fonts as a graphic designer! Other overused fonts include Ariel, Franklin Gothic, and Helvetica.
Boring
Your copy should be accessible, but at the same time, not boring. It should stand out from the crowd and standing out may have more to do with design than with the font you choose. Setting the copy against a highly contrasting backdrop can make it pop. Adding drop shadows or outlining the copy can also make it stand out. Placing the text over a busy multi-vectored image confuses and hides the message. “Any combination of font style, size, and color can and will affect the readability of vehicle graphics. The key to effective fleet graphic design is combining appearance with legibility. There are too many designs, which although visually striking, are difficult to decipher, which detracts from the purpose of vehicle advertising.” — FAQ: What’s the Best Font Size for Vehicle Graphics?
So, Are You Choosing the Right Font for Your Fleet Graphics?
If you want your fleet graphics to successfully deliver your message the fonts must stand out. They shouldn’t be boring, but at the same time they must be be easy to read. If you’d like to learn more about fonts for your fleet graphics, Contact Us. We’re good at choosing the right font.
Photo by Marcus dePaula on Unsplash
