Helvetica

Since its inception into the designer's toolbox, it has grown to rockstar status. The font is used in almost everything we see today. The U.S. Government uses it on its tax forms, the EPA uses it, signs littering the streets use it, we see it everywhere we go. But how did Helvetica get ingrained into modern society around the world?

According to Hermann Zapf, the font Helvetica became popular with designers because the postwar attitude of idealism and social responsibility. It was just what designers were looking for, something that played with the figure ground relationship that made it functional.

Now almost 60 years since its creation, Helvetica still has a strong group of followers. Notably, Massimo Vignelli who sums up Helvetica as modern type, invented for modern times. And Manuel Krebs, who summed up Helvetica as its own design system. One designs around the type itself, even the layperson can design something just putting Helvetica in bold and typing something.

There hasn't, or at least seemingly hasn't, been a font with so much impact on society in the past 60 years like Helvetica. You can look at Arial and it's simply an adjusted version on Helvetica. The street signs are set to Helvetica. It has become standard, default, it has be come air.

For more on 'Helvetica' check out the DVD “Helvetica”