In custom type projects, there is often a creative department which has to work as intermediary between the type designer and the final client. In these cases, a type designer needs to communicate with art directors, graphic designers or branding designers, who often have an appreciation for type but rarely have the in-depth expertise of a type design specialist.
From the branding team’s perspective, the custom type is one part of a bigger project, while for the type designer it is the full scope. The creative processes and goals of each party differ, and so do their vocabulary when discussing type. While many type designers use descriptive terms that focus on the formal, technical or historical aspects of the letterforms, branding designers often understand and articulate typography in more abstract concepts. This can lead to problems in communication.
The goal of this talk is to encourage a search for a shared vocabulary between these different design disciplines through a better understand of the branding process.