Ikea have just changed their Futura typeface to Verdana. This interested me as I wondered why would they bother changing something that i personally think works well... basically why try fixing something that isn't already broken!
The Verdana typeface was designed by Microsoft especially for use on the web, due to its easy readability from the wide spaces left between each character, enabling it to be used at small sizes on computer screens. I feel that the slightly quirky/constructivist elements of Futura have been lost in Verdana, which is more modern and a homogenous typeface that does not stand out with originality, but has been used for its exceptional clarity needed in our growing digital age.
An Ikea spokeswoman, Monika Gocic, has said that Verdana is for them because "it is more efficient and cost-effective", therefore has been chosen more from an economics point of view. Verdana enables their business to work across the globe in many different languages, by being clear and unambiguous.
I dont know why they have done this...
ReplyDeleteThey had been using Futura for so long, from the 60's at least i think?
And its not as if they have suddenly changed their style of products or anything. So it doesnt make sense to change the typeface that made them so recognisable.