Mattel gɛt nyu kɔstɔm font, ɛn i ful-ɔp wit ple ple ayd ditil dɛn

Wetin Mek di Big Big Brand dɛm na di Wɔl De Invɛst pan Kastɔm Taypografi — Ɛn Wetin I Min fɔ Yu Biznɛs

We wan kɔmni we dɔn de fɔ pas et dikɔs disayd se i dɔn nid in yon tayp, i kin sɛn klia signal: brand kɔnsistɛns nɔto opshɔnal igen. Mattel, di toymaker bihayn Barbie, Hot Wheels, ɛn dɔzɛn ɔda aykɔnik prodak layn dɛn, i nɔ tu te yet we dɛn sho in fɔs ɛva prɔpriet glob ɔl font — wan muv we dɛn mek fɔ mek in sprawling pɔtfɔlio wan ɔnda wan kɔhiv vijual aydentiti. Di tayp-fɛs pak wit ple ple ayd ditil, frɔm subtil nɔd to klas tɔys to lɛta fɔm we de ɛko di kɔv ɛn jɔyometri fɔ karakta dɛn we dɛn lɛk. Na masta klas fɔ ɛmbas brand DNA insay ɛvri singl karakta na wan pej. Bɔt dis nɔto jɔs stori bɔt wan tɔys kɔmni ɛn in font dɛn. Na stori bɔt wetin mek vijual kɔnsistɛns dɔn bi di saylɛnt injin fɔ brand trɔst, ɛn wetin mek biznɛs dɛn we gɛt ɛvri saiz — nɔto jɔs Fɔchɔ 500 jayant dɛn — nid fɔ tek am siriɔs.

Di Hiden Kɔst fɔ Visual Inkɔnsistɛns

Fɔ lɔng tɛm, Mattel bin laysens bɔku bɔku font dɛn we bin dɔn de akɔdin to in glob ɔl ɔpreshɔn. I bin wok, teknik wan. Bɔt di laysens fi dɛn ad, ɛn di tin we impɔtant pas ɔl na dat, di we aw dɛn nɔ gɛt wan tayp we dɛn nɔ gɛt wanwɔd, dat min se ɛvri divishɔn, ɛvri rijyɔn, ɛn ɛvri prɔdak layn bin luk difrɛn smɔl na di kɔpɔt lɛvɛl. Di rizulyt na bin wan brand we fil se i fragmɛnt — nɔto na di tɔys shelf, usay Barbie ɛn Hot Wheels ɛvri wan gɛt strɔng aydentiti, bɔt na di mama ɛn papa-kɔmni lɛvɛl usay invashɔn, patna, ɛn ɛntapraiz klaynt dɛn de intarakt wit di Mattel nem.

Dis na prɔblɛm we de fa fawe pas di tɔys industri. Risach frɔm Lucidpress dɔn sho se kɔnsistɛns brand prɛzɛnteshɔn akɔdin to ɔl di pletfɔm dɛn kin inkrisayz di revenyu bay te to 23%. Yet mɔs biznɛs — mɔ di smɔl ɛn mid-sayz wan dɛn — de wok wit patchwɔk we gɛt vijual ɛset. Wan tim kin yuz wan font fɔ prɔpɔzal, ɔda wan kin pik sɔntin we difrɛn fɔ invɔys, ɛn di wɛbsayt kin yuz ɔda wan. Ɛni inkɔnsistɛns de chip away pan di we aw pipul dɛn de si prɔfɛshɔnal ɛn rilaybiliti.

Di faynɛns impak na rial tin bak. Ɛntaprayz kɔmni dɛn kin spɛn lɛk 100,000 to 300,000 dɔla ɛvri ia fɔ laysens fɔ di font dɛn nɔmɔ. Fɔ biznɛs we de gro, ivin wan smɔl pat pan da badjɛt de kin ridayrɛkt to tul ɛn sistɛm dɛn we rili de drɛb gro — we na di rayt rizin we mek pletfɔm dɛn lɛk Mewayz de bek brand kɔstɔmayshɔn dairekt insay dɛn modular biznɛs OS. We yu invɔys, bukin pej, CRM kɔmyunikeshɔn, ɛn klaynt-fes dɔkyumɛnt dɛn ɔl pul frɔm di sem brand sɛtin, kɔnsistɛns kin stɔp fɔ bi dizayn prɔblɛm ɛn bi ɔpreshɔnal difɔlt.

Wetin Mattel in Fɔnt De Tich Wi Bɔt Brand Stori Tɛl

Di genius fɔ Mattel in nyu taypfays nɔto jɔs yunifom — i min. Ripɔt dɔn se di font gɛt Ista eg dɛn ɔlsay na in karakta sɛt: subtil dizayn ditil dɛn we de tɔk bɔt di kɔmni in ɛritij, in prɔdak dɛn, ɛn in valyu dɛn. Wan kɔba we de insay wan lɛta kin mek i tan lɛk di silhouette fɔ wan Babi il. Wan jɔyometrik angle kin nod to Hot Wheels trak dizayn. Dis nɔto aksidɛnt. Dɛn na intenshɔnal stori tɛlin we dɛn ɛmbas na di mɔs granular lɛvɛl fɔ brand kɔmyunikeshɔn.

Dis we fɔ du tin de sho wan big chenj na aw kɔmni dɛn de tink bɔt branding. Taypografi nɔto jɔs fɔ rid igen. Na pɔsin we de kɛr aydentiti. Netflix, Apple, Google, Airbnb, ɛn Samsung ɔl dɔn kɔmishɔn kɔstɔm taypfeys insay di las ia — nɔto bikɔs Helvetica dɔn stɔp fɔ wok, bɔt bikɔs fɔ gɛt yu vijual langwej de gi yu kɔntrol pan aw pipul dɛn fil we dɛn mit yu brand, ivin we dɛn nɔ no.

Ɛvri tɔchpɔynt na brand mɔnt. Di font we de na yu invɔys de kɔmyuniket jɔs lɛk aw di logo we de na yu hom pej de kɔmyuniket. We dɛn tɔchpɔynt dɛn de tɛl wan kɔnsistɛns stori, kɔstɔma dɛn nɔ jɔs de no yu brand — dɛn trɔst am.

Di Riz ɔf Brand Sistɛm Ɔva Brand Ɛsɛt

Mattel in font projɛkt nɔ bin ɛksɛkutiv insay aysolɛshɔn. I bin de pat pan wan big tin fɔ bil wan kɔhiv brand sistɛm — wan sɛt fɔ intakɔnekt vijual ɛn wɔd lɔ dɛn we de gayd aw di Mattel kɔpɔt aydentiti de sho ɔlsay, frɔm ɛni ia ripɔt to LinkedIn post to pak. Di ejensi bihayn di projɛkt bin diskraib am as "put a lasso" rawnd di kɔpɔt aydentiti, we na pafɛkt mɛtafɔ fɔ wetin ɛvri biznɛs we de gro kin dɔn nid fɔ du.

Di difrɛns bitwin brand ɛset ɛn brand sistɛm na di difrɛns bitwin fɔ gɛt hama ɛn fɔ bil os. Wan logo, wan kala palet, wan font — dis na asɛt. Brand sistɛm na di akitɛkɛt we de sho aw dɛn prɔpati dɛn de wok togɛda akɔdin to ɛvri chanɛl, ɛvri dɔkyumɛnt, ɛn ɛvri intarakshɔn. Kɔmpani dɛn lɛk Mattel de invɛst bɔku bɔku mɔni na dɛn sistɛm ya bikɔs dɛn ɔndastand se na skel, inkɔnsistɛns na ɛntrɔpi. If yu nɔ gɛt sistɛm, ɛvri nyu haya, ɛvri nyu makit, ɛn ɛvri nyu prɔdak layn de introduks vijual drift.

Fɔ biznɛs dɛn we nɔ gɛt Mattel in badjɛt, di prinsipul stil de aplay — yu jɔs nid di rayt infrastukchɔ. Dis na di say we wan intagreted pletfɔm kin bi invaluable. Wit Mewayz, biznɛs dɛn we de wok akɔdin to 207 mɔdyul dɛn — frɔm CRM ɛn invoys to HR, pe rɔl, bukin, ɛn klaynt pɔtal — kin difayn brand sɛtin wan tɛm ɛn mek dɛn kaskad akɔdin to ɛvri kɔstɔma-fes ɛn intanɛnt dɔkyumɛnt. Na brand-system tinkin, we dɛn ɔpreshɔnal witout siks-figa dizayn ɛjɛnshi ritɛna.

Fayv Lɛsin dɛn frɔm Mattel in Taypografi Strateji We Ɛni Biznɛs Kin Aplay

Yu nɔ nid fɔ kɔmishɔn kɔstɔm tayp fɔ yuz di prinsipul dɛn biɛn di we aw Mattel de du tin. Na fayv akshɔnable takeaways we de wok pan ɛni skel:

we dɛn kɔl
1. Ɔdit yu vijual tɔchpɔynt dɛn. List ɛvri ples we yu brand de apia — imel, invɔys, prɔpɔzal, soshal midia, bukin kɔnfɔmeshɔn, kɔntrakt. Ɔmɔs difrɛn font dɛn, kɔlɔ dɛn, ɛn layout dɛn de insay? Mɔs biznɛsman dɛn kin sɔprayz wit di inkɔnsistɛns we dɛn kin fɛn.
2. Pik smɔl font dɛn, nɔto mɔ. Mattel bin muf frɔm laysens fɔ bɔku taypfeys to wan prɔpriet font famili. Yu kin ajɔst di sem ifɛkt bay we yu standad pan wan ɔ tu font dɛn akɔdin to ɔl di kɔmyunikeshɔn dɛn. Pik wan praymari font fɔ edlayn ɛn sɛkɔndari fɔ bɔdi tɛks, dɔn ɛnfɔs am ɔlsay.
3. Embed minin insay yu choices. Mattel in font gɛt hiden rɛfrɛns to in prodak ɛn ɛritij. Yu font choices fɔ sho yu brand personaliti bak. Wan lɔ fɔm ɛn wan sɔf skul nɔ fɔ yuz di sem tayp. Bi intenshɔnal.
4. Sistematiz, nɔ jɔs standad. Rayt brand gaydlain na step wan. Fɔ bil dɛn insay yu opareshɔnal tul dɛn — yu invoys softwe, yu CRM tɛmplat, yu bukin pej dɛn — na step tu. Di gap bitwin di tu na di say we kɔnsistɛns de go fɔ day.
5. Ridyuz laysens ɔvahɛd. If yu de pe fɔ bɔku font laysens akɔdin to tim dɛn, kɔnsolidɛt. Opin-sɔs font famili dɛn lɛk Inter, Plus Jakarta Sans, ɔ IBM Plex de gi pɔshɔnal-grɛd taypografi pan ziro kɔst. Ridayrɛkt dɛn sevings dɛn de fɔ gro.

Wetin Mek Taypografi Impɔtant Mɔ na di AI Ɛra

Na wan ironi de na Mattel we de invɛst bɔku pan taypografi na di tɛm we AI-jɛnereshɔn kɔntinyu de flɔd ɛvri chanɛl. Bɔt di ironi na jɔs surface-level. Insay di wɔl usay ɛnibɔdi kin mek wan blɔk post, wan prɔdak diskrɔpshɔn, ɔ wan soshal midia kapshɔn insay sɛkɔn, di prɛzɛnteshɔn fɔ da kɔntinyu de bi di difrɛns. Taypografi, layout, ɛn vijual aydentiti na di tin dɛm we AI nɔ ebul fɔ komoditayz — na di mɔtalman finga prɛnt na yu brand.

Tink bɔt dis: wan stɔdi we di MIT Midia Lab bin du insay 2024, sho se di wan dɛn we de rid kin mek jɔjmɛnt bɔt di tin dɛn we pɔsin kin biliv insay 50 milisekɔnd afta dɛn si wan pej — fayn fayn wan bifo dɛn rid wan wɔd. Dɛn snap jɔjmɛnt dɛn de na ɔlmost ɔl bay di vijual dizayn, wit taypografi we de ple wan sɛntral rol. Wan pej we dɛn dɔn sɛt fayn fayn wan insay wan difrɛn, kɔnsistɛns tayp, de sho se pɔsin gɛt pawa. Wan pej we dɛn sɛt insay mismatch sistɛm font dɛn de sho se dɛn nɔ tek tɛm.

Dis rili impɔtant fɔ biznɛs dɛn we de abop pan ɔtomatik kɔmyunikeshɔn — apɔntinmɛnt kɔnfɔmeshɔn, invɔys mɛmba, onbɔdin imel, pe rɔl notis. Dɛn ɔtomatik tɔchpɔynt ya kin bi di mɔst intarakshɔn dɛn we kɔstɔma ɔ wokman kin gɛt wit yu brand, yet dɛn kin bi bak di wan dɛn we dɛn kin neglek pas ɔl frɔm dizayn pɔynt. Plɛtfɔm dɛn lɛk Mewayz de adrɛs dis bay we dɛn de alaw biznɛs dɛn fɔ kɔstɔmayz di luk ɛn fil fɔ ɔtomatik kɔmyunikeshɔn akɔdin to ɔl di 207 mɔdyul dɛn, fɔ mek shɔ se ivin bukin kɔnfɔmeshɔn we dɛn dɔn mek wit sistɛm de kɛr di sem brand wet lɛk makɛt kampen we dɛn mek wit an.

Di Ditiɛl dɛn we De Bil Ɛmpaya

Mattel no bin nid nyu font. Dɛn bin dɔn de ɔpreshɔn fayn fayn wan fɔ 80 ia we dɛn nɔ bin gɛt wan. Bɔt dɛn ɔndastand sɔntin we de separet di brand dɛn we de kɔntinyu fɔ de frɔm di wan dɛn we pɔsin kin fɔgɛt: di ditil dɛn kɔmpawnd. Wan kɔnsistɛns taypfɛs akɔdin to di glob ɔl ɔpreshɔn nɔ jɔs de luk bɛtɛ — i de ridyus kɔgnitiv lod fɔ ɛvri pɔsin we mit di brand. I de mek pipul dɛn sabi am. I de mek di subliminal sɛns se dis na kɔmni we gɛt in akt togɛda.

Di Ista eg dɛm we ayd na Mattel in font na di chɛri we de ɔp — fayn fayn ditil dɛm we de blɛs klos atɛnshɔn ɛn mek mɔnt fɔ diskɔvri. Bɔt di rial stori na di sistɛm we de ɔnda: wan wanwɔd vijual langwej we de wok akɔdin to dɔzɛn brand dɛm, ɔndrɛd makɛt dɛm, ɛn tawzin tɔchpɔynt dɛm. Na di kayn tink we de tɔn kɔmni to institiushɔn.

Fɔ di 138,000+ biznɛs dɛn we dɔn ɔlrɛdi de yuz Mewayz fɔ rul dɛn opareshɔn, di lɛsin klia. Brand kɔnsistɛns nɔto dizayn lɔjishɔn — na ɔpreshɔnal strateji. Ɛvri invɔys we de mach yu wɛbsayt, ɛvri bukin pej we de sho yu brand kɔlɔ, ɛvri ɔtomatik imel we fil se dɛn mek am bay wilful — dɛn ditil ya kɔmpawnd to sɔntin we nɔbɔdi nɔ go ebul fɔ bay: trɔst.

Start Wit Wetin Yu Kin Kɔntrol

Yu go mɔs bi se yu nɔ go kɔmishɔn kɔstɔm taypfɛs tumara. Dat na fayn tin. Bɔt yu kin bigin bay we yu aks wan simpul kwɛstyɔn: Ɛvri dɔkyumɛnt we mi biznɛs de sɛn na di wɔl tan lɛk se i kɔmɔt frɔm di sem kɔmni? If di ansa na nɔ — ɛn fɔ bɔku biznɛs, na — yu gɛt frut we de hang smɔl we kin impɔk aw di kɔstɔma dɛn de si yu wit minin.

Start wit yu mɔs frɛkuɛnt kɔstɔma tɔchpɔynt dɛn. Stɛndadayz di font, kɔlɔ, ɛn layout akɔdin to yu invɔys, prɔpɔzal, ɛn imel kɔmyunikeshɔn. If yu de manej dɛn wan ya akɔdin to difrɛn tul dɛn, tink bɔt fɔ kɔnsolidɛt insay wan pletfɔm we de ɛnfɔs brand kɔnsistɛns bay difɔlt. Di gol nɔto fɔ pafɛkt — na fɔ gɛt wanwɔd. Mattel bin spɛn 80 ia witout kɔstɔm font ɛn stil bil wan ɛmpaya. Bɔt we dɛn dɔn mek dɛn wanwɔd na dɛn vijual aydentiti, dɛn nɔ jɔs gɛt wan brand we fayn pas am. Dɛn bin gɛt wan we de wok fayn, we pɔsin kin ebul fɔ skel, ɛn we pɔsin kin abop pan. Dat na plebuk we fit fɔ tif.

Kwɛshɔn dɛn we dɛn kin aks bɔku tɛm

Wetin mek big big brand dɛm lɛk Mattel de invɛst pan kɔstɔm font naw?

Global brand dɛn de prayoritɛt absolyut brand kɔnsistɛns akɔdin to ɔl di pletfɔm dɛn, frɔm fizik pak to dijital ad. Wan kɔstɔm font, lɛk Mattel in yon, de mek shɔ se yu gɛt wan patikyula ɛn kɔhiv vijual aydentiti we dɛn nɔ go ebul fɔ kɔpi wit wan jenɛrik taypfɛs. Dis invɛstmɛnt de mek di brand rɛkɔgnishɔn strɔng ɛn difrɛns dɛn na wan krawd makit. Fɔ biznɛs dɛn we de luk fɔ bil wan sem kayn strɔng aydentiti, fɔ fɛn risɔs dɛn lɛk di 207 modul dɛn na Mewayz kin gi fawndeshɔn insay di mɔdan branding prinsipul dɛn.

Wetin na di ‘playful hidden details’ na di Mattel taypfeys?

Di font inkɔrpɔret subtil dizayn ɛlimɛnt dɛn we dɛn inspɛkt frɔm Mattel in tɔy ɛritij. Fɔ ɛgzampul, sɔm lɛta dɛn kin gɛt kɔba dɛn we kin mek pɔsin mɛmba wan Hot Wheels trak ɔ ple ple tɛminal dɛn we kin ɛko di shep fɔ wan tɔys blɔk. Dɛn ditil ya we ayd de ad wan layt fɔ brand pɔsin ɛn stori, we de mek di taypografi fil spɛshal ‘Mattel’ ɛn mek wan mɔ ɛngayjmɛnt ɛkspiriɛns fɔ kɔshɔma dɛn.

Aw kɔstɔm font kin mek di brand kɔnsistɛns bɛtɛ?

Prɔpriet font de pul di rilayns pan laysens font dɛn we kin rɛnd difrɛn akɔdin to sistɛm ɔ gɛt yuz ristrikshɔn. I de mek shɔ se ɔl di kɔmyunikeshɔn dɛn, frɔm intanɛnt dɔkyumɛnt dɛn to di advatayzmɛnt kampen dɛn we de ɔlsay na di wɔl, luk jɔs di sem. Dis wanwɔd prɛzɛntɛnshɔn de mek pipul dɛn gɛt trɔst ɛn i de mek dɛn sabi du dɛn wok fayn fayn wan. Plɛtfɔm dɛn lɛk Mewayz ($19/mo) de gi lɛsin dɛn bɔt aw fɔ impruv dɛn kayn brand ɛtɛt dɛn de kɔnsistɛntli akɔdin to difrɛn makɛt chanɛl dɛn.

Na kɔstɔm font na fayn invɛstmɛnt fɔ smɔl biznɛs?

Wɛl wan ful kɔstɔm taypfɛs kin bi wan impɔtant invɛstmɛnt, di prinsipul fɔ yunik branding impɔtant fɔ biznɛs dɛn we gɛt ɔl kayn saiz. Smɔl kɔmni dɛn kin bigin bay we dɛn de yuz difrɛn laysens fɔnt dɛn ɛn pe atɛnshɔn pan wan kɔnsistɛns stayl gayd. Di ki tek-away frɔm Mattel in muv na di stratejik valyu fɔ wan yunifayd vijual aydentiti, wan tɔpik we dɛn kɔba bɔku bɔku wan insay dizayn ɛn makɛt kɔs dɛn we de na pletfɔm dɛn lɛk Mewayz.