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What font says 'Change'?
Boston Globe ^ | January 27, 2008 | Sam Berlow and Cyrus Highsmith

Posted on 01/28/2008 9:29:01 AM PST by forkinsocket

TYPOGRAPHY CAN subtly or boldly define a company, product, or person. Whether it is Best Buy's big, bold, screaming signs or the sweet, elegant script on a wine label, the type talks to us, the reader. The logos of the presidential candidates are no exception.

Clinton

The Hillary type palette is far from fresh and colorful; it is begging for legitimacy instead of demanding respect. It projects recycled establishment. The type has a tired feeling, as if the ink has been soaking into the page too long. The Hillary logo has the look of an '80s newspaper layout or an investment company. The tall lower-case reminds me of someone with their pants pulled up too high. I wonder about the significance of the three stars and three stripes. A third term?

Edwards

Edwards is the only candidate to use a sans serif typeface for his main typeface. Sans serif typefaces do not have the added elements at the ends of the vertical and horizontal strokes. Unlike many of the traditional sans serifs used in campaigns, Edwards's typeface is open and friendly. It's utilitarian. In past campaigns, Edwards used a serif typeface. Perhaps he is subtly distancing himself from his unsuccessful 2004 bid. The Edwards type is very Wal-Mart, tabloid, middle class. Not a whiff of high-powered lawyer.

Obama

Obama's type is contemporary, fresh, very polished and professional. The serifs are sharp and pointed; clean pen strokes evoke a well-pressed Armani suit. The ever-present rising sun logo has the feeling of a hot new Internet company. His sans serifs conjure up the clean look of Nike or Sony. This typography is young and cool. Clearly not the old standards of years past.

(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: change; elections; font; typography
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1 posted on 01/28/2008 9:29:02 AM PST by forkinsocket
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To: forkinsocket

I think Obama’s text and graphic look really classy.


2 posted on 01/28/2008 9:31:30 AM PST by Tax-chick ("Gently alluding to the indisputably obvious is not gloating." ~Richard John Neuhaus)
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To: forkinsocket

Can’t believe it took 2 people to write this - I wonder if they take turns using the one brain cell they own between them.


3 posted on 01/28/2008 9:32:32 AM PST by Some Fat Guy in L.A. (Nope. Not gonna do it.)
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To: forkinsocket
Back when I was in the ad biz, we called stuff like this "overthink".
4 posted on 01/28/2008 9:33:04 AM PST by okie01 (THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA: Ignorance on Parade)
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To: forkinsocket

Oh brother.


5 posted on 01/28/2008 9:34:09 AM PST by mrsmel
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To: forkinsocket

Irony:
Insisting that each election year sees office-holder-wanna-be’s sticking with the same theme of “change”


6 posted on 01/28/2008 9:35:36 AM PST by Southack (Media Bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
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7 posted on 01/28/2008 9:35:54 AM PST by evets (beer)
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To: Tax-chick
I don't like it. I think it looks like a tourist agency's logo. McCain's looks like a car company logo to me.


8 posted on 01/28/2008 9:36:53 AM PST by forkinsocket
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To: forkinsocket

I note that they describe Romney’s, but don’t actually show it. What’s up with that?


9 posted on 01/28/2008 9:38:52 AM PST by RosieCotton (A place for everything and everything in its place - 2008 Resolution #1)
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To: forkinsocket

Actually, webdings does, but very few would be able to read it.


10 posted on 01/28/2008 9:43:09 AM PST by Just another Joe (Warning: FReeping can be addictive and helpful to your mental health)
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To: forkinsocket

Hillary’s and Huckabee’s are almost identical.


11 posted on 01/28/2008 9:46:54 AM PST by Always Right (Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?)
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To: forkinsocket; Tax-chick

It does look a bit tourist agency, but I still kind of like it.

I think Huckabee’s is the worst. As they said, it’s cluttered, and it also varies too much from element to element. Looks very thrown together.


12 posted on 01/28/2008 9:48:00 AM PST by RosieCotton (A place for everything and everything in its place - 2008 Resolution #1)
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To: Some Fat Guy in L.A.

Graphic designer circle jerk alert!


13 posted on 01/28/2008 9:48:31 AM PST by gunservative
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To: forkinsocket
My question is Change from WHAT to WHAT? Has anyone ever asked any of these advocates for CHANGE, just exactly what they would like to change? That might give us a clue as to their intentions. Just change for change sake may NOT be in our best interests. It might be from democracy to socialism for all we know. It might be from self reliance, and the American spirit of the rugged individual to government dependency, more welfare, assimilation of illegals into our society. It's just something to think about.
14 posted on 01/28/2008 9:53:36 AM PST by rtbwood
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To: Just another Joe

LOL!


15 posted on 01/28/2008 9:53:39 AM PST by Constitution Day
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To: gunservative

If the writer of the article knew what they were talking about, they would know that McCain is in the typeface called Optima and it is a sans serif font. There is no such thing as an in between.


16 posted on 01/28/2008 9:56:46 AM PST by Long Island Pete
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To: forkinsocket
Obviously, the default MS Word font changed the entire CBS News Organization!

-PJ

17 posted on 01/28/2008 10:00:36 AM PST by Political Junkie Too (Repeal the 17th amendment -- it's the "Fairness Doctrine" for Congress!)
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To: Long Island Pete

Actually, it might be Zapf Humanist Bold. (The joke being that they are pretty much the same typeface.)


18 posted on 01/28/2008 10:06:42 AM PST by Dr. Sivana (Not a newbie, I just wanted a new screen name.)
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To: forkinsocket

All of these logos look like they were generated in 8th grade detention using MS Word

Huckabee - We don’t need his first name; the swoosh wastes space

Obama - Looks like a box for a curative for hemorrhoids. Indecisive colors, lower case, lacks confidence. Web address looks like an afterthought

McCain - Optima typeface, very 1986. The star graphic lockup says ‘military’; black and white says MIA flag. Call Ross Perot, John

Hillary - Can’t say Clinton, 3 stars unfurling on a toiletpaper flag, which about sums up her view of the constitution

Rudy - Bold, Big R for Republican, if in name only.

Edwards - First name separates him from all the other Edwards who are running. Lopsided, waste of space, meaningless (green for AlGore?) swoosh and star.

Political advertising.

Yuck.


19 posted on 01/28/2008 10:06:55 AM PST by IncPen (Elect Barack and it's an Obama-Nation !!)
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To: forkinsocket
I wonder about the significance of the three stars and three stripes. A third term?

Perhaps it's the number of states that will be left in the Union after 4 years of Hillary.
20 posted on 01/28/2008 10:12:12 AM PST by Arkancide (www.arkancide.com)
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