Save Gotham, Stop Using It

June 29, 2010 - Permalink - #design #typography #edu

Gotham, our beloved typeface. We’re killing it.

In about 20 years, we will look back on it with the same odd arousal and disdain we have now for Avant Garde. Students will profusely use it like Futura (although I’d say they already do this.)

It is the Helvetica of the 21st century. While I don’t sense that the general design community feels that Helvetica is dated, I personally see it as a bit dated now—but Gotham has come at the right moment for corporate America. Honestly, in the past few months, I’ve worked on at least five brands that use Gotham as their corporate typeface. Why? Surely, it is beautiful, but is it just such an obvious choice? Is it just safe? Basic? Easy?

I wouldn’t say this, but I would say it’s extremely palatable for the time. However, if we continue to use it like we are, these basic descriptors will become a part of it, they will define it’s aesthetic, they will date it: easy, basic, safe.

(While on the topic: professors, stop banning typefaces. What’s up with that? How is that teaching? It does nothing for the students. Instead of getting Futura or Gotham, you’ll simply get Akzidenz-Grotesk or Whitney, because it was an easy to find replacement with no real thought, intention, or similarity. Require process, like you should for anything else—this will overall lead to better work, and of course, there are damn good times for the use of Futura or Gotham.)

I love the face, but I do fear for our look back at it in twenty years.