adamjspooner

Helvetica Neue Will Use You

March 19, 2008
12:49 AM

Hevletica. It's by far the most ubiquitous typeface seen these days. People adore it. They make movies with it and about it. Your friends that think it's just a font know what it is. Heck, I bet your grandparents have at least heard of it.

Every project I begin starts with Helvetica Neue. It's clean. It's simple. It's neutral. It knows no emotion, but can evoke so many. I see it on the subway and smile. I look out of my office window and see it on the tops of buses ... and smile. I see it on movie posters and get sentimental. I hear people bicker over it and get disgruntled ... There's a gigantic poster above me, right now, printed in Helvetica. I love Helvetica.

That all changed a few weeks ago.

I sat down at my machine –cup o' the Dew in one hand, mouse in the other– ready to get started on another project. I set up my grid. Grabbed the type tool and began. Helvetica came splashing out onto the screen ... and I didn't feel inspired as I normally do. I was bored. It was bland. The passionate love for Helvetica was gone. I looked at it wanting more ... I hated Helvetica.

I switched to Gotham. Then to Futura. Then to Century Schoolbook. Then to Sauna. Then to DIN ... The cycle continued.

Two weeks later I was back on Helvetica like a heroine addict who tried crack. That day I realized something important: Helvetica and I have a love-hate relationship. I feel as though it uses me ... while I use it. And so it inspired a new typographic experiment: He (Helvetica) will use you. I will use You (Helvetica). Helvetica Neue will use you.