Helvetica Now: A new take on an old friend
Helvetica Has just received the first major update in 35 years. It’s called Helvetica now, and here’s why you should care.
Neue Haas Grotesk, more commonly known as Helvetica is hands down the most famous, recognizable and widely used typeface of all time. Back when it was first released in 1957, it was a true revolutionary typeface that has set the benchmark of all fonts to come.
Just to get a grasp of how much Helvetica has influenced modern typography, take a look at the offers of Google and Apple. Roboto, the 2011 typeface from Google was heavily criticized for being a frankenfont, an “unwieldy mishmash” of Helvetica and Frutiger. San Francisco is also clearly heavily inspired by Helvetica Neue (and DIN ) which was Apple’s system font for prior versions of iOS 9, or OS X El Capitan. We could do this all day. If you’re using a largely neutral Sans-Serif, it’s probably inspired by Helvetica.
There are plenty of reasons why many tech giants are going with their own bespoke fonts that keep looking like Helvetica. Perhaps the most prevalent of them is the fact that Helvetica isn’t free. When your website and app are used by millions of people every day, the bill gets expensive. It is reported that IBM was spending over $1m annually on licensing fees for Helvetica Neue before they made their own IBM Plex typeface in 2017.
But there’s two other reasons for that, reasons more relevant to us in the context of this new Helvetica release. It has to do with how and why Helvetica was built in the first place
Helvetica is Neutral
Gary Hustwit tells the inception story of Helvetica in his 2007 documentary“ Helvetica”. The movie was made to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the original release of Helvetica in 1957. Miedinger and Hoffmann, the original designers, set out to create a “neutral typeface that had great clarity, no intrinsic meaning in its form and could be used on a wide variety of signage” as the movie puts it.
Linotype, the type foundry that owns Helvetica puts it perfectly: “ It lends an air of lucid efficiency to any typographic message with its clean, no-nonsense shapes”. Their description of Helvetica Neue puts it even better: “ The font is perfect for international correspondence: no ornament, no emotion, just clear presentation of information”.
It doesn’t take a typography expert to see that they pulled it off with flying colors. Here’s just a glimpse of the brands that use it for their logos. You can use it for anything and it works!
Helvetica says whatever you want it to say. That’s both the genius behind it and its most daunting aspect.
As I stated in a previous article, a typeface gives you access to a great dimension of expression. To waste that chance on a font that was built to convey your words without any padding of emotion and meaning is a true shame unless that’s the purpose and the intent from the get-go.
Great brands understand that and they try to come up with their own typefaces that cater to their expression needs. I always say that San Francisco is Helvetica’s pretty cousin because it is. It is prettier, it’s rounder, bolder. It’s more friendly and welcoming. It’s more Apple and less everyone else.
Helvetica was designed for print
In 1957 when Helvetica was launched, the most powerful computer on the planet, the Pegasus 2 didn’t have a proper digital interface. Displays weren’t a thing yet. TVs were still in black and white. We didn’t worry about digital back then.
Back in 1957, the designers, not expecting the landslide success that they had, didn’t release a comprehensive set of weights and widths and styles. Those came along through the years. That’s why in 1983, Helvetica Neue was born. It was an attempt to unify the structures of Helvetica. Now, the complete Helvetica Neue set includes 51 versions, including eight weights plus italics for the regular width, nine weights plus obliques for the condensed and more.
The updates continued over the years and included support for new languages, expanded character sets and such, but they always stemmed from the original Helvetica that wasn’t really designed with high-density displays in mind. It’s been 35 years since Helvetica Neue, the first major remake and Charles Nix, monotype’s (the company that now owns Helvetica) type director believes the upgrade is long overdue. He states: “ That’s a long time — especially in digital years, It was made for a different time — a far less screen-dependent time.
Helvetica Now, What’s different?
A few days ago, Helvetica Now was released, and boy what an exciting time it is. Just check out the video released by monotype
Renders better on screens
Helvetica Neue used to suffer on small screens as it lost its features. The new Helvetica now comes with three different sizes: Micro, Text and Display each tailored to fit within its specific context.
For instance, for posters or headers and large text in general, the new Helvetica Now Display takes advantage of the size with emphasized and distinctive shapes. For smaller text such as on mobile devices and small displays, Helvetica Now Micro is designed specifically for improved legibility with wider shapes and more generous kerning
Increased Character sets
Helvetica now comes equipped with an increased number of glyphs for every size. As monotype puts it, this give is a “greater potential for use in information graphics as well as signage”.
The glyphs also come with alternate versions for key glyphs like the uppercase “R” and the lowercase “a”. I like Abbott Miller of Pentagram’s comment about this on the specimen page “It offers beautifully drawn alternates to some of Helvetica’s most awkward moments”.
Perfected shapes
Helvetica was great, to begin with. But this new update was an opportunity to rethink some of the lines and shapes in a more modern light without sacrificing the inceptive mantra upon which It was built: Clarity, simplicity, and neutrality.
Disclaimer: I’m a designer and art director and I am by no means a type designer or typography expert. All the facts and opinions in this article are from my own observation and from things I read on the internet and linked all across. If you would like to challenge any piece of information, please do in the comments below.
