Fonts. We see and use them everyday. Whether we are typing up an important document, sending a text, or reading an advertisement.
We’ve all got our tried and true go-to’s– Gotham, Bebas Neue, Arial…but we need to talk about some fonts that you should NOT be using. Why does it matter? Because fonts are a medium of communication. When someone visits your church website or pick up an invite card they can quickly pick up on the arrangement of content and colors, and that brings up a feeling in them. An unconscious feeling, yes, but still a feeling. And you don’t want that to be a bad feeling, since this is often their very first impression of your church.
Fonts are more than just letters, and they should be selected with intention. It’s important to stay on brand to create a cohesive look, and we think the fonts on the list below don’t have any business in your brand guide or on your website. Specific typefaces can evoke feelings and emotions, so spending some time finding the right one is worth the investment. We asked our Church Communications Facebook Group what their least favorite fonts were – and they delivered.
Here’s a list of 5 terrible fonts that you should definitely avoid at all costs.
Comic Sans
Comic Sans is an absolute classic when it comes to terrible fonts. This font is entirely overused and comes off as childish. Anyone should try to avoid this font because it simply does not look professional. Comic Sans may feel like it is trying to be too casual and has a distinct lack of credibility. Oftentimes you will see Comic Sans used in meme culture which helps perpetuate these feelings.
Papyrus
In the #2 spot, we have Papyrus. This is an older font popular in the 1980s. During its lifetime, Papyrus certainly had its uses and it did them well! However, simply because it was so overused over time this font’s effectiveness vanished. So we think that this font should be dropped in 2022.
Bleeding Cowboys
Next, we have the infamous Bleeding Cowboys font. This font is so loud and it is looking for way too much attention. Because of this, it makes it very difficult to find a compatible context for where it can work. Sadly because this font is so loud, it is often overused in amature design and you wouldn’t want to associate your brand with that.
Jokerman
Jokerman has made this list because it is too difficult to read. The fact is legibility can make or break a font. There are too many curls, squiggles, and dots to make this font easy to read. You also have to take into account those who may have vision problems or even dyslexia. The letters can often look like they run together. While this font is distinct it will not leave the impression you were hoping it would leave.
Curlz
And last but not least, we have included Curlz on our list. Curlz runs the risk of looking cheesy and a little cheap. This font brings up long buried memories of bakeries and boutiques in the late 90s and early 2000s. Much like Comic Sans, Curlz seems to have a feeling of forced casualness.
The bottom line is that a font can have a big impact on the feel and personality of a brand. That is why it’s important to choose the right font. Always consider how it will look when you’re using it online, in print, or on social media. Make sure to keep your brand’s identity in mind before you commit to any one font.
Choosing the right font can be a challenge, because there’s so much to consider. And using the wrong font can have detrimental effects on a brand. There are typefaces for everything these days, and it’s up to you to pick the one that’s right for your brand.
If you want to save the hassle of creating amazing graphics (with the right fonts), check out Church Media Squad. You deserve to get some hours back in your week so you can stop feeling frustrated, focus on what matters, and look awesome. They know you want to be seen as a creative leader—which means you need jaw-dropping graphics for your events, sermon series, announcement slides, merch and apparel designs, and more.
