Fonts and Little Things

Those of us who fuss about little things such as mis-aligned pictures are sometimes accused, with ample justification, accused of being compulsive. Even so, little things matter, such as font choice. This is mentioned because of research done at Wichita State University and mentioned by a columnist in The Island Packet of Hilton Head, SC. "People looking to make a strong impression would do well to stick with the basics (Verdana, Ariel, Times New Roman, etc.)," the columnist said of Wichita analysis. 

In the case of outdoor advertising (the jargon for billboards) the wrong font in the wrong size probably leaves no impression at all, thus wasting the money spent on the sign. The rules, from the aged advertising textbook, call for: clear product identification, large illustration size, and just a few words of copy presented in "heavy sans-serif type, spaced liberally." As you drive, evaluate the signs. A good many are useless.

In Capitol Report New Mexico, we use a good basic font, Garamond, for the body copy. A friend suggested we increase the size from 10 point to 11 point. We will in the spring issue.

For the spring issue, we will present background information on the big issues left on the table when the legislature adjourned February 15—health care, transportation, education funding and more. Advertising sales close March 31.