Tailored type: Studying the effects of typography in clothing brand personalities

Understanding how typography influences consumer perception and brand reception is important to successfully employ typographic strategies that positively influence consumers. Utilizing typography to effectively express the intended meaning through text and perception requires extensive thought and skill. The purpose of this thesis was to examine whether specific typefaces used for clothing brands deliver particular brand personality traits. An online survey investigating this relationship between typography and clothing brand personality was created and made available to voluntary participants. A total of 251 usable data sets were collected and statistically analyzed. The findings of this study provided an insight on the association between the choice of a typeface, brand personality, age, gender, and knowledge of typography. More specifically, this study found that perceived typeface personalities were influenced by age and gender, but were not affected by the knowledge of typography. The results were also used to develop an interactive website that helps designers choose typefaces that express the intended message and appeal to their target audience. The Tailored Type website provided a unique, clear, and easy to follow guide for designers as well as marketers. Tailored Type Website: www.ritayu.com/thesis/index.htm