Typography as a generator of identity in the brand image of European countries in the 21st century

Abstract

Corporate identity has undergone major changes in recent decades. These changes have altered, among other issues, the established order of the elements that in a complex way define an identity. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the preference for the symbol or imagotype, which had always remained as the central axis of identity, has been replaced by the creation of variable and scalable graphic systems. Other identifying elements have come into play in these systems which, although they already existed, have been placed in a more prominent position. The traditional basic elements such as –name, logo, imagotype– have lost the power of recognition in a global society with a gradual increase in the number of mediums, technologies and contexts in which a brand is embodied. One of those elements that has gained great prominence is typography. In this context, the trend of creating personalized typeface families has emerged, taking into account the needs of each of the brands, occupying a prominent place among these identifying elements. This article aims to analyze through case studies how custom typography has been adopted in the last ten years in the redesign of brands in countries in northern Europe, within the strategies of reaffirmation of one's own identity and connection with territorial elements with the aim of a greater projection from the difference. Countries have found it necessary to create unique brands to differentiate themselves from their neighbors in the areas of tourism, population recruitment, resources and investments. In this strategy, brand creators have pointed towards custom typography as a differentiating tool.