Case Study: TDC in Detail
The warm expression and structured restraint of the Co font family makes it an ideal choice for corporate projects that need to directly communicate with consumers. So it was with no surprise that Copenhagen-based design agency Artners decided to use Co Text as a basis for their project to refresh the brand of Danish telecoms company TDC.
As this was a identity update, and not a full rebrand, a number of existing graphical elements had to be retained, such as the logo and circular features. Tobias Røder of Artners discussed his dilemma with us, and together we felt that to move TDC forward a strong typographic approach was needed. As a basic concept, Co Text fit the bill perfectly – with its geometric elements reflecting the circular elements of the existing identity. However, it was felt that off the shelf Co Text was too soft, and not corporate enough. It was our task to submit a number of design modifications which retained the elementary spirit of Co Text, but also made it more consumer focussed. For flexibility, we needed to expand the font family range to include a Extra Bold weight and matching Italics.
Based on Tobias's initial sketches we presented a number of different trials showing how the design features could be treated. As the font was to be used in different media, with the Bold and Extra Bold in advertisement, we submitted a range of widths to allow the client to make an informed decision on how narrow the font could go before the essential geometry was lost. During the design process we continually suggested different ways of treating individual characters to enforce the circular element that is so prominent in the client's identity. With all the basic design features and proportions decided, we could then apply these to all the font weights. Before doing any design work to the Extra Bold, or the Italics, we carried out tests to determine the exact weight, and angle. Finally, with all the information to hand all the drawing could proceed.
Throughout the design process we periodically sent beta versions of the fonts to Tobias for him to work with and to allow him to react should he require small changes. Eventually, with all the design and spacing work finished the fonts moved into font engineering where our production team ensured the technical quality. Being a telecoms company, it was important for TDC to have the fonts fully-hinted so they can perform in any media without losing the essential clarity and brand expression.
The new identity is currently being rolled out by TDC, in both internal and external communications. As this is a large company the roll-out of the various identity elements, including the fonts will take months to conclude. However, the new TDC fonts can already be seen in advertisements and on the website, performing exactly as was intended.
TDC is only one successful example of how Dalton Maag's Exclusive fonts can be modified to become a unique contributor to a brand. Our experienced team can help both design agency and client to realize an exciting visual expression via the simple means of typography, and our flexible approach to font licensing means that fonts are an inexpensive but effective marketing tool.