The most popular typeface on Earth

Helvetica is probably the most recognized and most widely used typeface in the world. On one hand, this ubiquitous font can be impactful and strong, while on the other, it represents everything about minimalism. Take a walk around New York City, or really any other urban (or even suburban!) setting, and you’ll easily encounter some form of the Helvetica font at least two dozen times.

Believe it or not, there’s even a feature-length independent film about this iconic font. Helvetica, a documentary by filmmaker Gary Hustwit, examines typography, graphic design and global visual culture, and the proliferation of Helvetica specifically “as part of a larger conversation about the way type affects our lives.” While the content of this film may not be a revelation to many designers who know and love the font, this film will definitely surprise and entertain the rest of us who don’t work in the graphic design field. Check out the trailer here:

Available on iTunes.com and Netflix.com

Whether we know the name or not, many of us have a personal favorite of the Helvetica family. Indigo’s a bit fan of Helvetica Neue:

One of the more interesting and effective uses of Helvetica we’ve seen lately is Original Music Shirt, a French company (and friend of Indigo!) that makes designer t-shirts. By aligning the Helvetica typeface with well-known song titles, classic lyrics or music-related statements, they’re able to trigger powerful emotional ties. After all, who doesn’t love to show off their musical tastes! Here are a few examples:

Photography by Laurence Guenoun | Model Helena Baskakoff-Elite Model Look France for originalmusicshirt.com