What’s My Type — How to create tone of voice with the right font choice

Tone of Voice, personality, brand perception, they might sound like marketing buzzwords, but really, they all boil down to one thing: how people see your brand – and how they feel about it. So how do you stand out? Not just in how you look, but in how you come across? How do you show personality without saying a word?

One of the simplest, most powerful tools at your disposal is your typeface.

Before we get into colour palettes, logos or photography, we look at fonts. It’s often the very first thing someone sees. The right typeface sets the tone before a single word has been read – it's your brand’s voice, in visual form.

And today, the choice is huge. No longer are we limited to the handful of defaults like Times New Roman, Arial or Helvetica. There are thousands of fonts out there – elegant, bold, playful, serious, modern, vintage – and that variety can be both exciting and overwhelming.

The key is not to follow the crowd. One of the most common mistakes is choosing a typeface just because it’s popular or “on trend” at the time. Another is not thinking about styling at all, which leaves your type looking plain and forgettable. Neither tells your audience much about who you are.

Instead, think about what you want people to feel when they encounter your brand. Are you aiming for high-end, premium, exclusive? Then a classic serif font might be perfect – something with elegance, detail and a sense of tradition. Look at luxury brands like Gucci or Armani – their typography instantly signals refinement.

Or maybe you’re bold, energetic, and modern. In that case, a sans-serif font with clean lines and strong presence could be a better fit. Nike, for example, uses an italicised font that gives a constant sense of motion and momentum – it’s simple, but it speaks volumes.

Even in the food world, typography tells a story. A fine dining restaurant might choose something minimalist and restrained, suggesting calm confidence and control. A street food stall selling stacked burgers or loaded fries might go for something noisy, hand-drawn or chunky – full of flavour and fun before you’ve even seen the menu.

Fonts aren’t just about style – they’re about voice. They tell people what to expect, how to feel, and what kind of experience they’re stepping into.

And now, with platforms like Google Fonts offering high-quality, free-to-use typefaces, you don’t need a huge budget to find something that fits. Whether you're starting from scratch or refreshing an existing look, the right font is out there – and when you find it, it just clicks.

Typography might just be one of the most telling parts of branding. Quietly, confidently, it does the job of making sure people feel something – even before they read a single word.