How do you design your country’s national font? That’s what Wayne Thompson was asked to do by Australia’s national broadcaster, the ABC, whose charter mandates the delivery of content which contributes to the national identity. They asked for a type family which unifies their digital presence across multiple platforms, is best-in-class for legibility and accessibility, and expresses a proud, uniquely Australian voice. Thompson describes the process he undertook to research the Australian psyche and understand our vision of ourselves in order to balance these impossibly wide-ranging—and sometimes competing—requirements. This talk is a case-study which illuminates the importance of research in the type-design process, and explores the meaning of national identity and how typography can carry signifiers which express and reflect it.
How To Design Your Country’s National Font
