For my project, we chose Helvetica as our secondary typeface, which led me to research why it’s so widely favored by graphic designers. I found it fascinating that a font often seen as plain or neutral can be so impactful. Its clean, balanced design allows it to adapt to many contexts — from corporate branding to public signage — conveying clarity, professionalism, and timelessness.\
The article traces Helvetica’s origins in Switzerland in the 1950s (by Max Miedinger & Eduard Hoffmann) as “Neue Haas Grotesk”, designed for clarity and neutrality. It explains how it rose to dominance in the 1960s-70s across global signage, corporate identity and mass media, becoming the default sans-serif for modernism. It also discusses the typeface’s mixed legacy: while its clean form made it ideal for modernist clarity, its ubiquity also drew critique for being too bland or institutional.