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Typography
Our brand typefaces reflect the fearless, approachable and ready attributes of the SFU brand.
SFU's standard fonts
Our standard typefaces are Countach, DIN Pro and DIN Serif.
We have established specific styles and uses for each typeface below.
* Countach Bold (Caps) should only appear in the light red or white. Do not set Countach headlines in black or sentence case
**Large scale applications, like banner and signage, require unique sizing consideration based on the distance to the viewer.
Headlines
- Font: Countach Bold (Caps)*
- Size: Larger than 30pt**
- Leading: 86% of the font size
- Tracking: 0
- Kerning: Set to "Metrics"
- Align: Left or right. Bleed off the same side whenever possible
Sub-heads, call-outs, calls-to-action
- Font: DIN Pro Condensed Black (Caps)
- Size: Smaller than 30pt**
- Leading: 120% of the font size
- Tracking: 20
- Align: left
Body copy and call-outs
- Font: DIN Serif Regular
- Leading: 150% of the font size
- Tracking: 0
- Align: Left
Side bars, captions, charts
- Font: DIN Pro Light, Regular, Medium
- Leading: 150% of the font size
- Tracking: 0
- Align: left
When these fonts are not available, please use the specified system fonts listed below.
NOTE: Fonts for live HTML text are still to be determined.
System fonts
Our system fonts are Impact, Trebuchet MS and Times.
System fonts should be used when the standard fonts are not available. These fonts are all common system fonts or open source, so they do not require users to purchase licenses.
These typefaces are also useful for sharing and editing documents in applications like PowerPoint and Word.
Headlines
- Font: Impact Regular (Caps)
- Size: Larger than 30pt*
- Leading: Equal to the font size
- Tracking: 0
- Align: Left or right. Bleed off the same side whenever possible.
Sub-heads, call-outs, calls-to-action
- Font: Trebuchet MS Bold (Caps)
- Size: Smaller than 30pt*
- Leading: 120% of the font size
- Tracking: 0
- Align: left
Body copy and call-outs
- Font: Times Regular
- Leading: 140% of the font size
- Tracking: 0
- Align: Left
Side bars, captions, charts
- Font: Trebuchet MS Regular, Bold
- Leading: 150% of the font size
- Tracking: 0
- Align: Left
*Large-scale applications, like banner and signage, require unique sizing consideration based on the distance to the viewer.
Title bars
We often contain titles, headlines and call-outs within graphic bars
that are inspired by the design of the institutional SFU logo.
These bars are either in white with the headline in SFU light red or in SFU light red with the headline in white. On occasion, we use SFU dark red for the title bars on a light red background for a more subtle effect.
NOTE: The X is equal to the height of a period.
Obtaining the SFU fonts
- Communications and Marketing has purchased a limited number of font licenses for distribution to Communicators whose main duties include graphics production. Please email sfu-brand@sfu.ca to inquire.
- If you're working with an external partner, they can purchase SFU fonts by following the links below:
- Countach
- FF Din Pro
- DIN Serif font was custom made for SFU. You first need to purchase the default version via the automated online platform, then request the customised version by email: info@parachutefonts.com. This is an extra step but a necessary one.
- SFU's system fonts are installed on all SFU computers.
Layouts
Typography is an important part of our brand toolkit; it helps to set the voice of our brand. It is also very flexible to accommodate different types of messages and to remain fresh and dynamic across all brand touch points.
Here is a range of typographic layout examples that demonstrate this flexibility and provide inspiration for different types of layouts.
Typographic layouts should feel dynamic and bold. It is important to set a strong grid to help provide structure and balance, but use the grid in a flexible manner to create expressive and energetic layouts.
