"Mattel operates dozens of brands under its corporate umbrella, each with their own visual identity and brand voice. But, until now, Mattel has never had its own proprietary typeface for its overarching brand, instead opting to license multiple existing fonts on a global scale—an endeavor that was not only expensive, but also came at the cost of visual consistency across Mattel's many product lines."
"Their solution, a typeface called Matty and Belle Mattel Sans, can be translated into multiple languages, read in even the smallest of fine print, and used on everything from social media and pitch decks to product packaging. And while the typeface was designed for maximum practicality, Gibson's team also wove playful allusions to the brand's history throughout their work."
"When designing Mattel's new typeface, Gibson's team was guided by an unusual creative ethos that he describes as 'fun in a library.' First and foremost, Gibson explains, the typeface needed to 'be legible,' 'work across mobile,' and 'be global,' given that Mattel planned to use the design in other languages like Turkish and Greek."
Mattel, which operates dozens of brands globally, previously relied on licensed fonts across its product lines, creating inconsistency and high costs. The Chicago-based creative agency Gertrude designed Matty and Belle Mattel Sans, a proprietary typeface that works across multiple languages, scales to fine print sizes, and functions across all platforms from social media to packaging. The design balances practical legibility and global functionality with playful elements inspired by Mattel's history. The typeface incorporates references to 1950s-70s Mattel mascots Matty and Belle Mattel, weaving brand easter eggs throughout while maintaining the clean, readable aesthetic necessary for corporate and product applications.
Read at Fast Company
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