POLITICAL TYPOGRAPHY

Correlation of Typeface & Election Results

Ryan Torres

Political Typography

Stem Weight Stem weight might be the one most predictive factor in determining the effectiveness of political typography. Stem weight is the thickness of the strokes in a particular font. Bold fonts have a thicker stem weight than regular weight fonts. In the last senate election, Scott Brown had a medium-weight sans-serif font called Gotham.

Ryan Torres

Political Typography

In contrast, Martha Coakley also used a geometric sans-serif typeface called Futura. Unfortunately her fonts stem weights were thinner. While many would say that it was the attorney generals lackluster campaigning that decided the race, it is interesting to see how well stem-weight predicts election results.

Without knowing much else about these elections it is almost possible to pick the winner before the poll numbers are in. An
Ryan Torres Political Typography

interesting corollary is that when the letterforms are similar in weight, the advantage of the incumbent takes precedence.

It might have served Clinton better to have kept his previous, heavier-weight typographical branding, but the fact that the Dole campaign chose poorly as well could have set them on an even playing eld. If both campaigns have the same typographic weight, and therefore visual impact, the determining factors may lie outside their branding. Stem Weight by proxy One lesson that can be learned from the Obama election is that the most effective iconography and visual identity of a candidate might not be the one created by the campaign. Using stem weight as a guide, one would have picked a different winner in 2010.

Though the difference in weight is not overly pronounced, it is best seen in the contrasting thin strokes of the A letterforms. It is also interesting to see the emphasis placed on Governor Palins name as she takes more visual space than Senator McCain. The

Ryan Torres

Political Typography

opposite is true in the Obama Biden bumper sticker. This bumper sticker, while ubiquitous, was not the one the electorate associated with the Obama campaign.

We are all familiar with Shepherd Fairheys posters in support of President Obama. This poster became so popular that the campaign eventually adopted its use of the font Gotham in their own campaign. and in the ght of stem-weights, this poster destroys the McCain Palin usage of Optima. It is interesting to note that Scott Brown co-opted the use of Gotham in his own campaign, but I believe it is till possible to use a bolder version of Gotham (as seen above) rather than Senator Browns usage. It is important to create a visual separation from the opposing campaign, and a differing Geometric Sans might be in order, but one should look for a well balanced Extra Bold or Black weight.

Ryan Torres

Political Typography

 So it seems that it is possible to overcome a poor typographic choice (in the Presidents case) with an image that graphically supersedes it. This opens up some interesting avenues for campaign typography. It would seem possible, then, to not only improve typography by proxy, but conversely a catchy design use of a thin font could also muddle it by proxy. A poster campaign for an opponent where someone used a thinner typeface in their stead could become part of their opponents campaign voice. This would speak for the opponent if the image were compelling enough to catch on, and would be an act akin to a typographic swift-boating. This wouldnt necessarily have to be a negative campaign image, but only visually arresting while associating the other campaign with the thin font.

Any Color as Long as it is Blue There seems to be a preference for sans-serif typefaces in modern campaign typography, we can see from the Mondale use of
Ryan Torres Political Typography

Helvetica, that the strong thick and thin variation of Reagans use of a serifed Walbaum, still trumps the thinner stem-widths of the sans-serif. This seems to fall apart in Carters re-election in 1980. Where Carters Cooper Black is thicker than the Reagan use of Baskerville Bold.

One could argue that the typefaces are similar enough to place the campaigns on equal footing, but the contrast of typeface to background color in these posters, I contend, gives the Reagan Bush typography greater weight. Green is a secondary color rather than primary and holds multiple cultural associations that do not project the same strength of a dark blue. Placing light colored type on a lighter background is asking to be seen less. Every major campaign in the last few decades has used a dark blue as a background, and many have mixed blue and red. Looking back at the Coakley campaign, the white background and lighter blue were also political typographical mistakes that compounded her use of a thinner stemweight version of Futura. This adds another possible design by proxy weapon. One could associate a weaker secondary color to a political opponent. A green and orange poster with thin type that while seemingly in support of a candidate would seem innocuous, but could seriously damage the visual identity of an opponent. Given a chance I would suggest the use of a design similar to the following using Futura Ultra Black:

Ryan Torres

Political Typography

and the possible dissemination of a Scott Brown poster that muddles his visual identity and hijacks his message.

I dont know if this could really be construed as a political dirty trick. Especially since it isnt negative campaigning in the strictest
Ryan Torres Political Typography

sense and denition of the phrase. I feel, however, that with Browns use of the same typography and imagery as President Obama, that he has stolen subliminal associations with the president that he does not deserve. Some separation from the Presidents typography is necessary and if Senator Brown is unwilling to do so on his own, it should be done for him.

Could you tell the difference if that was the President pictured there instead of the Senator? The use of a radial starburst background and three red ag stripes are also visual cribs from the Obama campaign. It actually makes me angry that Senator Brown has stolen this visual identity. Please professor Warren, pay attention to your visual identity, and understand what Senator Brown has done with his. It makes me sick to think that a man who disingenuously pounds a truck to drive to one of his 6 houses plays the populist card. Win this for Massachusetts and put someone who really cares about people in the senate.
Ryan Torres Political Typography