Custom typefaces used to belong to banks, airlines and car makers. Today mid-sized companies commission them too, often for less than a year of licensing fees for a large family.
Start with where it will be used
The most useful thing a brief can say is where the type will appear. A face for app interfaces needs different decisions from one for packaging or signage. List the sizes, the screens and the materials.
Name what you like, and what you do not
Foundries welcome references. Bring three typefaces you admire and three you dislike, and explain why in a sentence each. It tells the designer more than a page of adjectives.
Be honest about languages
Every extra script adds months. If you publish in two languages today and might add a third later, say so, and plan the extension as a second phase.
What to include
- Where the type will be used, at what sizes.
- References you like and dislike, with reasons.
- Languages now and later.
- The weights and widths you really need.
- A budget and a date.
A good brief does not design the typeface. It makes sure everyone is drawing the same thing.
