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The "democratization" of type design, by the availability of type-creating software such as Fontographer, has not removed
the need to have an expert knowledge of the craft to create a genuinely good font family.
What democratization has done, however, is make type design easier
than it ever was. It is now conceivable for every company to commission a custom font, one that
reflects its corporate personality, exclusivity, needs, and concern for visual
impact. Firms have found that it provides them with a visual identity, and in these times
when design can look the same, or when content is shared between publications via Reuters,
AP or the other news services, typography has been the tool with which to
differentiate the product.
As reported in CAP (Autumn 1995), one newspaper decided to
reinvent itself for its 50th anniversary. At Le Monde, it was deemed important enough
that a new typeface be created, following the moves by publications such as The Economist, The Daily Telegraph, The Times, Libération and Print.
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