Helvetica: You Are What You Read!

Helvetica profiles the world's most-used typeface. You see it everywhere: subways and highways, on tax forms and doors to public toilets, logos and labels for clothing, airlines, food, electronics, department and discount stores. It's so commonplace, you probably don't even notice it--let alone give it a moment's thought.

But, as designers and historians comment in Gary Hustwit's fascinating documentary, this 50-year old typeface shapes much of what the world thinks about. Helvetica has an imposingly stylish and seductive attitude, it clearly effects lifestyle and is ubiquitous.

It's clearly time to take a closer look at the typeface that implies you are what you read. Helvetica, the documetary, is the perfect way to do that. It's playing as part of the Independent Lens series on PBS and is avaiable on DVD.