Celebrating its 90th anniversary, publisher Penguin Books has launched a bespoke typeface that redefines its brand identity: Penguin Inclusive Sans. Developed with inclusivity and accessibility at its core, the typeface will be used across Penguin’s global publishing and marketing.
This project began with the goal of improving the inconsistent image of Penguin, which had previously used a variety of fonts. The team led by designer Olivia King wanted to create a typeface that reflected Penguin’s historical mission as a book for all, but also had a modern feel.
The first step was to explore the Penguin archives in Bristol. From the early Penguin Classic series of Gilles Sans, to the avant-garde of the 1960s, to the Helvetica of the 1970s, the flow of fonts used by Penguin reflects the cultural context of each era. This allowed us to analyze the core of Penguin’s typographic style.
Penguin Inclusive Sans is based on the original Inclusive Sans, but the structure has been changed from grotesque to humanistic, and the letters have been adjusted to give a flexible and friendly impression by adding subtle curves and decorations. In addition, the display weight for titles has been increased in x-height and adjusted in kerning to give a strong impression to the marketing message.
The design of the main letters that bring out the individuality of the font is also noteworthy. For example, a and g are designed in a round and soft form to give a friendly feeling, and k and y are finished with a graceful curve that embodies the playful and curious brand spirit of penguins. Some letters have small devices hidden just for the readers, bringing to life the unique and cheerful sensibility of penguins.
Above all, this font was designed based on the principles of inclusiveness and readability. It provides an easy-to-read environment even for readers with visual difficulties by thoroughly considering the clarity of the form and the separation between letters.
Penguin Inclusive Sans consists of four weights each for Roman and Italic styles, and supports over 600 languages, including a total of 530 glyphs. It is designed to maintain the same quality and consistency across all platforms, making it flexible for use in a variety of environments, including paper books, digital content, and advertising.
The development of this typeface was completed in collaboration with Olivia King, project manager Candy Ikuuunna, and typography consultant Troy Leinster, under the design and creative direction of King.
