Typography

Strong typography is integral to the Babson College Brand. Approachable and clear text display is as important as the content. Readability and presence of typefaces makes a point and ensures a consistent impression on a target audience. Babson College has selected two typefaces that convey our brand presence and reinforce One Babson.

Official Brand Fonts

Babson College’s official brand fonts are Trade Gothic Condensed and PMN Caecelia. Brand fonts must be purchased by each department and are available at fonts.com.

Trade Gothic Condensed

Trade Gothic Condensed is a sans serif and can be used for headlines or body copy. The font is utilitarian, strong, modern, clean, approachable, and conveys confidence.

Purchase

PMN Caecilia

PMN Caecelia is a serif font and can be used for headlines or body copy. Humanist shapes (rather than geometric) make for easy legibility. PMN Caecelia is classic, timeless, and sophisticated.

Purchase

Alternate Fonts

If the official brand fonts are not available to you, Oswald and Zilla Slab are the recommended replacements for Trade Gothic Condensed and PMN Caecilia respectively. Oswald and Zilla Slab are approved for web and desktop use and are available for download on the web. (Note these fonts are not system fonts and do require a level of familiarity with font management.)

Download Oswald »

Download Zilla Slab »

Arial Narrow is the recommended alternate font if you are unfamiliar with font management or if you will be sharing a document widely. Arial Narrow is widely available within most operating systems..

Type Tips

Type styling and hierarchy can help support clear crisp communication. Keep these in mind when using Babson College type styles.

Use 'all caps' carefully.

Be conservative in using all caps, as it can affect the tone and readability of the content. All caps are best used for short headlines or captions, not large sections of type. This keeps our brand approachable.

Limit number of fonts.

Stick to no more than two fonts for a simple social media message or graphic. Too many fonts makes your graphic less scannable.

Keep readability in mind.

Use serif fonts if you have a lot of dense body copy. Serif fonts are easier to read in long form. Keep copy sizes above 8pt in print and 16pt on web.

Watch long line lengths.

Shorter lines are easier to read. Try reducing the line width by using two or more columns of text. Optimal line lengths are 45 to 80 characters per line on websites, 60 characters in print.

Use visual hierarchy.

Break your content into headings, subheadings, body copy, and captions. Use cascading styles from strongest to weakest to help the reader see the most important information.