The 1950s were a transformative decade for the Western World. As post-war economies flourished in North America and many European countries, the rise of mass production and advertising led to a booming consumer culture, with new appliances, cars, and other goods becoming increasingly available.
It was also a time that saw type design embrace new technologies and Modernist principles. Most notable of the era’s typography trends was the rise of the International Typographic Style, a movement originating in Switzerland that emphasized clarity, objectivity, and functionality.
01. Courier
Courier is synonymous with screenwriting and more broadly, the utilitarian aesthetic of mid-century communication. This monospaced slab serif was created to mimic the output of a typewriter, ensuring every character occupied the same horizontal space. This feature made it ideal for aligning columns of text, whether in coding, screenwriting, or tabular data.
"In the late 1950s Courier became the typewriter font," explains Jack Walker, head of art at FCB London. "Monospaced, no frills, and built to get the job done; the standard for everything from office memos to Hollywood scripts. It’s a great example of functional design that’s stuck around."
"Where other fonts sought to dazzle, Courier exuded a quiet confidence and effortless legibility, inviting you to channel your inner screenwriter, secretary, or secret spy," adds Sheetal Schofield, creative director at Brandwidth. "In today’s digital world, it provides a sense of nostalgia, history, and craftsmanship. It allows writers, designers, and creators to capture the feeling of typing on a vintage typewriter. It can transport us back to a time when each keystroke carried weight, and the sound of the typewriter meant ideas were coming to life. Courier remains widely used to this day, serving as a reminder that simplicity, when done right, never goes out of style."
02. Transport
At the start of the 1950s, British road signs featured inconsistent alphabets that were often difficult to read at speed. All that changed, in part thanks to the creation of Transport, a groundbreaking sans-serif typeface.
Designed by Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert, Transport was commissioned by the Department of Transport as part of the Anderson and Worboys Committees’ efforts to modernize and standardize British road signage. The pair drew inspiration from European signage but aimed for a more legible and user-friendly design.
Transport introduced distinctive letterforms, such as a rounded "a" and a unique tail on "t," ensuring clarity even in poor weather or at high speeds. The typeface was released in two weights: Transport Medium, used for white text on dark backgrounds, and Transport Heavy, designed for black text on light backgrounds.
"Transport is one of those fonts you don’t notice, but you’d be lost without," notes Harry Sandhu, senior creative director at Jung von Matt London. "Designed to be easy to read at high speeds, it’s still the face of all UK road signs today. A good reminder that some of the best designs don’t always have to shout to work seamlessly."
03. Vendôme
Designed by François Ganeau in collaboration with Roger Excoffon, Vendôme debuted in 1951 through the French type foundry Fonderie Olive. While officially credited to Ganeau, Excoffon’s influence is evident in its dynamic and expressive character, marking it as a quintessential mid-century typeface.
Vendôme combines traditional serif characteristics with a modernist sensibility, featuring sharp, angular serifs and fluid curves. It’s not just a typeface, it was modernity, a tool for brands to mean something.
"Originally named Neue Haas Grotesk, Helvetica defined modernism with its clean, versatile sans-serif style," enthuses Wayne Deakin, global principal at Wolff Olins. "Today, it’s a cornerstone of branding, signage, and design."
04. Cooper Black
Cooper Black is an ultra-bold typeface intended for display use that was designed by Oswald Bruce Cooper and released by the Barnhart Brothers & Spindler type foundry in 1922. It was revived mid-century and became hugely popular. Its bold weight made it highly legible in advertising and headlines, where it commanded attention, and its strong, confident lines complemented the sleek shapes of automobiles, furniture, and architecture of the era.
"A more expressive alternative to Helvetica, this bold, rounded serif exudes charm," says Wayne. "Famously used by brands like EasyJet and Campbell’s Soup in the 1950s, it also graced The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds album cover. Today, its warmth and retro appeal make it perfect for brands seeking a friendly, memorable identity."
05. Microgramma
Designed in 1952 by Aldo Novarese and Alessandro Butti, Microgramma is a sans-serif typeface characterized by bold, geometric forms and extended letterforms, giving it a bold and modern appearance. And it’s a font that Brendán Murphy, global creative director at Lippincott, feels a strong personal connection to.
"My uncle was a draftsman for Dublin Corporation," he recalls. "As a birthday gift, he gave me a set of Faber-Castell Soft Pastels in an elegant wooden case, and some cast-off Letraset dry-transfer alphabet sheets, one of which was Microgramma. The first thing I did with this brutish font was to hand-set my name on the wooden case. It was an ugly and out-of-character pairing, but an effective hands-off warning to my younger siblings: these are not play crayons!"
06. The Lettering of Saul Bass
We’ll end, not with another font, but something equally important… As SomeOne founder Simon Manchipp points out: "Surely the greatest typography of the 1950s isn’t a typeface at all, but came from the pen of Saul Bass. His style of custom lettering defined an age and pioneered a new approach in visual communication."
A revered name in typography to this day, Saul Bass was an American graphic designer and filmmaker who revolutionized the use of typography in film title sequences during the 1950s. Before he came on the scene, film titles were typically static and uninspired, simply listing the credits on a black screen. Bass, however, saw an opportunity to use typography as a dynamic and expressive element to enhance the cinematic experience.
"Thinking made visual" is the quote you’ll hear from him, and it’s bang on. I shared a pint with him in Cambridge once, and he was a very memorable man. Great moustache too. The way he made typography do all the work is still a great steer for designers today. It cut through the visual noise of the 50s and it does the same today. A visionary approach to typography and its application.
Conclusion
The 1950s were a transformative period for the Western World, marked by the rise of consumer culture, technological advancements, and innovative design. The International Typographic Style, a movement originating in Switzerland, emphasized clarity, objectivity, and functionality, leading to the creation of fonts like Courier, Transport, and Microgramma. These typefaces, along with the custom lettering of Saul Bass, defined an era and continue to influence design today.
FAQs
Q: What is the International Typographic Style?
A: The International Typographic Style is a movement that emerged in the 1950s, emphasizing clarity, objectivity, and functionality in typography.
Q: Who designed the font Courier?
A: Courier was designed by Tom Day of IBM and was first released in 1959.
Q: What is the font Transport used for?
A: Transport is a sans-serif typeface used for road signs in the United Kingdom, designed by Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert.
Q: Who designed the font Vendôme?
A: Vendôme was designed by François Ganeau in collaboration with Roger Excoffon and released in 1951 through the French type foundry Fonderie Olive.
Q: What is the font Microgramma used for?
A: Microgramma is a sans-serif typeface used for display and advertising purposes, characterized by bold, geometric forms and extended letterforms.
