Multiple languages brand

Fabio Santos
Fabio Santos
in Lettering Technique & Theory
Hi Typedrawers
I'm designing a brand that will include words in multiple languages and multiple scripts. This words are written in japanese, chinese, hindi, hebrew and greek. Is there any reference font that supports all of these formats? 

Comments

  • Nikolaus Waxweiler
    Nikolaus Waxweiler
    https://www.google.com/get/noto/
  • Hrant Հրանդ Փափազեան Papazian
    Hrant Հրանդ Փափազեան Papazian
    edited July 2017
    Noto is better than most, but always get advice from native designers for your particular design. Yes that generally costs money, but it will yield a word-class result you can be proud to feature in your portfolio.
  • joeclark
    joeclark
    edited July 2017

    For “branding” purposes, the answer to your question is no. Nor should there be a “reference font” (that’s a new one to us) that “supports all of these formats,” especially given that Japanese, Chinese, Hindi, Hebrew, and Greek, all of which are capitalized proper nouns, constitute languages, not “formats.”

    Multilingual typography in the same script is somewhat tricky. Across scripts it is a recipe for disaster without having on board somebody, or a team of somebodies, who are expert and accomplished.

    Purely based on what you have shown us here (an ill-written request to solve your problem for you for free), you should recuse yourself from this project before you cause an international incident.

  • Hrant Հրանդ Փափազեան Papazian
    Hrant Հրանդ Փափազեան Papazian
    edited July 2017
    Joe, that's hyperbole. Although multi-script type design is way more than "somewhat" tricky, references do have usefulness, and as such can be recommended. For example the Armenian in Noto is highly commendable, especially in contrast to what's in the much more prominent Sylfaen and Mshtakan. The danger is simply in thinking that a reference is enough.
  • Ray Larabie
    Ray Larabie
    As for Japanese, do some market research to make sure Japanese is appropriate for your product. Sometimes foreign companies try to market their products with localized branding and it's counterproductive. For certain products, English is preferred. For example: watches, phones, automobiles, foreign clothing labels...you rarely see Japanese displayed on those. 

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