Have you ever wanted to design the perfect logo for your brand using a font? As professional graphic designers know, it’s important to follow the right licensing rules when doing so. YouWorkForThem has been licensing fonts for over 20 years, and in this blog post, we explore this topic with top type designers and provide insight into the correct methods for licensing a font for a brands logo. From getting advice from foundries to understanding the EULA font agreement and reading font licenses, find out how to make sure you have all of the legal rights needed for your logo.
Mark Simonson on Logo Font Licensing
Mark Simonson, designer of the ever-popular Proxima Nova family doesn’t have any problem with people using his fonts in logos. “Fonts are tools, not art, in my opinion,” he says. “The one thing I do mention to people who ask is that, if they use my fonts in a logo, that they not share the font with unlicensed users who need to use the logo, since that would violate the license. The way around this is to convert the logo to a vector graphic or pixel image.”
Laura Worthington’s Font Licensing Insight
Laura Worthington, designer of Shelby, echoes Mark’s sentiment, saying, “(If you) use an existing font to create a logo, convert it to outlines (where the letters have been turned into a graphic element) and modify it to make it more unique. Not only is this a good idea from a design perspective, but it also could help you avoid potential trademark infringement. However, make sure the license allows for modification! While many allow modification of a font that has been outlined, almost all EULAs disallow the modification of the font itself, and this is a point of confusion with many people in reviewing EULAs.”
Font Diner’s Typeface Licensing Conditions
Stuart Sandler of Font Diner, designer/administrator of many fonts, including Coffee Service, seconds that emotion, saying, “Even if the top of the EULA states (such use) is granted, read lower to determine if any other restrictions apply such as broadcast uses, embedded game or app uses, eBook uses, etc. Also, keep in mind, if you see the phrase ‘derivative works’ in the EULA (of which a logo generally is), the EULA still applies in full force so make sure you do your homework!”
URW++’s Font Licensing Details
Peter Rosenfeld of URW++, who have designed fonts like URW Geometric, says much the same, sharing that “as long as a created logo is used as EPS or any other graphic format, there is no problem with our license.” He went on to express a sentiment that many of us feel, saying “licensing has become quite complex for both foundries and users. Foundries ought to be as specific as possible regarding the scope of permitted usages in their license documents.”
So, can I use a font for my logo?
That there is no “one size fits all” answer. In general, “yes,” but be informed and read the license (broadcast and large volume corporate font use might require license extensions). And if you’re still confused, we’re here to help.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with any font license questions you might have, or jump right into our next post, 5 Unforgettable Fonts for Logo Design, if you are ready to get started!
Logos above are from Hand Drawn Logo Templates & Ocean Rising (Logo Mockups) stock graphic collections.
