Critical analysis of a Typeface Study task 5

Critical analysis of a Typeface

VAG Rounded is a typeface that Interests me through its use within the Volkswagen Audi Group from the late 70s up until the 90s. Before this the company used Futura for there branding and from 2007 to present it is used for the T-Mobile USA literature as well as Apple also using the typeface on the keyboards since 2007 to present. From this sense I feel the typeface follows a Form over Function concept as it was mentioned the styling needed to represent modern and friendliness, so i feel the concept was portrayed in a visual way to get the matter across. 

The typeface itself is made up of rounded termini and the initial concept was to create a soft round typeface that was required to "lend a modern friendliness" and maintains a geometric feel. The typeface itself was designed for the Branding of the Volkswagen Audi Group by GGK Düsseldorf in 1978 so the intended audience would be under the automotive umbrella.

To categorize the typeface I would class it is a sans serif typeface within the modernist movement in terms of its influence and compare it much too GE Inspira which was created in 2002 although not around the type VAG rounded was created. But it was a very new style back then as most branding was done in clean cut and angular sans serif fonts. 

Through its use of round edges and softness It gives off connotations of friendliness and creates a less corporate feel through these connotations. In terms of cultural codes Volkswagen AG are German and germans are known for there clean cut style and structure and this kind of flips this idea onto its head which I like. It was a very abstract concept for a typeface at this time and really did influence many different business areas as mentioned ranging from automative to electronics to create a more user friendly and less corporate looking typeface for items used regularly like laptops and phones. 

"The boredom of the dead end without signs for renewal" is a quote from Herbert Bayer that I feel fits this typeface well as VAG didn't want a typeface that was like the rest of the branding seen for years previous by rivals they wanted something fresh so chose to create a typeface with visual elements from both Times and Futura to create an abstract outcome. Again Bayer said typography began to be a more "visual experience" and a "minor art" this is obvious within the playful soft feel of this typeface rather than creating a clean cut corporate face that was so popular back then. The typeface has a more hands on feel due to its initial hand rendering, this fits in well with the connotations of the quality of German Engineering due to there hands on practices instead of using machinery for everything. (Machinery typefaces could be connoted by clean cut sans serif typefaces)