EdOct 23, 2025
Kris Sowersby

First time I’ve read a public statement of a company wanting to end their Mono licensing…

“The decision involved both practical and aesthetic considerations. Herman Miller wanted to end their Monotype licensing relationship, but more importantly, returning to actual Helvetica from the Massey era would have been regressive.”

https://the-brandidentity.com/insight/how-order-and-herman-miller-refreshed-a-design-legacy-with-frontify

The Brand Identity – Graphic Design’s Greatest

Welcome to The Dialogue, a series presented in collaboration with one of the world’s leading brand-building platforms, Frontify. We are exploring the collaborative relationships behind exceptional brand work through paired conversations with creative partners, revealing how studios and brands work together to produce transformative results. For this conversation, we sat down with both Order and Herman Miller to discuss their partnership in refreshing the identity of a furniture company synonymous with modernism itself. What emerged was a story of patient alignment, archival revelation, and the kind of trust that only comes from knowing when not to change something.

Oct 23, 2025 at 3:31amWeb
Show threadLorcanDempsey.netOct 23, 2025
See section under decision to move from Gotham which discusses Monotype pricing. Ironic perhaps that the replacement custom font is designed by Colophon. https://www.nyu.edu/employees/resources-and-services/media-and-communications/nyu-brand-guidelines/designing-in-our-style/typefaces-and-fonts.html
Show threadErikOct 23, 2025
@lorcand “For years, NYU’s primary font was Gotham—a typeface built out of the fabric of New York City. But when Gotham was acquired by a new type foundry and its price skyrocketed for all our digital properties, NYU saw an opportunity to make a unique and cost-effective typeface that aligns with the NYU expanded brand, has breadth and longevity, and seamlessly reflows into our existing outlets. ”
Show threadKent LewOct 23, 2025
@letterror @lorcand
Does anyone else find it strange, if not ironic, that the graphic at the top of that NYU brand page which says “NYU Perstare” to introduce the new typeface is set in Gotham Ultra?
Show threadErikOct 23, 2025
@kentlew @lorcand I hope a university has higher priorities than immediate brand change. Kudos for them to tell Monotype to stick it somewhere, that money should go to education.