Fonts

Roboto is used in instances where Simplon cannot. If a system typeface is absolutely necessary or required, Roboto is an acceptable fallback.

Explore usage and application examples below, where we outline correct and incorrect ways to employ our font and typography system. In our design rhythm, content and typography collaborate like a well-coordinated dance. These rules guide how visual type and content design work together, ensuring they complement each other for a perfect blend of readability, aesthetics, and brand identity. Some visual challenges might be solved with content changes and some content challenges need visual solutions.

While you'll encounter conceptual guidance, exact specifications are intentionally absent due to the varied and dynamic nature of the mediums our brand encompasses. Departments, such as print or web design, establish their own specifications based on these guiding principles to align with the best practices of each medium.

Use our Simplon Norm Bold font weight at large sizes to help our heroic, powerful statements make a big impact.

Give large headlines plenty of clear space. Let the message speak for itself without being impeded by extraneous graphics or proximity to other content.

Large, bold impact statements should be tight; 3-5 words max. Punctuation can be used to created drama with a full stop or question. Punctuation and sentence casing should always be used together and not mismatched.

Sometimes we need to make a powerful statement that isn’t 3-5 words. Use the regular weight font but keep the large size, spacing and punctuation and casing rules.

Headlines and impact statements are a large size and require a tighter line height than body copy. 100% relative line height to font size is recommended but can be tweaked per medium. Just avoid stretching line height and compressing line height to point of descenders and ascenders touching on impact text.

Headlines and impact statements are a large size and require a tighter line height than body copy. 100% relative line height to font size is recommended but can be tweaked per medium. Just avoid stretching line height and compressing line height to point of descenders and ascenders touching on impact text.

Don’t use our bold weight at smaller sizes as it as some legibility problems as it gets smaller. We do need to keep a high level of contrast and order to the content so use size, color and weight to make the page comfortable to read.

Don’t use the impact treatment to state the obvious. Use overlines, sub-headlines or proximity to keep these blocks in context.

Use type color to create a comfortable reading experience and use color evoke action. Never use an action color as a headline. Reserve our Blue for action and links and avoid using for static type. Be sure to review the following accessibility guidelines for proper type contrast requirements.

To ensure as many of our customers as possible have a consistent experience we always want to remain as accessible as possible. One way we can do that is by adhering to WCAG 2.1 guidelines for contrast ratios for text.

Below you’ll see the minimum acceptable contrast ratio for our primary pallets as background colors. Overlaid will show different acceptable text colors from our pallet. By “minimum” we mean we identify the lightest text on the lighter backgrounds that can be used to meet AAA standards. This color including any darker in the shade group can be used. And vice versa for dark backgrounds and going lighter in text.

Please note if the text color is shown in a bold weight it will only reach AA standards and should be avoided at small, light font weight applications.

We’re only showing recommended text colors. Purple, orange, yellow and teal accents are not recommended for text.