North America (cont.) Embossed License Plate Fonts vs. 3M’s Default Font for Flat Digital Plates — Comparison ChartLicense
Plate Fonts of the Western World Why “timeless” traditional license
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Traditional
U.S. License Plate Font (left) |
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| TYPEFACE | Keystone
State Relative (replica of Pennsylvania’s font) |
3M’s
Default Font (based on Zurich Extra Cond.) |
 Similar to many states’ traditional fonts, Keystone State is less condensed than 3M’s default font with more interior space (“counterspace”). The digital recreation above has an improved M, R, and W compared to Pennsylvania’s original embossed font. |
 Characters in 3M’s font that have noticeably modified forms compared to its progenitor Zurich Extra Condensed: 1 and I; E, F, K, M, Q, R, and W. Lesser modifications to: L, N, V, and T (mainly increased width to fit monospaced grid). |
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| OVERALL LEGIBILITY FACTORS | ||
| TYPEFACE FEATURE |
Keystone State Relative | 3M’s Default Font |
| Interior Space (Counterspace) |
Ample | Reduced |
| Keystone State’s larger counters (enclosed areas) mean more visual separation between strokes. Result: More easily distinguished shapes, with strokes that don’t as easily blur together visually at a distance or when visibility is poor (dim light, inclement weather, older eyes, etc.). | ||
| Overall Proportions |
Condensed | Extra Condensed |
| The human eye is tolerant of condensed letterforms up to a point. However, other things being equal, the more condensed a typeface is, the less counterspace (interior space) it has, reducing legibility. 3M’s font is considerably more condensed than traditional license plate fonts — much more than it needs to be for plate numbers to fit in the available space. Result: noticeably less counterspace and legibility. | ||
| Weight | Medium | Semibold |
| The bolder a typeface is, the less counterspace. There is a tradeoff here, in that boldness is good up to a point for visibility at a distance so that strokes are thick enough to see easily. But for optimum legibility boldness must be balanced with the need for counterspace. Were 3M’s default font not so condensed, extra weight might have been a net positive. However, 3M’s font is both: not only is it more condensed than Keystone State, it’s also bolder, for a significant net loss in counterspace. (Note also that 3M’s font shown above is the regular weight. A bolder weight is also offered by 3M, which reduces counterspace further.) | ||
| Uniformity of Character Features | More varied sub-shapes | Highly uniform sub-shapes |
| Keystone State’s wider variety of character sub-shapes creates more distinctive, easily recognizable characters. 3M’s font’s highly regularized construction with exactly (or nearly exactly) repeated forms throughout the character set results in a more “modern,” precision look, but at the cost of more repeated shapes that negatively impact legibility at a distance. | ||
| Overall Curve Style |
Numerals use different curve style than alpha characters | Entire character set utilizes same curve style |
| The oval-shaped curves of Keystone State’s numbers make them more distinctive and easier to differentiate from the “rounded square” curves that the alpha characters are created with. The difference can be helpful when numbers are not grouped separately on the plate from alpha characters. But another benefit is it simply contributes to more variety in character shapes in the font overall. | ||
| Curve Endings |
Curved strokes terminate pointing at an angle, unlike straight vertical strokes | Curved strokes terminate pointing vertically, just like straight vertical strokes |
| C, G, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 9 in Keystone State are more unique in context than in 3M’s default font because of the distinct angle at which their curved strokes terminate compared to horizontal/ vertical strokes. | ||
| LEGIBILITY OF INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER TRAITS | ||
| TYPEFACE | Keystone
State Relative (replica of Pennsylvania’s font) |
3M’s
Default Font (based on Zurich Extra Cond.) |
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| CHARACTER | Keystone State Relative | 3M’s Default Font |
| B | Added serifs | No serifs |
| The serifs added to Keystone State’s capital B make it more easily distinguishable from numeral 8 at a distance compared to 3M’s default font. | ||
| D | Added serifs | No serifs |
| D is more distinct from capital O in Keystone State than 3M’s font because of the added serifs. | ||
| G | Vertical spur on lower right | No spur |
| G’s lower-right sub-shape is more unique in Keystone State than 3M’s font. | ||
| I and 1 | Short serifs at top and bottom of “I”. Short upper flag on numeral “1”. | Wide serifs at top and bottom of “I”. Medium upper flag on numeral “1”. |
| Keystone State’s “I” isn’t as distinct from numeral “1” as it could be. The bottom serifs of “I” and “1” match each other almost exactly, while the top serif of “1” could be larger for easier distinguishability. 3M’s font’s wide serifs on “I” clearly distinguish it from “1”, although they are needlessly exaggerated, detracting from the appearance. | ||
| K | Double central junction | Single central junction |
| The double junction in Keystone State’s K opens up more interior space in lower half of character compared to 3M’s default font. The intersection of the latter’s double junction (altered from the original Zurich K) instead of opening up significant white space creates an overly black spot in the middle of the character. | ||
| R | Added serifs | No serifs |
| Serifs in Keystone State’s R add to its uniqueness in the context of other characters compared to 3M’s default font. A good decision here by 3M with its default font was to use a modified form of its progenitor Zurich’s R by adding an angled right leg to make it less easily confused with B. | ||
| S | Added serifs | No serifs |
| Keystone State’s capital S is more easily distinguished from numeral 5 because of the added serifs on letter S. | ||
| 6 and 9 | Diagonal finishing stroke unlike other numerals | Same vertical finishing stroke as other numerals |
| All of the numerals in 3M’s font with a curved finishing stroke (2, 3, 5, 6, 9) terminate exactly the same way, making them less distinctly different. | ||
| 7 | Curved diagonal stroke unlike others in font | Straight diagonal like others in font |
| Keystone State’s 7 is more quickly identifiable with its unique curved diagonal. | ||
| APPEARANCE FACTORS | ||
| TYPEFACE | Keystone
State Relative (replica of Pennsylvania’s font) |
3M’s
Default Font (based on Zurich Extra Cond.) |
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| DESIGN TRAIT |
Keystone State Relative | 3M’s Default Font |
| Overall Proportions | Condensed | Extra condensed |
| Extra-condensed typefaces look squeezed and cramped compared to less-condensed fonts. Also, less room is available in the area allotted to each character for feature variations, resulting in typefaces with less visual interest. (All other factors being equal.) | ||
| Uniformity of Design |
Varied, idiosyncratic features | Highly regularized features |
| Other things being equal (an important caveat), more varied features create heightened visual interest, while more uniform or regularized features cause more monotony or at least a “quieter” or more nondescript appearance. Regularized features are more typical of text typefaces like Zurich, which 3M’s font was based on, so that the font design purposely calls less attention to itself and doesn’t get in the way of an immersive reading experience. The downside, however, tends to be a less visually interesting look and feel when used in larger sizes. | ||
| Design “Character” | Hand-wrought look | Machined, mechanical look |
| Hand-wrought appearance evokes sense of history and craft, while mechanical finish suggests impersonal modernity. Provided they are craftsmanlike and not sloppily done, handcrafted items tend to have a human charm or character. Mechanical appearance may look rigid or lifeless if not well-executed or done without flair. | ||
| Caliber of Execution | Refined by experienced designer |
Cobbled together crudely |
| Keystone State Relative, type designer Anuthin Wongsunkakon’s cleaned-up interpretation of Pennsylvania’s embossed font, has been refined so that all characters work together harmoniously. About two-thirds of 3M’s default font alpha characters were inherited from Zurich as is, the other third are hatchet jobs. Note for example how K, M, N, V, and W contain distracting “black spots” in the center of each character, due to unprofessional alteration of the original text typeface Zurich for license plate use. | ||
Why
Univers/Zurich Extra Condensed
as a model for 3M’s default font?
Why select an overly narrow,
less legible font? With the above reasons against adapting
a typeface like Zurich Extra Condensed for license plate use, it is
puzzling why 3M would have selected it as the basis for its default
font. Not only does it suffer the various problems noted above that
negatively impact signage legibility, but it’s much more condensed
than necessary for fitting plate numbers into the traditional amount
of space allotted for them on a license plate. Since there’s no
reason for that based on legibility (in fact, clear reason against it),
that leaves either ignorance about legibility issues or some other reason
perhaps.
Ulterior motive: Selling digital graphics at the expense of
legibility? After looking at numerous examples of 3M’s
plates that have been produced by various states (see
these Montana plates, for instance), one thing that becomes apparent
is the increased use of graphics on digital plates compared to traditional
tags. It appears that the smaller amount of horizontal space required
by 3M’s font may be allowing/ encouraging
states to fill up the remaining plate space with graphics, while legibility
suffers. Since “special issue” plates that make use of more
graphics are a source of extra revenue for states, we believe it’s
possible that 3M may be using the “narrower font = more graphics”
equation as a “selling point” for its system.
Revolutionary new/old concept: Plates that can be read easily.
Whether the use of an extra-narrow font to enable more graphics is intentional
on 3M’s part or not, if you are someone at your state’s
Division of Motor Vehicles evaluating digital plates for use, don’t
be misled by sales pitches or consulting advice emphasizing graphics
at the expense of legibility. (For further commentary related to this
point, see “License
to Obscure,” by prominent type designer Mark Simonson. A couple
of helpful legibility examples are included comparing his home state’s
traditional plate and font vs. two recent almost impossible-to-read
graphics-heavy special-issue plates produced with 3M’s digital
system and default font.) Graphics are fine, but whatever system you
buy, legibility should be the higher priority in balancing plate numbers
and graphics with each other. Your law enforcement people will thank
you for more easy-to-identify plates. And citizens will like the new
plates if they have better-looking license plate numbers as well.
Next: Going Beyond 3M's Default Font for U.S. Digital License Plates — States Using Digital Replicas of Embossed Fonts (North America, cont.)
Previous: 3M’s Default Digital License Plate Font: Why It’s Bad for Looks/Legibility (North America, cont.)
License
Plate Fonts of the Western World 
Page: Intro |
North America (1) |
North America (2) |
North America (3) |
North America (4) |
North America (5) |
North America (6) |
Europe (1) |
Europe (2) |
Australia & New Zealand