History

• Helvetica's creators, Max Miedinger and Eduard Hoffmann at the Haas typefoundry in Switzerland, originally named it "Neue Haas Grotesk." It got its new name, Helvetica, when a German company called Stempel released versions of the typeface in 1961.
  
  

Famous Ties

• The well-loved Swiss font has been adopted by many famous brands over the years, including Gap, Hoover, Lufthansa, Panasonic, and Royal Bank of Scotland.
  
  

In the Spotlight

• New York's Museum of Modern Art once hosted a Helvetica exhibit, and a feature-length film about the popular font was released in 2007.
  
  

Helvetica Haters

• Neville Brody, a leading typographer, is among many who feel Helvetica is a boring choice. Says Brody, "When people choose Helvetica they want to fit in and look normal."
  
  

What's in a Name?

• The name "Helvetica" comes from the Latin name for Switzerland.