Our Typefaces
Part of the visual language of Ball State University is communicated through the use of type. Typography is a powerful tool in the development of a visual presence—giving a cue that our communications are coming from the same place. A menu of typefaces has been selected to coordinate with the Official Ball State University Beneficence Mark.
Be aware that every typeface variation—from font selection to weight to stylizing (italic, bold), to color to point size—adds a layer of emphasis. Too many variations can be hard to read and difficult to navigate. Our branded fonts are Acumin Pro Extra Condensed Bold for headlines only and Helvetica Neue LT Std (also labeled Neue Helvetica). These typefaces were chosen to reflect the attitude of our institution:
- Clear
- Iconic with edge
- Forward-thinking
- Unpretentious
Helvetica Neue LT Std
Helvetica Neue LT Std can be used in six weights, as both regular and italic. The combination of weights and italics offers modern, highly readable content. Using this contrast from headline to body copy creates visual interest and visual hierarchy.
If you do not have the Helvetica Neue LT Std typeface, and cannot obtain it, acceptable replacements are TeX Gyre Heros or Roboto, which are available for free download. Open Sans may be used for digital body copy only. These replacement typefaces should be used sparingly and should not be used in conjunction with Helvetica Neue. Marketing and Communications must approve any use of replacement typefaces.
Individual licenses can be purchased online if you do not have Helvetica Neue LT Std. The simplest way to purchase these fonts is at myfonts.com.
Acumin
Acumin Pro Extra Condensed Bold should only be used for headlines. For consistency, please limit to only Acumin Pro Extra Condensed Bold and not other weights or styles of the font Acumin.
Acumin is an Adobe font and Ball State University affiliates can activate it for free at fonts.adobe.com/fonts/acumin.
Open Sans (web text only)
Open Sans is a Google font and can be downloaded for free at fonts.google.com/specimen/Open+Sans.