Is This the World’s Most Diverse Typeface?
Award winning international content studio distillery has announced the launch of its Diversity Type for World Diversity Day 2021. This unique initiative has created a brand-new downloadable typeface to celebrate diversity and inclusion while encouraging brands, agencies and communities around the world to engage in the important conversation around diversity.
The new Diversity Type is an innovative approach to an otherwise standard set of options for users to choose from when selecting a font. The typeface will combat the lack of diversity within the creative industries and act as the official typeface of diversity. Historically, typeface fonts have been homogenous in their design, often leaving the characters with no differentiating features. By using the Diversity Type, it allows users to select the characters that feel right for them, meaning that no two uses of the font will be the same; allowing people to have the opportunity to express their individuality and prioritise personal choice, while remaining part of something bigger.
To create the typeface, distillery called upon designers from every part of the world and sourced creators from underrepresented networks to help design each unique letter. 308 creatives across 54 countries were involved in the project. The final typeface product that is now available for use by businesses and individuals brings together 42 characters from the English alphabet that are inspired by individual stories and reflects a larger narrative to embrace our shared experience.
“distillery has embarked on this project to further the conversation and importance of diversity and inclusion within the creative industry. Diversity isn’t something to be solved; it’s an ongoing journey that will be forever changing, and the industry needs to recognise this. We hope that by creating awareness around this initiative, we will encourage others to think about how we can positively promote diversity and cultural intelligence, and act on improving their knowledge and understanding of diversity in all walks of life,” said Steve Wheen, founder, distillery. "Diversity is shown in this typeface through the variety of people who have contributed, inclusion is then how we weave the typeface into society and give those people a voice."
In partnership with the Diversity Standards Collective, an organisation specialising in connecting brands to diverse audience research, the Diversity Type Project will also raise money through a ‘donate to download’ mechanic, for three well-known organizations around the world who champion diversity, the Disaster Emergency Committee, The Diversity Trust and UN Women.
“This is a shared responsibility. We have to repair these cultural nuances – it’s a constant thing that we have to do – and I think communicating with everybody is the best way for us to make a proper impact,” said Rich Miles, CEO of Diversity Standards Collective.
distillery calls upon brands, businesses, and individuals to adopt the Diversity Type and use it in their official communications to further the conversation and celebration of authenticity with their clients, employees, and partners.
While this Diversity Type Project is a key part of ongoing efforts to be a truly diverse and inclusive organization, distillery will continue to bolster its existing initiatives and identify new opportunities to empower all cultures, ethnicities, genders, ages, and backgrounds to have a voice.
