SST: The Strong, Silent Type

The SST™ typeface family is sure to wear well. Its subtle design traits provide a quietly handsome and consistently friendly typographic presence. Drawn to be a comfortable melding of orderly structure and an organic mien, SST can be used for just about any typographic application you can think of. And since it was originally drawn as a branding typeface for the far-reaching and complicated branding needs of the global consumer brand, SST is one of the most comprehensive type families in the world. Its broad branding applicability combined with its coverage of almost a hundred languages makes it one of the most widely accessible and usable typefaces available.

“When I first heard how extensive the project would be, it made me nervous – but in a good way,” recalls Monotype type director, and designer of SST, Akira Kobayashi. “Corporate typefaces serve many roles: on products, in stores, online and in a variety of other touchpoints with consumers. I felt a weight of responsibility knowing how the project would help build the Sony brand image. It makes me smile now, when I recall how daunting this complex project seemed.”

“Daunting,” yes – but entirely successful. The family spans six weights from ultra light to heavy, each with an italic complement. In addition, three condensed designs and two monospaced (typewriter) typefaces were drawn to further expand the family’s range of uses. And the range is vast. This is a suite of typefaces that performs equally well in print and on-screen. The designs can be used at very small sizes in packaging and catalogs, while page-crowding headlines – and even billboards – pose no stumbling blocks to the SST family’s typographic prowess. Adding further to its versatility, the design is also available in Arabic, Thai, Vietnamese, and Japanese families as well.

And it does all this with a quiet grace. The SST design lets the message shine through, not overpowering content with design distinction – but subtly and effectively supporting it. Whether it be for specific use in a brochure or periodical, or attending to the wide-spread needs of a branding typeface, you can’t go wrong with the SST family.