Criminal types

If, like many other creatives, the inappropriate use of the Comic Sans font really irks you, you’ll love this campaign.

From the Series

Fonts all have different personalities and purposes, with some better suited to a sombre letter while others were made to be used big and bold on outdoor advertising. As a creative discipline, typography probably has the most unwritten rules of what works and what doesn’t work, and every designer and creative is sure to have an opinion on what’s hot and what’s not concerning all things typographic.

For London-based designer Matt Dempsey, the inappropriate use of the Comic Sans typeface was so tiresome that he decided to do something about it. Dempsey developed the Comic Sans Criminal website as a clever means to aid his fight to eradicate the unsuitable use of this playful and child-like font.

The campaign comprises humorous leaflets, the website and stickers, and also encourages people to “name and shame” those that misuse Comic Sans. Some of the inspiration for the campaign is attributed to Simon Walker.