Typography
Avenir Next
Avenir Next W1G is the typeface for SAS. As a sans serif with strong circular forms, it properly emulates the company’s industry presence and our unique sense of optimism at the forefront of the big data industry.
The word Avenir means “future” in French. Avenir is not purely geometric; it has vertical strokes that are thicker than the horizontals, an “o” that is not a perfect circle, and shortened ascenders. These nuances aid in legibility and give Avenir a harmonious and sensible appearance for both texts and headlines. (linotype.com)
Alternate Typeface
The open-source font Inter is an acceptable alternative to Avenir Next W1G. It is used in our software applications and our web properties. You can also use it in Microsoft Office applications when creating presentations, internal documentation and business letters. Inter can downloaded from rsms.me/inter.
Requesting Font Licenses for Avenir Next
If your job requires that you produce graphic design for marketing purposes and you need a license to use Avenir Next W1G from Monotype Imaging/Linotype, please write to FontRequest@sas.com for assistance. Font licenses are issued only to approved individuals who are SAS employees, not departments or regions, so please include the name of the person who needs the license along with the business justification when making your request. Creative agencies, freelancers, contractors, and commercial printers must purchase their own font licenses. Our font license does not permit distribution to individuals or entities outside of SAS.
Typographic Principles
Setting type is an art form. It has color, contrast, balance, and texture. The details matter. Weight, size, leading, tracking, and kerning are the difference between clunky and clean. Get them right, and you will have a piece that is easy to read and honors your content.
Weight
We limit the number of sizes and weights of type in order to create harmony. We usually set body copy in Avenir Regular, except at sizes larger than 10 points. To provide contrast, headlines are set in either Avenir Thin or Light. We want them to be elegant, but legible. The use of Demi and Bold should be limited.
Leading and Tracking
Generally, the smaller the point size, the larger the leading; the higher the point size, the tighter the leading. Set leading between 100 and 140% of the point size. Tracking should be set to zero with the “Optical” option selected in the type window. Make small adjustments to leading and tracking to ensure legibility.
Typography Application
The correct use of type helps focus attention and lead a reader through a communication. When done well, readers should not even be aware of it. Their eyes should simply glide over the page.
Bold
Best used in moderation. If everything is bolded, nothing stands out. It’s more effective at the beginning of a sentence than in the middle. Shorter phrases look better than longer ones.
Case
In general, headlines, subheads, and other display copy use sentence case. Short labels, headlines and subheads may use title case to avoid awkward appearances or inconsistencies.
All caps
Use all caps sparingly, particularly at large sizes, to avoid the appearance of shouting. Good uses are calls-to-action and labels. Or when short words or phrases need visual punch.
Color
It’s okay to set headlines, subheads, pullouts, and introductory copy in color. But a little goes a long way. Avoid using color in body copy to provide emphasis. Bold is, again, a better choice.
Italic
We reserve italics primarily for the titles of white papers, reports, webcasts, and books. Don’t use it for emphasis. Bold is a better choice.
Heirarchy
Use a combination of size, weight and color to let the reader know what to read first, second and so on.