Mencken

mencken_2005

The Mencken family was created by Jean François Porchez for The Baltimore Sun in 2005. The first objective was to replace the previous custom fonts designed in the middle of the nineties which, according the reader survey conducted by The Sun, was one of the first points of dissatisfaction. Focus groups conducted during the redesign period liked the Mencken family; tests with online reader panels showed 75 percent preferred Mencken over the previous Sun typefaces. After the redesign launch, The Sun has received lots of feedback. Some reader response was particularly enjoyable: “It’s easier to read with the new type even though the type is designed by the French.”

The Mencken family include various members, each of them specially designed for their own function. See the dedicated page created by The Sun at the launch of the redesign.

Mencken specimen

Mencken Text (in addition the subhead) is a low contrast Transitional-style typeface designed with an oblique axis, an emphasis on horizontals and possesses open counters. The Text family features more Didonesque capitals to harmonise with the Head versions.

Mencken Head (and various narrow widths) is a high contrast typeface designed in the style of the Didot (typical french typeface from the end of 18th century) not so common in North America today. The objective was to make more legible and simple headlines with a unique flavour.

A multi-format typeface family, Mencken appears in OpenType format, as well as Type 1 PostScript and TrueType (Type 1 and TrueType formats contain a special encoding for fractions as well as several additional fonts for small caps and all caps).

The family’s name Mencken is a tribute to H.L. Mencken’s journalistic contributions to The Sun. According to the London Daily Mail, Mencken ventured beyond the typewriter into the world of typography. Because he felt Americans did not recognize irony when they read it, he proposed the creation of a special typeface to be called ironics, with the text slanting in the opposite direction from italic types, to indicate the author’s humour.

Prizes
Mencken won a Creative Review Type Awards in January 2006.

Availability and licences
Mencken is a typeface family who was in exclusivity for The Baltimore Sun until September 2008. Now can be used for any kind of projects under certain conditions. Please contact us directly for your specific requests and licences questions.

Custom fonts

We are specialized in custom typefaces design. Bespoke typefaces, like proper lettering, can help companies express their brand, corporate identity across the range of their activities.

— Corporate identity fonts
— Bespoke fonts
— Signage fonts
— Publications, newspapers, magazines typefaces
— Custom versions of our collection
— Font hinting

Bespoke typefaces

Alpha Poste
Ardoise
AW Conqueror
Bienvenue
Charente
Costa
Deréon
EndlessStory
FF Angie
Henderson
Le Monde Journal
Le Monde Sans
Lion
Macif
Mencken
Parisine
Renault Identité
Retiro
Sabon Next
Script Fleury Michon
Singulier
Sitaline
Verspieren
Vuitton Persona

Lettering and logotypes

Lettering and logotypes comprise another part of the work done at ZeCraft, whether that work is completely original or redrawn from designs by other companies. Major clients include corporate & packaging agencies, publishing industry or direct clients.

Logotype Abigail Borg. Client: Abigail Borg, surface pattern designer, 2011.

Nameplate Notre Temps, for the magazine of the same name. Client: Bayard, 2011.

Concept and design of the logotype Domaine de Noria, for W&cie, 2010. Won a Super Design 2010 prize. Based on AW Conqueror Sans designed by Typofonderie.

Nameplate Chatelaine, for the magazine of the same name. Client: Rogers Publishing limited, 2010.

Nameplate Pèlerin, for the magazine of the same name. Client: Bayard Presse S. A., 2010. Read more.

Selected clients

Design, Communication, Schools
AR Media – Us, Brand Image, The Creative Factory – Ch, Euro RSCG C&O, Euro RSCG Design, Dragon Rouge, Ecv, Havas City, Landor Associates, Ligaris, Lacava Design – Ca, Marcel, MetaDesign – G, Atelier Pascalie design, Paragon – Ch, Piaton & Associés, Publicis, 4uatre, Reflex Image, Stories, W&cie, White Spirit.

Luxury, Fashion, Beauty
Abigail Borg – Uk, Brioni – Us, Cristie – Us, Detaille, EndlessStory, Devambez, Gloria Vanderbilt – Us, House of Deréon – Us, The Luxe Chronicles – Uk, Lancôme, Louis Vuitton Malletier, Vivarte, Yves Saint Laurent Beauté.

Bank, Consulting, Insurance, Clubs
La Banque Postale, The Boston Consulting Group – Us, BNP Paribas, MACIF, Verspieren, Who’s who.

Publishing, Paper industry
Arjowiggins, Axel Springer – G, The Baltimore Sun – Us, Canadian Business – Ca, Charente Libre, Chatelaine – Ca, Helsingin Sonomat – Fi, Larousse, Le Monde, Le Pèlerin, Maclean’s – Ca, Madriz Magazine – S, Notre Temps, Politikens Forlag – D, Télérama, Real Simple – Us, SportNet – Ca, The Independent magazine – Uk, The Walrus – Ca.

High Tech, Transport, Tourism, Food
Costa Crocieres – I, Domaine de Noria – Ma, France Telecom, Peugeot, RATP, Renault, Sébastien Gaudard, Schneider Electric, Sita, Swiss Ski – Ch, Thalès, Veolia.

(countries indicated with the exception of France).

Get in touch

Please consult ZeCraft for a quotation or to simply ask for more specific information. The best is to use the form here, or to call directly.
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