Four Times Fonts Stole the Show

This is the first article in our “Fonts Having a Moment” series, which explores how fonts show up in our everyday lives and impact us in ways big and small.

At Monotype it’s our job to talk about fonts. They’re our bread and butter, which means we live, read, and breathe type. So, it’s a joy for us to see them (finally) become the star of the zeitgeist in 2024. From reels and comedy sketches to commercials and TED talks, fonts are claiming their rightful place as a major influence on our digital age. 

Fonts do more than carry a message. They communicate meaning, embody personalities, and translate real emotion that resonates with readers. And it’s not just because we work at Monotype — everyone, in some shape or form, encounters fonts every single day.  

Here are four times fonts were in the spotlight in 2024. 

Elle Cordova – TED on Type 

If you don’t know Elle Cordova, search for her now. She’s a font-loving influencer who brought her passion to the TED2024 stage through her viral “Fonts hanging out” comedy sketch series, which turns typefaces like Futura and Helvetica into real-world characters — from new coworkers to potential dating partners. Her ability to bring household fonts alive is brilliant and humbling, in equal measure.  

Ryan Gosling’s “SNL” Papyrus Meltdown 

Ryan Gosling’s SNL Avatar/Papyrus sketch was an instant classic, and a reminder that font choices don’t go unnoticed in the world of pop culture. In 2024, and just in time for Avatar 2’s release, he revived his long-standing feud with the typographic arch-nemesis. Of course, real font nerds will know that Avatar: The Way of Water actually instead uses a new custom font called Toruk, designed specially for the film franchise. 

Martin Scorsese’s Galactic Font Super Bowl Ad 

Almost nothing is bigger than a Super Bowl ad, so imagine our surprise and delight when fonts were the star of Martin Scorsese’s halftime ad for Squarespace. In the film, aliens use a sans serif typeface to announce their arrival to a planet full of distracted humans. A companion short film gives us the story behind the font, following Scorsese and his daughter, Francesca, as they deliberate over which font is the best choice for aliens that just want to say a friendly, “Hello down there.” 

Wisdom Kaye’s “Fonts as Outfits” 

Wisdom Kaye is the best-dressed guy on TikTok, according to Vogue. The twenty-three-year-old model, photographer, and influencer got the internet’s attention with his “Things as Outfits” series, where he recreates vinyl covers, cartoons, historical periods, and emojis as looks. We were delighted to see him take on the world of fonts, styling himself as Times New Roman, Comic Sans and Helvetica, as well as several others. It’s a reminder that, just like clothes, the font you choose tells a story. 

Fonts are having a real impact on our cultural moments — across social media, at live performances, and on television. Now that you’ve seen several moments where fonts are the star, keep an eye on how they continue to steal the show in 2024 and beyond!