The reason every meme uses that one font

Summary

The video script explores the ubiquitous use of the Impact font in internet memes, tracing its origins to Geoffrey Lee's 1963 design. Influenced by the International Typographic Style, Impact was adopted by Microsoft and became part of the 'core fonts for the web' in 1996. Its inclusion in meme generators and the iconic 'I can haz cheezburger' cat meme solidified its status, making it a staple in meme culture that continues to shape our expectations of meme aesthetics.

Takeaways

• 🔤 The typeface commonly used in memes is called Impact.
• 📝 Impact was designed by Geoffrey Lee in 1963, characterized by being bold, condensed, and sans-serif.
• 🌟 Impact was influenced by the International Typographic Style, also known as Swiss Style, which emphasized readability and cleanliness.
• 🔨 In the era of metal typesetting, Lee had to carve each letter of Impact by hand.
• 📚 The font was initially sold to Stephenson Blake and later to Monotype, known for creating Times New Roman.
• 💻 Monotype licensed fonts to Microsoft, leading to Impact's inclusion in the Windows Operating System.
• 🌐 Impact was one of the 11 'core fonts for the web' chosen by Microsoft in 1996, making it widely available across the internet.
• 📈 The distribution advantage of being a core web font helped Impact become the default in online forums.
• 😸 The term 'image macros' for memes comes from 'macro instructions' in computer science, referring to a line of code that executes a pre-defined sequence.
• 🐱 The 'I can haz cheezburger' cat image macro in 2003 marked the beginning of modern memes and popularized the use of Impact.
• 🖌️ Many meme-generator sites have adopted Impact, often with a black outline on white text, creating a recognizable meme aesthetic.

Q & A

What typeface is commonly associated with memes?

Impact is the typeface commonly associated with memes.

Who designed the Impact typeface?

Geoffrey Lee designed the Impact typeface in 1963.

What characteristics define the Impact typeface?

Impact is bold, condensed, and sans-serif, making it ideal for short pieces of text and punchy headlines.

What design movement influenced the creation of Impact?

Impact was influenced by the International Typographic Style or Swiss Style, which emphasized readability and cleanliness.

How were the letters of Impact typeface created during the metal typesetting era?

Each letter of the Impact typeface had to be carved by hand during the metal typesetting era.

Which company originally sold the Impact typeface?

Stephenson Blake was the type manufacturer that originally sold the Impact typeface.

How did Impact end up being included in the Windows Operating System?

Impact was included in the Windows Operating System because Monotype, which had acquired Impact, licensed fonts to Microsoft.

What was the significance of Microsoft's 'core fonts for the web' in 1996?

The 'core fonts for the web' in 1996 provided a free, standard font pack that worked across the internet, and Impact was one of the fonts included.

What is the term used for the early form of memes mentioned in the script?

The early form of memes were called 'image macros', derived from 'macro instructions' in computer science.

Which meme is credited with launching the wave of modern memes?

The meme featuring a picture of a cat with the words 'I can haz cheezburger' is credited with launching the wave of modern memes.

Why did meme-generator sites adopt Impact as their default typeface?

Meme-generator sites adopted Impact as their default typeface due to its distribution advantage and its association with the early image macros that became popular.

Why do we expect memes to have a certain look involving the Impact typeface?

We expect memes to have a certain look involving the Impact typeface because it has become a visual standard due to its widespread use and recognition.

Is there an expectation that the use of Impact in memes will change in the future?

The script suggests that the use of Impact in memes is not likely to change anytime soon due to its established visual identity.