US News and World Reports has a one-pager on Helvetica that's surprisingly interesting.
Fun facts:
- helvetica is the default font for US tax forms
- created in 1957 and launched under the name Neue Haas Grotesk
- helvetica means Switzerland in Latin
- warning messages on cigarette labels are set in helvetica
Fantastics quotes:
- "helvetica is 'like a good screwdriver; a reliable, efficient, easy-to-use tool. But put it in the wrong hands, and it's potentially lethal.'"
- "works its magic on an entirely subconscious level... its ubiquity and inherent authority are inescapable"
