Page 82 - 100 Great Copywriting Ideas: From Leading Companies Around the World (100 Great Ideas)

The best example of this trend is our old friend Courier. Reminiscent
of old-school typewritten letters, Courier seems to elicit the most
extreme reactions from marketeers. “Ugh!” they say. “I hate it, it
looks so old-fashioned.” Here’s the funny part. Ready?
Letters set in Courier have been shown to be 20 percent more
profitable than letters set in other, more trendy, typefaces. It’s why
many of the world’s most successful mailings are set in Courier.
Some of our clients have tested typefaces and now wouldn’t
use anything but Courier. Good for them—they’re making
more money.
Another complaint about Courier is that “it doesn’t reflect our brand.”
So let’s take the New Yorker magazine. You won’t find a single article
in Courier within its pages, which groan with advertising for brands
such as Mercedes, Lexus, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton. Yet its direct
mail letters are set in Courier. Maybe someone at Condé Nast knows
something.

In practice

• If you haven’t already done so, run a test where you only change

the typeface in your mailing letter. Test whatever typeface your
designer has chosen against Courier.

• If you’re marketing online, ignore all this: there’s evidence that

sans-serif faces work better on screen.

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