In conjunction with research house Opinion Matters, Monotype Imaging conducted a quantitative research study commencing 19.08.09 until 02.09.09 of 2,117 UK consumers to discover how important effective typography is in relation to consumer trust in products and brands presented on the mobile phone. There are some interesting findings here about mobile usage across age and gender as well as sharing some implications for m-commerce and mobile marketing. I have permission from Monotype Imaging to share this document. Contact them directly for the full report.

1. Visual Trust Research UK
Executive Summary
2009

2. Introduction
In conjunction with research house Opinion Matters, Monotype Imaging
conducted a quantitative research study commencing 19.08.09 until 02.09.09 of
2,117 UK consumers to discover how important effective typography is in relation
to consumer trust in products and brands presented on the mobile phone.
Key research findings
The following pages display the results to the questions asked in the survey
and include a brief overview of what the results show.

3. Q.1 Apart from making calls and text messaging, which of the following do you use
your mobile phone for?
46
ANSWER OPTION BY No. BY % % BY AGE RANGE 23
45
Surfing the web 367 17.3 35
16 - 24 31
38
6
23
Diary 354 16.7 4
34
% BY AGE RANGE 22
32
23
Checking emails 351 16.6 25 - 34 20
22
5
15
4
Train times 219 10.3
18
% BY AGE RANGE 20
15
6
Maps /GPS 219 10.3 35 - 44 9
6
9
5
4
Cinema times 211 10.0 8
% BY AGE RANGE 17
9
4
5
45 - 54
Don’t own a mobile 191 9.0 4
11
3
3
4
Book a restaurant 156 7.4 % BY AGE RANGE 7
5
4
55+ 3
3
Banking 66 3.1 12
4
1
Half of consumers use the mobile phone for activity There is also a clear distinction by age since younger
aside from just making calls and text messaging. It users tend to use their phones for more functions
has become the key proponent for surfing the web, than older users but there is little difference in the
whether that be checking online banking accounts, functions the sample uses by gender.
booking a table at a restaurant or checking train times.

4. Q.2 Have you ever considered the role a font plays in a company’s brand?
30
ANSWER OPTION BY No. BY % % BY AGE RANGE
36
No, not really 887 41.9 16 - 24 11
24
Yes, probably 504 23.8 33
% BY AGE RANGE
35
No, definitely not 391 18.5 25 - 34 14
19
Yes, definitely 335 15.8
47
% BY AGE RANGE
18
35 - 44 19
40% of people claim to have considered the role 16
a font plays in a company’s brand. 45
% BY AGE RANGE
With nearly half of all users now using their phones 23
to gather information from the Internet, presenting 45 - 54 21
content with consistent typography can contribute 12
to the way a user perceives it.
45
% BY AGE RANGE
A higher proportion of younger users are more 18
aware of the role fonts play in a company’s brand than 55+ 22
older users but there is little difference by gender. 15
Q.3 If you were sent details from a source that you often use (your bank, for example)
but it appeared in a different font, would you trust that it’s from a reliable source?
50
ANSWER OPTION BY No. BY % % BY AGE RANGE
35
No, not really 1083 51.2 16 - 24 15
No, definitely not 732 34.6 49
% BY AGE RANGE
37
Yes, probably 289 13.7 25 - 34 12
2
Yes, definitely 13 0.6
55
% BY AGE RANGE
31
35 - 44 13
An overwhelming majority (86%) would not trust 1
that a communication from a source they often use 55
(a bank, for example) was from a reliable source % BY AGE RANGE
30
if the details were sent in a different font.
45 - 54 15
With the recent spate of data breaches, spam has
come to the forefront of the nation’s attention –
45
this is reflected in this question. % BY AGE RANGE
40
55+ 14

5. Q.4 Would you give your details to a site that had all the regular text in place, but had
a logo which contained a different font to the one you are used to?
ANSWER OPTION BY No. BY %
No, definitely not 1149 54.3
No, not really 795 37.6
Yes, probably 159 7.5
Yes, definitely 14 0.7
46
% BY AGE RANGE
39
16 - 24 15
46
% BY AGE RANGE
42
25 - 34 11
51
% BY AGE RANGE
40
35 - 44 8
2
55
% BY AGE RANGE
39
45 - 54 6
67
% BY AGE RANGE
29
55+ 3
This very specific question underlines just how much
faith consumers do actually place in typography. Even
if everything else seemed normal, just the font in a logo
would be enough to dissuade a potential customer
from surrendering their personal information.
This truly highlights that, although the majority
of consumers claim not to consider the role of
typography, it is an essential part of the mobile
marketing mix.
This more specific question, which focuses on the
presentation of the logo, reveals that senior users
are more sensitive to this.

6. Q.5 If presented with these images on your mobile phone, which would you trust?
Image 1 Image 2
ANSWER OPTION BY No. BY % % BY AGE RANGE 97
Image 1 1895 89.5 16 - 24
3
Image 2 222 10.5
% BY AGE RANGE 95
25 - 34
5
When faced with two images – one using a
company’s correct font and the other using a % BY AGE RANGE 87
standard mobile font – today’s spam conscious
consumer would immediately recognise Barclays’ 35 - 44
13
proper corporate display and would be very
hesitant to hand over details to a less “impressive”
looking version. % BY AGE RANGE 55
45 - 54
30
% BY AGE RANGE 84
55+
16

7. Conclusions
• There is an inherent, sub-conscious trust in typography
• Despite most consumers claiming they do not consciously consider fonts,
there are cases where they would not trust a promotion and certainly not
give up their personal details if the content was not presented correctly
with the right fonts.
• To capitalise on mobile marketing and maximise response brands need
to take their identity components, including their fonts, out to mobile
authentically.
For a full copy of this research please contact
info@monotype.co.uk
About Monotype Imaging
Monotype Imaging is a global provider of text imaging solutions for manufacturers and developers
of consumer electronics devices including laser printers, copiers, mobile phones, digital televisions,
set-top boxes, navigation devices, digital cameras and software applications and operating systems.
The company also provides printer drivers and colour imaging technologies to OEMs (original
equipment manufacturers).
Monotype Imaging technologies are combined with access to more than 10,000 typefaces from the
Monotype®, Linotype® and ITC® typeface libraries - home to some of the world’s most widely used
designs, including the Times New Roman®, Helvetica® and ITC Franklin Gothic™ typefaces. Fonts
are licensed to creative and business professionals through custom font design services, direct sales
or e-commerce portals.
Monotype Imaging offers fonts and industry-standard solutions that support all of the world’s major
languages. The company is based in Woburn, Massachusetts, U.S. with regional offices in the U.K.,
Germany (Linotype), Japan, China and Korea, in addition to U.S. regional offices in Mt. Prospect,
Illinois, Redwood City, California and Boulder, Colorado. Information about Monotype Imaging and
its products can be found at:
www.monotypeimaging.com

8. Monotype Imaging Inc. (Corporate) In the UK, Europe, Pacific Rim and rest of the world Linotype GmbH
500 Unicorn Park Drive Hardware/Software Developers: info@monotype.co.uk Werner-Reimers-Straße 2-4
Woburn, MA 01801 Graphic Design Professionals: tec.europe@monotypeimaging.com 61352 Bad Homburg
Phone: (781) 970-6000 Germany
Fax: (781) 970-6001 Monotype Imaging Ltd. Phone: +49 (0) 6172 484-418
Toll Free: (800) 424-8973, prompt 2 Unit 2, Perrywood Business Park Fax: +49 (0) 6172 484-429
(US & Canada Only) Salfords, Redhill
Surrey RH1 5DZ, England China Type Design Ltd.
Monotype Imaging Inc. Phone: +44 (0) 1737 765959 7A Yardley Commercial Building
1699 Wall Street, #420 UK Freefone: 0800 371242 3 Connaught Road West, Sheung Wan
Mt. Prospect, IL 60056 Fax: +44 (0) 1737 769243 Hong Kong
Phone: (847) 718-0400 UK Freefax: 0800 220692 Phone: 852 2575 6789
Fax: (847) 718-0500 Fax: 852 2591 9232
Monotype Imaging K.K.
8th floor Hikari Building
1-43-7 Yoyogi
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0053, Japan
Phone: 81 3 5304 0920
Fax: 81 3 5304 0921
Monotype Imaging Inc. (Korea)
#818, West Tower of Hanshin InterValley 24 Bldg.
707-34, Yeoksam 2-dong
Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 135-918
Korea
Phone: 82-2-2183-3793
Fax: 82-2-2183-3795
www.monotypeimaging.com
Monotype is a trademark of Monotype Imaging Inc. registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be registered in certain jurisdictions.
© 2009 Monotype Imaging Holdings Inc. All rights reserved.