20th Iwataya Mitsukoshi Co., Ltd.

2011.10.12

Iwataya Mitsukoshi Co., Ltd. is a popular department store representing Fukuoka.

A wide variety of customers, regardless of age or gender, support a wide variety of products from fashion to foods. "A new life is always fine Styles to create, be useful you in a variety of scenes in your life" and "to become a My department store lifelong of for each and every customer" as a corporate philosophy, day-to-day, of each customer We are pursuing to meet your requests and expectations with hospitality at a moving level.

This time, from Hirono Yoshida, who is in charge of sales promotion who has long been involved in the production of Advertisement and catalogs for Iwataya Mitsukoshi Co., Ltd., which has two store names, what kind of role does our font play in the "Iwataya brand"? I asked.

Typeface is important for brand image

Our sales promotion staff work on a wide range of products such as direct mails sent to customers, product catalogs, posters and signs for in-store. At Iwataya, we carry out various Event on a weekly basis so that many customers can enjoy it. Even for that one, Event, a lot of accompanying work is required, so I am making it in-house so that it can be handled speedily. These products are designed using Fontworks typeface.

We strive to create a unified atmosphere as much as possible, based on the concept of "I want the things that Iwataya sends to our customers to have a consistent image." So the important thing was to choose a font. Since we have a wide range of customers, we wanted to unify the brand image based on the fact that it is easy to read, elegant, calm and easy to accept, and that it has a strong individuality and does not assert too much. Furthermore, considering the corporate style of Iwataya and the typeface that suits the customer's Styles, I thought [Mincho] was the best choice. Among them, we selected [Tsukushi Mincho] as our main typeface, which makes each Japanese look beautiful and appeals with good quality.

I think that [Tsukushi Mincho] is designed so that you can clearly see each character when you typeset it unlike other [Mincho]. Generally, if the character is large [Mincho type], it looks a little voluminous and it does not look fashionable, but [Tsukushi Mincho] has strong and weak strength and there is a product right. It's easy to read and can be used by people of all ages, and I love this design.

Charm of Tsukushi Mincho

[Tsukushi Mincho] has a lot of weights and I like that it's easy to use. Of course in the Text, even thick weights are available, so I am happy that it can be used for the title part and signboards of larger media with the same taste.

In the latest issue of Iwataya's quarterly magazine, "MEN'S BOOK," "Vol.12," we are planning a "Japan Creation" to guide you on high-quality clothing items made by Japanese people. I think that the goodness of the product, the Japanese-style product, and the fact that it doesn't feel old is perfect for this project and the image of Tsukushi Mincho. This quarterly magazine is basically in horizontal writing mode, but it's nice to sit down even if you occasionally use it in vertical writing mode for titles.

In addition, with a bridal booklet for women, with a layout that gives a soft impression, thin weights such as [Tsukushi Mincho L] and [Tsukushi Mincho R] are intentionally placed in large places such as Heading. By using it, you can create a cute image. It's the same [Tsukushi Mincho], but the fact that it can show various expressions depending on how it is used is what makes us particularly appealing to sales promotion managers who make many products.

How to use the typeface that we keep in mind

The first, which is common to all productions, is to select a font in consideration of the balance with the product and the visibility. Currently, I am using [Seurat] of [Round Gothic style] for the pop of the store Advertisement the school bag. I think that pop can express a cute and lively image. Now, I thought about looking at the Fontworks catalog, but unlike [Seurat], [Chikushimaru Maru Gothic] seems to be able to produce a calm atmosphere.

Second, don't use many types of fonts in one production. Since the protagonist is the product shown in the photograph, we are careful not to make anything other than the product too conspicuous or make the medium feel uncomfortable. In that respect, as expected, there are only Tsukushi typefaces in the series, and even if you use multiple [Mincho type] and [Gothic type], there is a sense of unity. I don't usually make much, but when I notice it, there are works that were completed with multiple fonts.

What changed with the introduction of "LETS"

Up until now, installing the OS and App, especially fonts, has been difficult every time the number of staff has increased, machines have been replaced, and maintenance has been done. With the introduction of the font type licensing system "LETS", at least the hassle of installing fonts has been relieved and more time can be devoted to design work. I think it is very good that this revolutionary method has become the standard. I hope that we will be able to spend more time designing on the design side.

Fontworks, which started this license system at the very beginning, is a Kyushu company, isn't it? As the same Kyushu company [I want to value the good things of Kyushu very much! I want to work hard together! ] Is one of the reasons I have been using "LETS" for many years.

What to expect from "LETS" in the future

Looking at Tsukushi typefaces, etc., the weights and Character Sets of one typeface increase every year, so it is said that we really value that typeface. It's nice that many new typefaces are released, but it's also nice that existing ones are easier to use. As for the hope of future typefaces, I would like the next generation to develop a typeface that will become a long-selling person who thinks "This is good!" I would like to see my favorite [Tsukushi Mincho] become a typeface that has been loved for a long time, such as [Helvetica] in the European typeface.
＜ Editor's note ＞
Mr. Yoshida who cooperated in the interview was also in charge of the direction of the in-house production, and he is very careful about the font selection, character size, character spacing, line spacing, etc. in order to appeal the product more attractively. .. I feel that Mr. Yoshida is an important person for the "Iwataya brand" because he has a deep knowledge of fonts and creates a unified layout that is easy to convey to customers. For those who need more time for design work related to a wide variety of productions, including Mr. Yoshida, we have upgraded the font management tool, etc. I would like to work hard to improve it.