Is Reverse Type a No-No?
May 20th, 2005 by Bob Bly
An art director showed me a promotion she was designing — and it was all in reverse type (white lettering on a black background).
When I told her not to use it because reverse type is hard to read, she said, “You can’t prove it by me.”
So I’m asking for your opinion … and your help. Do you use or avoid reverse type? Why? Any results or proof to back up your opinions and preferences?
This entry was posted on Friday, May 20th, 2005 at 12:11 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
May 20th, 2005 at 12:23 pm
Bob,
Context is key I think. Cranking my brain back to my typographic days, legibility of typefaces and formatting was as much about function as it was about form.
For example, reversed type would be pretty illegible in a novel, but probably OK on a poster. But again, this may even come down to the number of words, whether it runs over two lines, etc., etc. How the rest of the design is treated will probably also play a part (e.g. is this the only text on the item? Are there any images, etc.)
The ultimate test might be to post the design and let us vote on how legible we think it is!
May 20th, 2005 at 1:05 pm
It’s highly contextual. Keep in mind there are quite a few ‘famous’ designers whose trademarks are ‘knockout’ text color combinations. Hey, I don’t make the rules…
May 20th, 2005 at 3:22 pm
I think I’d look at this question differently. I’d ask her how many campaigns that she knows about have been successful using reverse type. If reverse type was effective others would be using it.
Joel
May 20th, 2005 at 3:22 pm
Bob, as a fanatical tester, it’s proven in direct-response copy that reverse type decreases response. It lowers readership, fatigues the eyes and causes strain. Websites with copy formatted in reverse type saw a decrease in response anywhere from 35% to 65%. But, a small caveat: I’m currently testing reverse type on banners, headers and call-to-action boxes in my copy. The results look promsing.
However, one intepretation is plausible: People never read copy at first. They never do. They scan, skim and scroll. Reverse type for small phrases, strategically located in the copy (such as a Johnson box, picture captions, etc), help to stop the reader from scanning and either force her to read — or to pay attention to what follows (which may be a call to action, for instance).
An example is my own newsletter at The Profit Pill (i.e., white on red).
May 20th, 2005 at 5:18 pm
Bob,
Whenever I see reverse type, I assume the writer didn’t really care about me or the actual content, just his/her desire to be different.
I could not care less ablout the color scheme, just the content.
Simple will make you money; Not simple costs you money.
Complications lose customers; Simplifications gets customers.
May 21st, 2005 at 6:58 am
I’ve never tested it before so I can’t support this with hard numbers. But from personal experience, I find reverse type very difficult to read in longer text with smaller type.
Graphically, I like using some reverse type in headlines or short side-bars but it needs to be used sparingly.
If it’s all reverse type, send it back.
Bob McCarthy
McCarthy & King Marketing, Inc.
May 23rd, 2005 at 6:16 am
It is - as most people here say - contextual.
Personally, I use reverse type online in headlines, menu bars etc - but test everything (though my blog site is a good example of bad reverse text - I’ll sort it one of these days and choose a new template!).
Headlines and the like tend to work well because they are usually bigger than body text.
And I think online, reverse text can work better than offline - there’s no print bleed and the screen is illuminated, generally making it easier to read.
Thinking on-the-hoof of good examples, isn’t the Coca-Cola logo reversed out???
May 23rd, 2005 at 8:45 am
I’m in the context camp myself. I’m not sure you see too much body copy in 8 point type that is reversed and readable. However, large reversed type on a poster or full page as an announcement or perhaps a black envelope with a reversed headline would work just fine. Design is a great way to catch your customer’s eye, even with direct mail. I don’t believe in limiting designers any more than I have to.
May 29th, 2005 at 9:23 pm
I will use reverse type only if the background is very dark and the type is very light, and then only for very short heads and subheads.
But in my Art Test Explosion digital art blog, I have a template that provides a black background and white or near white type. This is due to the fact that the art looks good against black, and what rare text I include with an artwork upload is generally very short, excerpts from Proust being the lengthiest material.
This is personal preference mixed with d. mktg. principles based on testing.
:^)
June 9th, 2005 at 12:55 am
You’re correct Bob. While reverse type works well for headlines and large typeface… It’s sue to kill any promotion when used for body copy. Sounds like that artist is destined to work at a McDonalds soon!
July 21st, 2005 at 8:54 pm
Colin Wheildon, an Australian editor who has researched typography for many years, and did a report spanning 1984 to 89-90, came up with the following results:
David Ogilvy says that advertising copy should never be set in reverse,
nor over grey or coloured tint. He says that the old school “believed
these devices forced people to read the copy; we now know that
they make reading physically impossible”.
The results of tests on text set in black on light colour tints oppose
his view; the tests on black text set on shades of grey are more on his
side; and the tests on text printed in reverse on black or dark colours
support his view to the hilt.
Comments made on the completion of the reverse tests were that a
form of light vibration, similar to, but worse than, that encountered
when text was printed in high intensity colours, seemed to make the
lines of type move and merge into one another. Eighty per cent reported
this phenomenon.
Results were:
Table 16 Comprehension level
Good Fair Poor
Text printed black on white 70 19 11
Text printed white on black 0 12 88
Text printed white on PMS259 2 16 82
Text printed white on PMS286 0 4 96
There is a school of thought which agrees that reversing can be
fraught with danger, but only if serif type is used. The argument is that
the fine strokes and serifs disappear when the material is reversed.
31. IF YOU WOULD LIKE A PDF OF THE REPORT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
I don’t think there is much of a debate!
July 21st, 2005 at 9:04 pm
I hate reverse type! And anything else that’s hard to read, such as all caps. I say “use it at your peril.”
September 21st, 2005 at 2:42 pm
There are some disputable moments in your article. I do not absolutely agree with the author.
September 23rd, 2005 at 2:14 am
There are some disputable moments in your article. I do not absolutely agree with the author.
August 26th, 2006 at 9:01 pm
valium [URL=http://miumiu5.worldbreak.com] valium [/URL]
August 27th, 2006 at 11:09 am
valium [URL=http://www.foros.net/thebat47.html] valium [/URL]
August 30th, 2006 at 11:52 am
divorce [URL=http://www.plone4artists.org/Members/kennetharris/Divorce.htm] divorce [/URL]
August 30th, 2006 at 12:17 pm
bankruptcy [URL=http://www.plone4artists.org/Members/kennetharris/Bankruptcy.htm] bankruptcy [/URL]
August 30th, 2006 at 1:31 pm
divorce [URL=http://www.carm.es/op/HyperNews/get/forums/MapServer/286.html] divorce [/URL]
August 30th, 2006 at 2:01 pm
adderall [URL=http://connectivism.ca/Members/ssusanarkerr/maryright/document_view] adderall [/URL]
August 30th, 2006 at 4:37 pm
delta airlines [URL=http://www.plone4artists.org/Members/kennetharris/Delta Airlines.htm] delta airlines [/URL]
August 30th, 2006 at 7:49 pm
erectile dysfunction [URL=http://www.carm.es/op/HyperNews/get/forums/MapServer/287.html] erectile dysfunction [/URL]
August 30th, 2006 at 8:56 pm
adderall [URL=http://www.carm.es/op/HyperNews/get/forums/MapServer/277.html] adderall [/URL]
August 30th, 2006 at 11:27 pm
advair [URL=http://www.carm.es/op/HyperNews/get/forums/MapServer/280.html] advair [/URL]
August 30th, 2006 at 11:30 pm
gifts [URL=http://www.carm.es/op/HyperNews/get/forums/MapServer/288.html] gifts [/URL]
August 31st, 2006 at 4:56 am
norco [URL=http://connectivism.ca/Members/ssusanarkerr/carolilson/document_view] norco [/URL]
August 31st, 2006 at 8:31 am
norco [URL=http://www.carm.es/op/HyperNews/get/forums/MapServer/278.html] norco [/URL]
August 31st, 2006 at 9:50 am
gifts [URL=http://connectivism.ca/Members/kennethreen/kimberlyright/document_view] gifts [/URL]
September 7th, 2006 at 4:10 am
chairs [URL=http://www.rtmark.com/f/get/trrcii/348/8.html] chairs [/URL]
September 8th, 2006 at 3:51 am
valium [URL=http://www.sc27.org/SC27Msgs/posts/361.html] valium [/URL]
September 9th, 2006 at 7:32 am
valium [URL=http://www.zopeuk.org/Members/asonollins/tevenoore/document_view] valium [/URL]
September 11th, 2006 at 8:42 am
polyphonic [URL=http://pulseofscience.org/Members/effohnson/evinollins/document_view] polyphonic [/URL]
September 13th, 2006 at 12:39 am
valium [URL=http://sprint.zope.it/Members/indaoore/lizabethobinson/document_view] valium [/URL]
September 14th, 2006 at 4:52 pm
valium [URL=http://www.podomatic.com/profile/member/elenollins] valium [/URL]
September 14th, 2006 at 10:01 pm
valium [URL=http://opensourcearmenia.com/Members/arahmith/lizabethreen.htm] valium [/URL]
September 18th, 2006 at 1:20 pm
polyphonic [URL=http://doc.lld.dk/Members/anielhite/index_html] polyphonic [/URL]
September 19th, 2006 at 4:40 pm
polyphonic [URL=http://sp2000europa.org/Members/illiamodriguez/illiamollins/document_view] polyphonic [/URL]
December 12th, 2006 at 5:09 pm
Good design!
[url=http://zwkcgqzk.com/cifd/hhiy.html]My homepage[/url] | [url=http://jawzxpxj.com/yzfp/dheq.html]Cool site[/url]
December 12th, 2006 at 5:13 pm
Great work!
http://zwkcgqzk.com/cifd/hhiy.html | http://omqlakyy.com/sreq/dlxf.html
December 15th, 2006 at 4:18 am
erectile dysfunction .
January 16th, 2007 at 2:08 pm
.minchia milano dintorni
materiali metallici
sono una creatura ungaretti
diamondmax plus
March 10th, 2007 at 2:15 am
ed pills .
March 22nd, 2007 at 7:21 am
very nice blog
March 27th, 2007 at 5:53 am
Blog of directtv
May 7th, 2007 at 8:00 am
ekWTyzJQxGwCnIDqM
May 15th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
This Website contains explicit sexual material which may be offensive to some viewers.
You must be 18 years or older to enter this Website.
Rape porn
[URL=http://rapepornsex.da.cx]Rape porn[/URL]
http://rapepornsex.da.cx Rape porn
May 29th, 2007 at 7:46 am
adult black porn
adult black porn
June 2nd, 2007 at 9:23 am
http://89sexsite.info x
June 7th, 2007 at 5:01 am
Online Drugstore http://drugstoreon.atspace.com/ Online Drugstore
June 25th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
watch bondage videos
watch bondage videos
July 2nd, 2007 at 5:58 am
amateure mature blowjob
amateure mature blowjob
July 2nd, 2007 at 6:44 am
asian porn stars fingering
asian porn stars fingering
July 6th, 2007 at 8:48 pm
Hello! Good Site! Thanks you! dzvnzahityzwz
July 8th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
blonde and brunet lesbians
blonde and brunet lesbians
July 9th, 2007 at 11:19 am
freckled redhead blowjobs
freckled redhead blowjobs
August 7th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
Hey
I was surfing the web and i saw this site, pretty cool.
Currently im running and adult site:Wellness
k, just want to say hi
Can i link you from my site? im looking for quality content like yours. If no let me know if i can add u in exchange for a montly fee or something.
August 18th, 2007 at 12:25 am
popular free ringtones
www.thehotstop.info
signature…
November 4th, 2007 at 9:42 am
cutie young
November 4th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
asian hard fucking
pokeporn
pornstories
November 29th, 2007 at 9:56 pm
free mature sex homepages
free mature sex homepages