How vintage typography shapes brand status: experimental evidence from traditional Chinese characters

Purpose Researchers have recently begun to investigate how typographic elements influence brand evaluation. However, little is known about the impact of vintage typography, which embodies both character visual effects and symbolic cultural significance, on brand status. This study aims to examine how vintage typography (versus modern typography), through two attributes: visual form and cultural associations, influences consumer responses to product marketing. Design/methodology/approach Guided by semantic association theory, three experiments test and support the hypotheses. They demonstrate the positive effects of vintage typography, elucidate the underlying mechanisms driving these effects and identify the boundary conditions associated with them. Findings The data reveal that vintage (versus modern) typography significantly influences both brand coolness and nostalgia; consumers’ perceived brand coolness and nostalgia significantly enhance their perceived brand status; and when vintage typography is rendered in a calligraphic style, its positive effects on brand coolness and nostalgic emotions are diminished. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature on typography in marketing and consumer perceptions of brand status. It broadens the theoretical understanding of how typographic design shapes brand perception and offers managerial implications for how marketers can strategically use vintage typography to foster emotional connections with consumers and enhance perceived brand status.