In 2017, Dropbox wanted to show it was much more than a storage service. Typography was one of the main levers of this change of image.
The typefaces
For its 2017 rebrand, led with the agency Collins, Dropbox adopted Sharp Grotesk, from the Sharp Type foundry. The brand licensed the entire superfamily, 259 styles, and the foundry designed 35 additional italics specifically for it.
The system
The range of weights and widths lets Dropbox speak in several tones, from designers to scientists, on the website as on billboards. The typography is paired with a palette of bright, contrasting colours, which sparked debate at launch.
Why it works
Sharp Grotesk, inspired by early 20th-century grotesques, brings character where many tech companies choose neutral sans serifs. Its wealth of variants makes it a tool of expression rather than just a text typeface.
What a brand can learn from it
A comprehensive commercial family can be enough if it is used well. An existing typeface can be extended for specific needs. An expressive typography helps a brand change how it is perceived.
Read also: Sharp Type, Grotesque, Weight, Width