Those Font Review: A Modern Sans Serif Built for Campaigns
The project was a seasonal product teaser for an online shop. I had the product shots ready, the color palette locked, and the copy written. But the headline fell flat. It was clean, sure. It was legible. But it had zero tension. Zero personality. I needed a typeface that could sit confidently next to the product image without screaming for attention. I pulled up the font Those on a hunch, dropped it into the hero headline, and suddenly the whole layout had a pulse. That is the kind of moment when you realize you are not just picking a font. You are picking the voice of the campaign.
What Those Brings to a Campaign Layout
Those is a sans serif typeface, but it does not behave like a standard utility sans. The shapes are modern and noticeably unique. The letterforms carry a natural, almost handwritten rhythm despite being a clean sans. That combination is rare. You get the readability and structure of a sans serif, but the visual personality of something drawn by hand. For marketing designers and social media strategists, that means you can use Those in places where a plain sans would feel corporate or forgettable.
In the product teaser I mentioned, I used Those for the main headline and a supporting callout line. The headline read "New Drop. Same Vibe." and the callout was a simple date. The font gave the words a grounded, confident feel. It was not trying to be trendy or loud. It just felt present. That is the kind of communication style Those offers: direct, modern, and slightly organic. It does not fake warmth. It has warmth built into the shapes.
I have since used Those in several other campaign contexts, and it consistently delivers a strong first impression without overwhelming the rest of the layout. For a sans serif font, that is a valuable trait. Many sans typefaces fade into the background. Those refuses to do that, but it also refuses to shout.
Where Those Shines in Social and Digital Content
I tested Those across several formats during that campaign: Instagram posts, a YouTube thumbnail, a Pinterest pin, and a digital ad banner. Here is how it performed in each context.
Instagram Posts and Reels Covers
For Instagram, I used Those in a simple quote graphic and a product announcement post. The quote graphic was a short brand mantra over a textured background. The letterforms read clearly on mobile, even at smaller sizes. The natural spacing and open counters helped the words stay legible without needing extra tracking or leading. For the product post, I set the product name in Those at a larger scale and added a subtle overlay. The font held its shape well against a busy background. It did not get lost in the texture.
For Reels covers, I found Those works best when used as a bold title overlay. The unique letter shapes catch the eye in a feed of saturated thumbnails. It adds a premium, editorial feel without looking like a template.
YouTube Thumbnails
YouTube thumbnails are a brutal test for any typeface. You have a tiny rectangle, often viewed on mobile, and you need to communicate a message in under two seconds. I used Those in a thumbnail for a course launch teaser. The headline was short: "Build It Better." I set it in white with a soft shadow. The font read clearly at small sizes, and the distinctive letterforms helped the thumbnail stand out from the standard bold sans thumbnails in the feed. It did not rely on gimmicks. The font itself did the work.
Pinterest Pins and Digital Ads
Pinterest is a discovery platform, so typography needs to be both readable and aspirational. I created a series of pins using Those for the title overlay. The font gave the pins a clean, editorial look that performed well in the home feed. For digital ads, I used Those in a banner for a webinar registration. The headline was "Design Smarter, Not Harder." The font held up well at medium sizes and looked polished on both desktop and mobile ad placements.
Website Banners and Email Headers
In website banners, Those works well as hero text. The modern shapes feel current without being polarizing. For email headers, it adds a refined touch. I used it in a promotional email for a small shop, setting the sale headline in Those and pairing it with a simpler body font. The contrast was effective. Readers scanned the headline first, then moved to the body copy without friction.
Readability and Visibility in Fast-Paced Feeds
One of the biggest concerns when using a font with unique shapes is readability at small sizes. Those handles this well for a display-oriented sans serif. The letterforms are open and clear, even at reduced scales. I tested it on mobile previews, image overlays, and dark and light backgrounds. The font performed consistently. On dark backgrounds, it required a little extra padding behind the text to keep the strokes from bleeding into the image, but that is standard practice for any overlay typography.
On light backgrounds, the font felt natural and airy. The organic quality of the shapes became more apparent. It is worth noting that Those is not ideal for tiny text or dense information blocks. If you try to set long paragraphs or footnotes in it, the unique shapes will start to compete with each other, and readability will drop. This font is best used for headlines, callouts, logo-style text, campaign labels, decorative titles, and display text. Keep it large and give it room to breathe.
When Those Might Not Be the Right Fit
No font works everywhere, and Those is no exception. I would not recommend it for formal corporate communication, legal disclaimers, dense product descriptions, or any context where the typeface needs to be invisible. If the goal is pure information delivery without personality, a neutral sans serif or serif font is a better choice. Those has too much character to disappear. That is its strength, but also its limitation. Use it where you want the font to contribute to the message, not just carry it.
Similarly, if your campaign relies on ultra-minimalist, rigid branding, the organic quality of Those might feel out of place. It pairs best with campaigns that have a natural, modern, or creative tone. For a strict corporate brand guideline, test it carefully before committing.
Pairing Those with Other Typefaces
In my campaign work, I paired Those with a clean sans serif for body copy. That combination worked well because the body font stayed neutral and the headline font carried the personality. For a more editorial feel, you could pair Those with a serif font. The contrast between the modern sans and a classic serif creates visual tension that works in magazine-style layouts, blog headers, and long-form content covers.
If your campaign leans creative, consider pairing Those with a script font or handwritten font for accent words or pull quotes. The natural quality of Those complements the fluidity of script typefaces without clashing. Just make sure the script font is legible at the size you plan to use it. A modern typography system might also include a supporting sans serif for subheadings and body text, leaving Those for hero moments. The key is to let Those lead the visual hierarchy while the supporting fonts handle the heavy lifting.
Practical Considerations Before You Use Those in a Campaign
Before you drop Those into your next ad set or social template, check the included styles and file formats. Make sure the font family includes the weights and alternates you need. Some display fonts come with limited weights, which can be a problem if you want to create a clear hierarchy. Also check for ligatures and alternates, as those can add even more personality to headlines and logo text.
Multilingual support is another factor. If your campaign targets international audiences, confirm that the font covers the characters you need. Nothing derails a layout like a missing accented character. And of course, verify the commercial font licensing before using Those in ads, templates, merchandise, client campaigns, digital products, or branded content. Licensing terms vary, and using a font without the proper rights can cause issues down the line. Most quality font foundries provide clear licensing information, so take a minute to read it.
For file formats, ensure you have the correct version for your design software, whether that is OTF, TTF, or web font formats. If you plan to use Those in web banners or landing pages, test the web version at different breakpoints. A font that looks great on desktop can behave differently on mobile. Always preview the font in context before finalizing your campaign assets.
In my experience, Those delivers exactly what it promises: a modern, natural sans serif that brings personality to campaign visuals without sacrificing readability. Use it for headlines, callouts, and display moments. Give it space. Pair it thoughtfully. And do not try to make it work where it does not belong. When you use it right, it makes your work look like you thought about every detail. And in marketing, that is the whole point.
