Use same fonts in style guide as logo?

[Guest]

We recently had a logo designed by an outside firm. They used Corisande for the logo. I'm not a fan of this font. In the style guide they prepared, they suggested using Palatino with it in marketing collateral. I'm not overly fond of the work they firm did, but maybe it's just me. I was not involved in the process.

My questions are this:

• When creating a style guide, should you use the same font as the logo? My non-designers supervisors seem to think so.
• If not, should the font coordinate with the logo?
• What are your favorite serif and sans-serif font for marketing materials?

[Thomas Phinney]

> When creating a style guide, should you use the same font as the logo? My non-designers supervisors seem to think so.

No, do not use the same font as the logo for headings or body text. You want the logo to be distinct and memorable, not submerged in the rest of the company's look. It has to be *compatible* with, and part of, that look, but not submerged in it.

> If not, should the font coordinate with the logo?

Yes. Although I can't imagine why they thought Palatino would go well with Corisande. That's crazy talk. 

> What are your favorite serif and sans-serif font for marketing materials?

You haven't told us what your firm does, or what your brand is about. You don't want to choose typefaces because they are generic or popular. You want typefaces that help reinforce the image your are trying to project.

All the above are reasons why the style guide is normally created by an outside branding firm, often at the same time as the logo.

[Guest]

You haven't told us what your firm does, or what your brand is about. You don't want to choose typefaces because they are generic or popular. You want typefaces that help reinforce the image your are trying to project.

We are a nonprofit membership organization. Our members are foundations (community foundations, family foundations, corporate giving programs, United Ways) and philanthropists.

Currently I like to pair Minion and Frankling Gothic fonts. Do you have any suggestions?