History

Helvetica or Neue Haas Grotesk is a sans-serif typeface developed in 1957 by Swiss typeface designer Max Miedinger with input from Eduard Hoffmann.

It is a neo-grotesque design influenced by the famous 1890s typeface Akzidenz-Grotesk along with other German and Swiss designs. It became a hallmark of the International Typographic Style that emerged from the work of Swiss designers in the 50's and 60's, becoming one of the most popular typefaces of the mid-20th century. Developed by the Haas Type Foundry of Münchenstein, Switzerland, its release was planned to match a trend: a resurgence of interest in "grotesque" sans-serifs among European graphic designers. Hoffmann was the president of the Haas Type Foundry while Miedinger was a freelance graphic designer who formerly worked as a Haas salesman and designer. 

They both intended to create a neutral typeface that had clarity, no intrinsic meaning, and could be used on a wide variety of signs. It was originally named Neue Haas Grotesk and was quickly licensed by Linotype and renamed Helvetica in 1960, meaning "Swiss" in Latin (from Helvetia), which capitalized on Switzerland's reputation as a centre of modern graphic design. In 2007, a feature-length film directed by Gary Hustwit was released to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the typeface's introduction in 1957.

Design

The colors red and white were used to reference the flag of Switzerland which is red with a white cross.