The abbreviation "DIN" stands for Deutsches Institut für Normung (The German Institute for Industrial Standards). In 1936 the German Standard Committee settled upon DIN 1451 as the standard font for the areas of technology, traffic, administration and business. The Committee chose a sans serif font because it was thought to be legible, straightforward, and easy to reproduce. They did not expect the font would be used for advertisements and other "artistically oriented" purposes. Nevertheless, because DIN 1451 has been seen all over Germany on signs for town names and traffic directions, this font became familiar enough to make its way to the palettes of graphic designers and advertising art directors.
Despite disagreement about its aesthetic qualities, the contemporary digital version of DIN 1451 has been adopted and used by designers in other countries as well, solidifying its worldwide design reputation. Try it out for signage, magazine layouts, book covers, or flyers. DIN 1451's industrial heritage makes it surprisingly functional in just about any application.
