Poppi Font by Emigre: Martin Friedl’s Pictogram Family

Emigre’s original Poppi catalog credits Martin Friedl and dates the family to 2003. It is a pictogram project, not an ordinary alphabet for typing prose. This guide concerns that named typeface; it does not identify the unrelated Poppi beverage wordmark. Keeping creator and product category visible avoids transferring one product’s authorship or licensing to another that happens to share the name.

Emigre traces the first pictograms to Friedl’s final-year Stuttgart Academy work, inspired by a trip to Egypt and communication across language barriers. This describes the project’s image-language ambition. It does not establish that every audience will understand each pictogram without explanation.

For an original community-center directory, begin with plain destination names and add symbols where they improve scanning. Test the combination with people who do not already know the building. A symbol for a room or activity should not carry an essential instruction by itself. Keep the label close enough that the relationship remains clear when the directory is viewed in a narrow column.

When working with a pictogram font, record which selected glyph represents each item in your project. Keep a text label available for documents or environments where the font may not be present. Do not assume that copying a character will preserve the same picture in another typeface. Obtain the actual Poppi family through its authorized foundry source rather than substituting a same-name download of uncertain origin.