Slab Contrasted Bera 3 is a very bold, wide, medium contrast, italic, normal x-height font visually similar to 'Malaga' by Emigre, 'FF Kievit Slab' by FontFont, 'Rooney' by Jan Fromm, 'Adagio Serif' by Machalski, 'Mediator Serif' by ParaType, and 'Modum' by The Northern Block (names referenced only for comparison).
Keywords: posters, sports branding, packaging, headlines, logos, retro, athletic, assertive, playful, headline, impact, motion, vintage flavor, brand voice, display readability, bracketed serifs, soft joins, rounded corners, high-ink, dynamic rhythm.
This typeface is a heavy, right-leaning serif with prominent slab-like feet and strongly bracketed joins that soften the overall silhouette. Strokes are broadly modeled with noticeable thick–thin shaping, especially in curved letters, giving the forms a carved, energetic texture rather than a purely monoline feel. Counters are relatively open for the weight, while terminals and serifs often end in blunt, slightly rounded wedges. Overall proportions read expansive and punchy, with generous curves and a rhythmic forward motion across words.
Best suited for display work where impact matters: posters, event graphics, sports or team-style branding, packaging, and bold editorial headlines. It can also work for short subheads or callouts, but its heavy texture and pronounced slant make it less ideal for long-form reading at small sizes.
The tone is bold and energetic with a distinctly retro, poster-like flavor. The pronounced italic slant and chunky serifs create a sense of speed and showmanship, balancing toughness with a friendly, rounded warmth. It feels at home in expressive, attention-grabbing contexts rather than quiet, neutral typography.
The design appears intended to deliver maximum emphasis with a vintage-leaning, energetic italic serif voice. Its chunky, bracketed slab features and modeled contrast aim to stay readable at display sizes while projecting motion, confidence, and a strong branded personality.
In text settings the heavy color forms a dense, graphic block, with the italic angle and bracketed serifs producing a lively baseline and strong word shapes. The numerals match the letterforms in weight and curvature, maintaining the same confident, display-first presence.