Serif Other Erso 5 is a bold, wide, very high contrast, upright, normal x-height font.
Keywords: headlines, posters, magazine, branding, packaging, dramatic, editorial, luxury, theatrical, fashion, attention, ornamentation, brand voice, retro-modern, impact, stencil-like, ink-trap, notched, display, sharp.
A high-contrast serif display face with a sculpted, cut-out construction that creates small notches and openings within strokes and at joins. The forms are bold and expansive, with crisp wedge-like terminals and sharp, angular serifs that feel chiseled rather than bracketed. Bowls and counters are tight and stylized, producing distinctive interior shapes in letters like O, B, and e, while the lowercase keeps a sturdy, slightly compact rhythm under the heavy vertical emphasis. Numerals follow the same carved logic, with dramatic thick–thin transitions and small incisions that give each figure a poster-ready silhouette.
Best used for headlines, titles, mastheads, and large-format typography where the interior cutouts and high contrast can be appreciated. It can add a distinctive signature to branding, packaging, invitations, and campaign graphics, especially when you want a classic-but-unexpected serif voice. For long text or small sizes, the carved details and tight counters may reduce clarity, so display settings are the safest fit.
The overall tone is assertive and glamorous, mixing classic serif formality with a distinctly decorative, almost stencil-cut edge. It reads as theatrical and high-end, suited to bold statements where the letterforms themselves carry personality. The cut-ins and sharp contrasts add a slightly mysterious, boutique feel—more runway/editorial than bookish.
The design appears intended to reinterpret traditional serif capitals through a modern, ornamental lens, using stencil-like incisions and extreme contrast to produce memorable silhouettes. Its goal is impact and character over neutrality, making it suitable as an identity-forward display serif.
The notched details can visually “sparkle” at larger sizes and create strong word shapes, but they also make spacing and texture feel more irregular and expressive. The ampersand and round letters show the strongest personality, with interior cutouts that become a key part of the identity.